Governor keeps hate speech Bill ‘under consideration’, sends back two for clarification

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has kept the controversial Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill  “under consideration”, while approving 19 Bills and sending them back to the government for publication in the official gazette.

The hate speech Bill had been strongly opposed by the BJP, and the party had urged the Governor not to approve it. The legislation, passed in the winter session of the legislature in Belagavi in December last, had triggered a debate, with Opposition parties and free speech advocates arguing that its provisions could be misused.

According to a press release by R. Prabhu Shankar, Special Secretary to the Governor, the Governor’s Secretariat received 22 files for approval of Bills passed by the State Legislature. Of these, 19 Bills have been approved while two Bills, The Karnataka Scheduled Castes (sub-classification) Bill and Shree Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority and Certain Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, have been returned to the government seeking further clarifications.