After RSS march row, Karnataka clears Bill to regulate public space use

Hence, the new Bill, proposed by Kharge in the Cabinet meeting, is expected to intensify the clash between the RSS and the minister, a sharp critic of the outfit who had sought the organisation to come clean on its source of funding.

The Cabinet has approved The Karnataka Regulation of Use of Government Premises and Public Property Bill, 2026.

The Bill seeks to regulate and govern the use of Government premises and public property by private individuals, organizations, associations and societies. It provides…

— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) August 13, 2026

https://platform.x.com/widgets.js

The Chittapur tahsildar, while denying permission to the right-wing organisation, stated that the RSS had neither sought prior approval nor provided details about the expected number of participants.

The order had defined ‘government property’ as any land, building, structure, road, park, playground, waterbody or any other immovable property owned and managed by a local authority or department, boards or corporations.

“You have not provided details of lathis and other weapons. You have not submitted registration documents of your organisation,” the tahsildar had said, adding that the application for the march will be reviewed once the details sought by the authorities are furnished. On the said date, apart from RSS, Bhim Army too had announced a march at the North Karnataka town.

“If the applicant meets the requisitions and instructions of the competent authority, then the application shall be disposed of at least a day prior to the intended programme or procession by issuing a written order after providing reasonable opportunity of hearing to the applicant,” the GO stated.

Any programme or procession held in contravention of the order will be considered unlawful under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the local police shall register a suo motu case. Similar provisions are expected in the Bill, said a source.

Recently, Kharge has said that the state government was also mulling legislation to ensure that the RSS and its affiliate groups are registered as per law.