‘Honour’ killings punishable with 5 yrs in Karnataka draft bill, couples offered protection |
Seeking to confront rising ‘honour’ crimes and protect couples whose relationships challenge entrenched caste and community norms, the Karnataka government has drafted the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2026, also referred to as Iva Nammava, Iva Nammava.
Honour killing refers to the deliberate murder or violence against a person, often by family or community members, to punish them for actions, such as inter-caste marriage, that are perceived to bring ‘shame’ or dishonour to the family or community.
The Bill promises strong legal safeguards for adults exercising their right to marry, alongside harsh penalties, including imprisonment for murder, assault, coercion and threats in the name of family honour.
The phrase Iva Nammava, Iva Nammava comes from a 12th-century Kannada Vachana by social reformer Basavanna, meaning “He is ours, He is ours.” It reflects the Bill’s core principle of universal brotherhood, social inclusion, and support for individuals choosing their life partners, rejecting caste-based discrimination.
This comes after a Karnataka man killed his 20-year-old pregnant daughter and her unborn child for marrying a Dalit man in Hubballi taluk. In a 2024 report titled ‘In the Name of Honour’, the People’s Union for Civil Liberties-Karnataka documented 13 honour-related attacks between January 2022 and December 2023, resulting in the deaths of 12 individuals.
The draft Bill reaffirms that fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, and 21, as well as rights under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, fully apply to decisions regarding choosing a partner and entering marriage. It notes that increasing violence, harassment, threats, and social ostracism – often rooted in caste, custom, and ‘honour’ – target individuals and young couples, particularly women and men from marginalised communities. Endogamy is recognised as a structural tool maintaining caste hierarchies, while inter-caste marriages are seen as a way to promote fraternity and dismantle discriminatory........