The Karnataka Legislative Council unanimously passed the anti honour killing bill on Wednesday, March 25, a day after it was passed in the Legislative Assembly. The bill will now be sent to the Governor for his assent.
Introducing the bill in the Legislative Council, Law Minister HK Patil said that existing laws do not provide adequate support to inter-caste couples seeking to marry. “Since a dedicated law does not exist, the culprits are getting away without harsh punishment and the victims are not being properly rehabilitated,” he said.
Although some MLCs raised concerns regarding the law, the Council passed the bill unanimously, unlike in the Assembly where BJP MLAs opposed the bill.
The landmark Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour and Tradition (Eva Nammava Eva Nammava) Bill, 2026, seeks to address crimes committed in the name of honour and tradition, including violence against couples choosing their partners.
On March 12, Home Minister G Parameshwara had said in the Legislative Council that Karnataka had seen 15 honour killings in the past five years. The state government brought in the draft law months after the murder of Manya Patil in 2025 in Hubballi allegedly by her father and his supporters.
In the statement of objects and reasons, the Bill states that “the Constitution of India guarantees to all persons the fundamental rights to equality before the law and equal protection of the laws (Article 14), the right to life and personal liberty (Article 21), and the freedoms of expression, association, and movement (Article 19),” and that these rights include the right of all persons to choose their partner and enter into a marriage.
The Bill introduces a comprehensive support system for inter-caste couples who might face threats from their families or others. It places the onus of their safety on the state government and local administration.
It orders that the police provide protection to threatened couples within a six-hour window from receiving complaints and mandates the creation of state-funded safe residences in every district, with access to lawyers and NGOs.
Perpetrators will receive a minimum five-year prison sentence and hefty penalties on conviction. The Bill also criminalises social boycotts.