Bengaluru, March 2026 – The Karnataka government has tabled the Karnataka Apartment Ownership and Management Act (KAOMA) ordinance, replacing the widely criticised Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act of 1972 that has left hundreds of thousands of apartment owners in a legal vacuum for over five decades. The Bangalore Apartments Federation (BAF), representing over 1,400 RWAs and nearly 1.5 million apartment residents, has strongly appealed to the State Government to enact the much-anticipated KAOMA 2025 during the ongoing Budget Session. Two years have passed since Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar assured the Legislative Assembly of a new law to replace the outdated 1972 Act. Although the KAOMA 2025 draft has been ready since July 2025, and public consultations were held, the bill has still not been tabled.
The Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act of 1972 is riddled with confusion. The proposed KAOMA incorporates excellent provisions and its implementation is a necessity, according to Satish Mallya, President of the Bangalore Apartments’ Federation.
What KAOMA Will Change
The federation’s proposal lists multiple mandatory reforms that the new KAOMA must incorporate: clear and enforceable transfer of property rights and Undivided Share from builders and promoters to apartment owners; legally strengthened Owners’ Associations, including transparent rules for formation, registration, and governance; time-bound dispute resolution mechanisms for owner-builder and owner-association conflicts; legal provisions for amalgamation, redevelopment, and rebuilding of ageing apartment complexes; and unified governance under one Act, replacing the current fragmented system reliant on multiple laws and departments.
The absence of deemed conveyance provisions under the 1972 Act has been particularly damaging: over 10,000 Bengaluru housing societies reportedly remain unregistered under the existing Act, leaving their undivided share of land legally unclear and creating persistent vulnerability to developer disputes and title complications.
The Waste Management Grievance Running Alongside
BAF has also demanded the immediate withdrawal of discriminatory solid waste management charges imposed on apartment communities. Since mid-January 2026, new regulations have classified apartment complexes with over 100 units as Bulk Waste Generators, leading to higher user fees. While an independent house under 2,000 square feet pays a nominal fee of ₹100 per month through property tax, apartment residents are being charged ₹12 per kilogram, coupled with an 18% GST burden, amounting to approximately ₹360 per month per flat.
