Karnataka Garden Bill Withdrawn After Public Opposition
The Karnataka government has decided to withdraw the Karnataka Government Gardens (Protection) Amendment Bill after widespread criticism, with Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara saying the proposal will be opened to public discussion before being brought back in a new form during the next Assembly session.
Bengaluru | September 3, 2026 — The decision was announced after a Cabinet meeting and comes a day after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the government would reconsider the Bill amid growing criticism in the public domain. The government has not abandoned the proposal permanently, but plans to revise it following consultations, according to the Deputy Chief Minister’s statement reported by Prajavani.
“Currently, it has been decided to withdraw the Gardens Bill. An opportunity will be provided for public discussion on the Bill. It will be introduced again in a new form in the next Legislative Assembly session,” Parameshwara said while speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
The Bill had been passed by the Legislative Assembly on August 24 without discussion, according to the report. It sought to amend the Karnataka Government Gardens (Protection) Act and would have permitted up to 5% of the total area of any park or garden under the Horticulture Department to be used or transferred for infrastructure or utility projects.
The proposed provision became the focus of criticism because it concerned the possible use of land within government parks and gardens for other public works. The report does not specify the individual parks, infrastructure projects or utility schemes that would have been covered by the provision.
The withdrawal follows a period of increasing opposition to the legislation. Shivakumar had said on Wednesday that the Bill would be reconsidered as criticism intensified. The government’s decision was announced the following day.
Parameshwara also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of attempting to create politically motivated misconceptions among the public by opposing the Bill without allowing discussion in the Assembly. His comments were made while explaining the government’s position after the Cabinet meeting.
The episode has placed the legal framework governing public gardens back under review. The government’s next stated step is to allow public discussion and reconsider the amendment before presenting a revised version in the next Assembly session. Further details on the proposed changes and the consultation process were not provided in the report.
