Apartment ownership in Karnataka is still governed by two laws written in 1972, decades before gated communities, high-rises and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) became the norm, and years before RERA reshaped how Indian real estate is regulated.
That is set to change. The Karnataka government has released the draft Karnataka Apartment (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026, known as KAOMA 2026, for public consultation. If passed, it will replace the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972 and the Karnataka Ownership Flats Act, 1972 with a single framework built around how apartments are actually bought, owned, managed and redeveloped today.
Here is what apartment owners, RWAs and developers need to know.
Why Karnataka Needed a New Apartment Law
Bengaluru alone houses lakhs of families in apartment communities, yet the 1972 laws were never designed for that scale of high-rise living. Owners, associations and developers have long dealt with the same recurring problems:
• Delays in transferring land ownership from developers to apartment associations
• Unclear rules on who owns common areas and parking
• Weak legal standing for apartment associations
• No formal framework for redeveloping ageing buildings
• Frequent, drawn-out disputes between builders and residents
• No dedicated authority to resolve apartment-related grievances
KAOMA 2026 is Karnataka's attempt to close these gaps in one unified law.
Key Provisions of KAOMA 2026
1. Redevelopment with 75% Owner Consent
The most significant reform in the draft bill is a formal legal pathway for redevelopment. Instead of requiring every single owner to agree, a redevelopment project can proceed once 75% of apartment owners consent. This could unlock redevelopment of Karnataka's ageing apartment stock, which has largely been stuck due to the near-impossible requirement of unanimous approval.
2. Compensation for Owners Who Don't Consent
The draft also builds in protection for owners who object to redevelopment. Where a project proceeds despite their objection, the bill proposes that non-consenting owners receive compensation of at least twice the market value of their ownership interest, in cases where the redevelopment provisions apply. This figure is part of the draft text and should be verified against the final bill once introduced in the legislature.
3. Mandatory Structural Audits for Older Buildings
Buildings aged 30 years or more will need to undergo:
• Structural stability certification
• Safety assessment by qualified experts
• A fresh structural audit every five years after that
The intent is to catch unsafe buildings early, before they need emergency intervention or become candidates for forced redevelopment.
4. Faster, Clearer Transfer of Ownership
A long-standing complaint among Karnataka homebuyers is the delay in getting legal title to land and common areas after a project is complete. KAOMA 2026 requires developers to formally transfer land, common areas and shared facilities to apartment owners once construction is finished, giving buyers complete ownership rather than an indefinite wait.
5. Legal Recognition for Apartment Owners' Associations
RWAs and apartment owners' associations would get statutory recognition under the bill, with clearer powers over maintenance, governance, financial management, collection of maintenance charges and day-to-day community administration. This is aimed at reducing the ambiguity that currently surrounds what an association can and cannot legally do.
6. Deemed Conveyance for Older Projects
Many older apartment complexes never received a proper conveyance deed from their original developer. KAOMA introduces deemed conveyance, a mechanism that lets owners obtain legal ownership of their property even if the developer never executed the transfer.
7. Clearer Rules on Parking and Common Areas
The draft bill sets out clearer definitions for parking ownership, common areas, shared amenities and who is responsible for maintaining them, an area that has historically driven a large share of builder-resident disputes.
8. A Dedicated Grievance Redressal Mechanism
Rather than pushing disputes into civil court, KAOMA proposes a Competent Authority and an Appellate Authority to handle apartment-related grievances, aiming for faster and more affordable resolution than litigation.
What KAOMA 2026 Means for Homebuyers
If the bill is enacted in its current form, apartment owners in Karnataka can expect clearer ownership documentation, stronger legal standing for their associations, a defined path to redevelop ageing buildings, and a faster grievance mechanism instead of prolonged court battles.
What KAOMA 2026 Means for Developers
Developers will face tighter compliance obligations, including prompt transfer of ownership documents, stricter disclosure requirements, support for setting up apartment associations, and a more structured redevelopment process. In exchange, a clearer legal framework could mean fewer long-running disputes and stronger buyer confidence in the long run.
Current Status of the Bill
KAOMA 2026 is currently a draft released for public feedback. The Karnataka government has invited comments from apartment owners, RWAs, developers and other stakeholders before it is introduced in the state legislature, so the final provisions, including the redevelopment consent threshold and compensation terms, could still change.
KAOMA 2026 is one of the most significant apartment-law reforms Karnataka has seen in decades. By addressing ownership transfer, redevelopment, structural safety and dispute resolution in a single framework, it aims to give homeowners more legal certainty, reduce builder-resident conflict, and finally offer a workable roadmap for redeveloping the state's ageing apartment stock, provided it survives the legislative process largely intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is KAOMA 2026?
KAOMA 2026 is the draft Karnataka Apartment (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026, a proposed law meant to replace Karnataka's 1972-era apartment ownership laws with a framework suited to modern apartment living and RERA-era regulation.
Which laws will KAOMA 2026 replace?
It is proposed to replace the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972 and the Karnataka Ownership Flats Act, 1972.
How much owner consent is needed for redevelopment under KAOMA 2026?
The draft bill proposes that redevelopment can proceed with the consent of 75% of apartment owners, rather than requiring unanimous approval.
Is KAOMA 2026 already law?
No. As of now, it is a draft bill open for public consultation. It has not yet been passed by the Karnataka legislature, and its provisions may change before that happens.
What is deemed conveyance under KAOMA 2026?
Deemed conveyance is a legal mechanism proposed under the bill that allows apartment owners to obtain legal ownership of their property even when the original developer failed to execute a formal conveyance deed.
