Bengaluru, March 18 The Karnataka Legislative Council passed two amendment bills on Wednesday related to advertising in urban areas and the transfer of police officers.
Both bills were adopted by the Karnataka Assembly on March 16.
The Karnataka Municipalities and Certain Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, moved by the state Urban Development and Town Planning Minister B S Suresha, aimed to regulate outdoor advertising and enable municipal bodies to levy and collect fees on hoardings and billboards across the state.
Suresha presented the bill to the council for adoption.
Members of the ruling and opposition parties extensively discussed the bill, after which it was cleared by the House.
The Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill, 2026, moved by the Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara, empowers the Police Establishment Board (PEB) to immediately transfer police officers up to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) for misconduct, negligence, or dereliction of duty.
This amendment allows for action before the mandatory two-year tenure expires. The Act covers cases of "misconduct or gross negligence or dereliction of duty or an act of moral turpitude".
The Police Establishment Board (comprising senior officials) is authorised to take action directly, rather than waiting for lengthy government approval, with the aim of reducing political interference and speeding up disciplinary actions.
This move is intended to address recurring irregularities and corruption, including scenarios where officers are apprehended by the Lokayukta police, and improve efficiency.
The legislation, introduced by state Home Minister G Parameshwara, ensures tighter discipline within the police force while providing a cleaner legal mechanism for transferring officers.
Karnataka Planning and Statistics Minister D Sudhakar presented the report of the Karnataka Regional Imbalances Redressal Committee, which was prepared by a panel headed by economist M Govinda Rao.
The report identified 93 "most backward" taluks among the 236 in the state, with 60 per cent of them concentrated in North Karnataka, particularly in Kalaburagi and Belagavi divisions.
This report highlights that, despite significant expenditure, regional disparities persist, with 75 per cent of all taluks facing some form of imbalance.
