Siddaramaiah says Governor yet to take a call on hate speech legislation; Raj Bhavan returns SC internal quota Bill

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mangaluru on Sunday that the state government was awaiting a response from the governor's office regarding the hate speech Bill. (File Photos)

Two key Bills passed during the winter session of the state legislature—the Karnataka Scheduled Castes (sub-classification) Bill and the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill—are unlikely to receive assent from the governor in the immediate future.

While the Raj Bhavan has returned the first Bill, meant to implement internal reservation for Scheduled Castes, the governor is yet to take a decision on the second. The Opposition BJP, which has opposed the hate speech Bill, is also expected to petition Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot against granting assent to the Bill.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mangaluru on Sunday that the state government was awaiting a response from the governor’s office regarding the hate speech Bill. Responding to a question, he said, “The Bill was passed unanimously. It is not rejected, sent back or accepted yet,” adding that the Government would provide required clarification when sought by the Raj Bhavan.

Sources in the law department confirmed that the Scheduled Caste internal reservation Bill was returned by the governor. “We are yet to learn about the exact clarifications the governor has sought as the department will receive the files on Monday,” a source said.

The Opposition BJP, which has opposed the hate speech Bill, is also expected to petition the governor against granting assent to the Bill.

The Bill divided the 17 per cent reservation meant for the Scheduled Castes into three groups. While Group A and Group B received six per cent reservation, Group C got five per cent. Nomadic tribes have opposed the Bill, demanding a separate one per cent quota for their community.

The delay in assenting to the Bill is expected to hit government recruitments. Prior to the formation of a commission to determine the internal reservation for the Scheduled Caste in November 2024, the Government had decided to freeze all recruitments until the internal reservation was finalised.

After the conclusion of the winter session of the legislature in the third week of December 2025, the Government had sent 22 Bills for the governor’s assent. Nineteen of these Bills were approved, and two were returned by the governor. The hate speech Bill is still under the governor’s consideration, according to the law department.

Apart from the internal reservation Bill, the governor has returned the Shree Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority and Certain Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, seeking clarifications.