The Karnataka government on Tuesday, December 17, withdrew the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which had been passed earlier this year to allow developers to pay a premium for constructing additional floors beyond permissible limits.
According to the Deccan Herald, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh announced the withdrawal in the Assembly, citing "mistakes" and "shortcomings" in the legislation. “We have decided to rework the bill and explore the possibilities of reintroducing it.”
The Bill, which had received legislative approval in February, was sent back by Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, who raised concerns over its implications. It proposed allowing developers to pay at least 40% of the guidance value as premium charges for additional Floor Area Ratio (FAR), capped at 0.6 times or 60% of the ordinarily permissible FAR. FAR is the ratio of the total building area to the plot size, determined by the plot size and the road width in front of it.
Governor Gehlot had expressed apprehensions that the law could pave the way for legalising unauthorised constructions and went against the Akrama-Sakrama scheme. The Akrama-Sakrama scheme, which seeks to regularise illegal buildings, is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who piloted the Bill, had said that the premium FAR would not exceed 60% of the normal permissible FAR.