Bangalore Apartment Federation expresses disappointment over Karnataka State budget 2025-26 

The key aspects of BAF’s proposal include responsibility and accountability of builders, developers, promoters and landowners, ensuring smooth transfer of control to associations, and clear property ownership for residents. Development of apartment owners’ association framework for the proper formation, registration, enforceability of byelaws, fund utilisation, and sustainability measures, addressing the challenges of ageing apartment complexes with provisions for redevelopment.  

The Bangalore Apartments’ Federation (BAF) has expressed disappointment over the Karnataka government’s failure to meet its long-standing demands in the 2025-26 State budget, which was presented on March 7.

The BAF claimed that despite repeated appeals and commitments from the government in the past, BAF’s primary demand for comprehensive legislation to ensure legitimate ownership and management of apartment properties remains unaddressed.

A couple of days before the budget, the BAF had said that it has been advocating a formal legal framework that secures the rights of apartment owners and grants apartment associations the necessary authority to manage their communities. Ahead of the budget session, BAF representatives claimed to have once again met several city MLAs and Ministers with a request to introduce a new law during this session.

However, the budget had no mention of apartments or the welfare of apartment dwellers.  

The BAF said that it has consistently called for an updated and comprehensive law, based on the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act of 1972, to establish clear property ownership and management rights for apartment owners. The key aspects of their proposal include responsibility and accountability of builders, developers, promoters and landowners, ensuring smooth transfer of control to associations, and clear property ownership for residents. Development of apartment owners’ association framework for the proper formation, registration, enforceability of byelaws, fund utilisation, and sustainability measures, addressing the challenges of ageing apartment complexes with provisions for redevelopment.  

The BAF also demanded legal clarity on the rights of homeowners, a dedicated authority to resolve property-related conflicts efficiently, and consolidating multiple existing laws into a unified Karnataka Apartments Ownership and Management Act (KAOMA). 

Vikram Rai, president of BAF, told The Hindu, “We have been following up for years, and the budget is disappointing, to say the least. During the last election, it was a commitment from both the principal parties that they would make an amendment, and make changes. The courtesy of being polite, pleading, requesting and administratively giving letters seems to be useless.