BENGALURU, 19 AUG

The State Legislative Assembly passed the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2025 on Tuesday. The legislature aims to protect the rights of platform-based gig workers, and to place obligations on aggregators in relation to the workers’ social security, occupational health, and safety.

The Bill proposes a welfare fee of 1 to 5 percent of the payout to the worker during each transaction, for different categories of aggregators or platforms.

“This cannot be equally applied to everyone as Swiggy, Zomato businesses will be different from e-commerce and so on,” Labour Minister Santosh Lad said while introducing the Bill. “They are different kinds of businesses. So 1-5 per cent will not be levied equally on everyone. We will discuss and decide on it while framing rules.”

He noted the seriousness of the Bill. “Gig economy, delivery services -- e-commerce or food delivery -- are growing in a big way year-on-year. According to the NITI Ayog report, by 2029-30, about 23.5 million workers are expected to be part of it. As per the information we have in Karnataka, it is about 4 lakh gig workers.”

Lad added that an aggregator cannot terminate a gig worker from service without prior notice of 14 days and without providing valid reasons in writing, as per the Bill.

The Bill is applicable to services provided by aggregator or platform -- ride sharing services; food and grocery delivery services; logistics services; e-Market place  for wholesale/retail sale of goods and/or services - Business to Business /Business to Consumer (B2B/B2C); professional activity provider; healthcare; travel and hospitality; and content and media services.

MUNCIPAL CORPORATIONS

The Assembly passed the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill that will allow municipal commissioners to regularise unlawful buildings by levying a penalty. It also exempts small properties from requiring commencement certificates (CC) and occupancy certificates (OC).

Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh said the extent of building plan violations eligible for regularisation is being raised from 5 per cent to 15 per cent. The Bill would allow regularising buildings on small sites. The size would be specified in the rules, but it would not exceed 20x30 ft. and 30x40ft. 

PORTS BILL 

The Karnataka Ports (Landing and Shipping Fees) (Amendment) Bill was also passed. The Bill aims to revise the fees on goods shipped in such intervals and to increase or decrease the percentage of fee by the Government by notification if fees are not revised within time.

MAHADAYI 

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the State has every right to use its share of Mahadayi waters as he accepted a proposal by some MLAs to lead a delegation to New Delhi. Responding to a question during Question Hour, Shivakumar who also hold the water portfolio said, “Lets go to Delhi. You talk to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. Let’s meet the Union Ministers concerned.”

Souharda Sahakari Bill passed

The Karnataka Souharda Sahakari (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was also passed by the Assembly to make Souharda Cooperatives maintain 20 percent of the total deposits as State Statutory Liquid Reserve to manage increasing cases of misappropriation. 

Among other things, the Bill also provides for funds which are not immediately required for use by a Souharda Co-operative, a democratically elected organisation,  to be invested or deposited outside its business.

The Bill had earlier been sent back by the Governor, asking the State to “reconsider” them.