Bill to safeguard ‘freedom of choice’ in marriage tabled

THe mysore regime on wed introduced a banker's bill in the legislative gathering aimed at curbing crimes committed “in the name of honour” and safeguarding individuals’ right to choose their partners, proposing stringent penalties and new institutional mechanisms for prevention and redress.The proposed legislation, titled Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of Honour and Tradition Bill, seeks to address a range of coercive practices, from violence and harassment to social and economic boycotts, that interfere with personal relationships, particularly inter-caste marriages.A senior official involved in drafting the legislation said its purpose was to reinforce constitutional protections. “The intent is to make it unambiguously clear that the right to choose one’s partner is protected under the Constitution and cannot be curtailed by family or community pressure,” the official said. “This legislation is meant to give teeth to that principle.”The bill comes in the backdrop of the alleged killing of a young pregnant woman near Hubballi in December, reportedly by her family over an inter-caste marriage, which had triggered public outrage. It is named “Eva Nammava Eva Nammava,” drawing from a Vachana by 12th-century social reformer Basavanna.Under the proposed legislation, honour crimes are defined broadly to include not only murder but also physical assault, harassment, abduction, confinement, threats, eviction and interference with property and employment. It also criminalises acts such as confiscating phones, freezing bank accounts, forcing symbolic rituals, including declaring partners as siblings, performing death rites for living individuals, forced abortion, sexual violence, defamation and coercion into marriage or divorce.“The experience has been that violence is not limited to physical assault,” the official said. “Families and community groups often resort to social and economic boycott to break the relationship. The bill recognises these as serious forms of coercion.”Social and economic boycott is defined to include denial of access to markets, public spaces, places of worship, customary services, credit, education, employment and business opportunities, as well as dispossession of property.The bill prescribes stringent punishments. Causing death in the name of honour would attract a minimum prison term of five years, in addition to penalties under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Grievous hurt would be punishable with rigorous imprisonment of at least 10 years, extendable to life, along with a fine of up to ₹3 lakh. Simple hurt would carry three to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹2 lakh, while other offences obstructing personal liberty would attract two to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh.“All offences under the bill are cognisable and non-bailable,” the official said.Criminal intimidation would be punishable with three to five years’ imprisonment, extendable to seven years in aggravated cases, and a fine of up to ₹2 lakh. Participation in unlawful assemblies could draw six months to five years’ imprisonment and fines up to ₹1 lakh.The legislation also introduces an aggravated offence in cases where sexual relations are obtained under a false promise of marriage in an inter-caste context. If such a promise is withdrawn after disclosure or knowledge of the woman’s caste, consent would be treated as having been obtained through deception, the bill proposed.To support implementation, the bill proposes the creation of district-level bodies called “Eva Nammava Vedike,” comprising a retired judge, police and revenue officials, a sub-registrar and others. These bodies would assist in facilitating marriages, offering counselling and providing support services.The government may also designate special fast-track courts, in consultation with the high court, to handle cases under the law.Alongside this, the government introduced the Karnataka Tax on Profession, Trades, Callings and Employments Bill, 2026, aimed at simplifying compliance. The amendment proposes that individuals who have already paid the maximum tax for a year be deemed to have filed returns, removing the need for additional paperwork.“With a view to simplifying compliance, reducing paperwork, and facilitating ease of doing business, it is proposed to deem the furnishing of a return in cases where an enrolled person has paid the tax payable for a year,” the bill states. It also seeks to empower the commissioner to exempt certain classes of taxpayers from filing returns, subject to specified conditions.