Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to meet President Droupadi Murmu, seek clearance for pending Bills

Six Bills passed by the Congress-led state government – three each in 2024 and 2025 – are currently pending assent. Key among them is the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was reserved for the President’s consideration in April this year. The amendment enacted in the recent budget session of the state legislature provided a four per cent reservation to the 2B category – Muslims – in government tenders below Rs 2 crore, and procurement of goods and services below Rs 1 crore. Amendments that provide reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes in government tenders were passed in the past.

Assent is also withheld for the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Passed by the legislature last year, it proposed a common pool fund under the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department to improve amenities at smaller temples, and provide insurance cover and death relief for priests, among others. The BJP had opposed the Bill, which is yet to receive assent from the Governor.

The Karnataka (Mineral Rights and Mineral Bearing Land) Tax Bill, 2024, which provided for the state to collect taxes for minerals based on a Supreme Court decision, is among the Bills pending due to the clarifications sought by the Governor from the government.

Siddaramaiah also said that he had sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman regarding the additional memorandum submitted by the state government to the 16th Finance Commission. The state has sought an increase in the ratio of shares allotted to the state government, noting that Karnataka lost the most due to its reduced share in devolved taxes under 15th Finance Commission.

The chief minister is expected to petition Sitharaman over the issue during their meeting on Tuesday.