Resolution suggests changes to Karnataka's hate speech, misinformation draft bills

Bengaluru: The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Karnataka, on Friday held a public consultation regarding two draft bills seeking to regulate misinformation and hate speech, where a resolution was passed with suggestions to the state legislature.

While appreciating the draft bills, the resolution expressed certain “concerns” regarding provisions that may infringe upon freedom of speech, freedom to practice and propagate religion and so on.

Referring to the draft of the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2025, the resolution urged the government to provide “clear” and “specific” definitions of hate speech and hate crime, whose definition in a particular context has to be “exclusively determined by the judiciary.” 

The resolution urged the government to add mob lynching to the purview of hate crimes. Referring to the draft of the Karnataka Mis-information Regulation Bill, 2025, the resolution recommended that only special courts should have the authority to decide cases related to misinformation. 

The resolution urged the state legislature to consider these amendments and ensure that the two proposed laws are “fair, effective and protect individual rights and liberties.”

Lawyer-activists Vinay Sreenivas, Manavi Atri, journalists Shivasundar and Harsha Kumar Kugwe were present and spoke on the occasion.