Bengaluru/New Delhi: At least 25 bills passed by both houses of the Karnataka legislature are awaiting the President’s assent to take effect, according to T.B. Jayachandra, law and parliamentary affairs minister.

Jayachandra said the Karnataka government has been in touch with the union home ministry over the clearing of the bills. “We have been constantly approaching the Centre to get these bills approved. I meet with home ministry officials whenever I go to Delhi and have even deputed officials to engage the Centre," Jayachandra told Mint.

The bills include Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Amendment Bill 2017, Prohibition of Child marriage Amendment Bill 2015, Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2015, Karnataka Municipal Corporation Amendment Bill 2015, Karnataka Transgenic and Genetically Modified Cotton Seeds (sale, compensation etc) Bill 2015 among others.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment Bill was passed in February by both houses of the Karnataka legislature to allow Kambala, a buffalo racing sport, held annually in the state’s Uttara Kannada region.

The state legislature amended the prevention of cruelty to animals act 1960, which stated that bull racing sport was introduced to protect the native species of buffalo. The passing of the amendment bill came close on the heels of protests against the Jallikattu sport in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

Harish Ramaswamy, political analyst and professor at the Karnataka University, Dharwad, said the Siddaramaiah-led government has been unsuccessful in pursuing and getting these bills cleared. This attitude of the party in power is not uncommon because there are many projects of government which have experienced major delays," Ramaswamy said.

“The matter is being examined to check if it is repugnant with central laws or not. We are consulting with the relevant ministries on the matter and have sought responses from them," said a senior union home ministry official, requesting anonymity.

Karnataka accounts for 23.2% of all child marriages in the country and the state proposed to amend the Bill in December 2015 to adopt a zero tolerance policy and give additional powers to the police as well as increase the penalty on violators, the Hindu reported on 17 January. The Bill awaits central approval.

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