URBAN LAW PROJECT GRANTED BY THE DIRECTORATE OF MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA

CODIFYING, CONSOLIDATING AND REFORMING THE URBAN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT LAWS IN THE STATE OF KARNATAKA

About the Project:

The Centre for Environmental Law Education, Research and Advocacy (CEERA), National Law School of India University, Bengaluru entered into a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with the Directorate of Municipal Administration, Government of Karnataka in the year December 2017 titled “Codifying, Consolidating and Reforming the Urban Planning and Development Laws in the State of Karnataka”. The project duration is for a period of two years.

The main objectives of the Project are as follows;

1. Consolidation and reviewing of urban development related laws in State;
2. Building legal capacity in understanding and interpretation of the urban related laws through teaching and research.
3. Applying the outcome of research efforts for deeper dissemination of laws on the subject.

As a part of the project deliverables several workshops, seminars and training sessions have been completed under this project.

Following activities have been completed under the project as on date;

1. National Seminar on Smart Laws for Smart Cities: Agenda for Reform, Consolidation and Codification, held on 29^th and 30^th October, 2018.
2. One Day Workshop on Deliberation and Validation of the Outline of the Karnataka Municipalities Bill, 2019, held on 13^th March, 2019.
3. One Week Program for the law Teachers for developing the curriculum and teaching techniques in law related to urban governance, held from 7^th -13^th, June, 2019.
4. One Day Expert Consultation Workshop on Karnataka Municipalities Bill, 2019 (Draft Bill), held on 21^st September, 2019.

The final outcome of the project would be in the form of a Bill titled Karnataka Municipalities Bill, 2019. The Bill aims to consolidate the existing legislations including the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964; Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1987; Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority Act, 1985 among other legislations. The deliverables for the first year included drafting a Policy for the Government to be adopted titled as ‘Karnataka Urban Policy, 2018’. Furthermore, amendments have been suggested to the four principal legislations Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964; Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1987 and Karnataka Urban Development Authorities Act. 1987.