The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has passed the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025.

The Bill aims to punish acts that incite hatred or harm against persons on grounds of religion, race, caste, gender or any other grounds.

The draft bill defines hate speech as "any expression which is made, published, or circulated, in words either spoken or written or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic communication or otherwise, in public view, with an intention to cause injury, disharmony or feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will against person alive or dead, class or group of persons or community, to meet any prejudicial interest."

‘Prejudicial interest’ means and includes bias on the grounds of (a) religion, (b) race, (c) caste or community; (d) sex, (e) gender, (f) sexual orientation, (g) place of birth, (h) residence, (i) language, (j) disability, or (k) tribe.

'Hate Crime’ is defined as "communication of hate speech, by making, publishing or circulating or any act of promoting, propagating, inciting or abetting or attempting, such hate speech, to cause disharmony or feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will against any person dead or alive or group of persons or organisation."

Punishment for committing a hate crime will include imprisonment for a term of one to seven years or a fine of ₹5,000, or both.

Repeat offences will attract a minimum sentence of two years and a maximum sentence of ten years in jail, and a fine of ₹1 lakh.

Hate speech offences are cognisable and non-bailable and will be tried in Judicial First Class Magistrate Courts.

There is also a provision for compensating victims.

While the law will apply to both individuals and office-bearers of organisations, it contains exemptions for actions done in good faith, in public interest, or as part of official duties.

Pertinently, a designated officer, as notified by the State government, will have the power to direct any service provider, intermediary, person or entity to block or remove hate crime material from their domain.

[Read the Bill]