Karnataka's new anti-superstition Bill proposes to ban 23 ugly practices

July 9, 2016

Bengaluru, Jul 9: The new version of an anti-superstition Bill?proposes to ban 23 practices, including human torture in the name of rituals and display of miracles' to earn money.

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The draft Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifices and other Inhuman Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Bill-2016 is a modified version of the Karnataka Prevention of Superstitious Practices Bill-2013.

The copy of the Bill was circulated at the state Cabinet meeting on Friday.

The Bill will be debated in the next Cabinet meeting, too, and introduced in the ongoing legislature session, according to Law Minister T?B Jayachandra.

The 2013 Bill had met with resistance from various quarters as it proposed to ban numerology, astrology among others, and was referred to the scrutiny committee for modification. The 2016 Bill is yet to be made public.

According to sources, it lists out practices which are proposed to be banned and those which will not apply under the provisions of the Bill. (See chart) Besides social evils like human sacrifice and Aghori, the Bill proposes to ban made snana', the practice of people rolling over leftovers after Brahmins have partaken food in temples; and fire-walking, the act of walking barefoot on redhot embers, which is a common practice in Karnataka.

Unhealthy rituals

Human sacrifice; propagation of human sacrifice

Practices like made snana', fire-walking, banamati', bettale seve'

Torture in the name of exorcism

Display of miracles to earn money or terrorise people

Inhuman, evil and Aghori practices which endanger life

Practice of black magic in search of precious things

Creating fear in others by claiming to have supernatural powers

Creating panic by threatening to invoke ghosts

It won't apply to...

Worship

Teaching of ancient and traditional learning

Performance of prayers

All religious celebrations

Piercing of ears, nose in accordance with religious rituals

Advice of vastu shastra', astrology and advice with regard to source of groundwater

Comments

Rajesh Sequira
 - 
Saturday, 9 Jul 2016

How can they pass this bill? Hindu religion is based on superstitions and the brahmins are preying upon the fears created on the lower classes.

Ahmed Ali K
 - 
Saturday, 9 Jul 2016

Please also add in the ban list - worshipping dead.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

•    Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

•    STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

•    Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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