The year 2025 has been a period of intense legislation across South India, where state governments did not just tweak existing codes but carved out entirely new legal frameworks to address the concerns of life. From the pressures of the digital gig economy to the complexities of ancient social practices, these reforms highlight a region attempting to balance rapid urban growth with a deep commitment to social justice.
Karnataka
In Karnataka, the legislative agenda was dominated by a shift in how the state views the modern workforce. The Gig Workers Bill — passed in August — marked a landmark moment. The focus on worker wellbeing was mirrored in the state’s first-of-its-kind menstrual leave policy, which mandates 12 days of paid leave per year. While the policy is currently navigating legal hurdles from the private sector, the government is already drafting a broader Women Well-Being Leave Bill to expand these rights to students and transgender persons. Beyond labor, Bengaluru has seen a push toward more controversial security measures:
The Hate Speech and Hate Crimes Bill was introduced to curb incitement, though it has faced criticism for granting the state broad powers to take down online content. A new Crowd Control Bill, drafted following a fatal stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium, was sent to a house committee after being labeled "draconian" by the opposition.
On the social justice front, the state successfully passed the Devadasi Protection Bill, allowing children of the community to omit a father's name on official documents like passports and Aadhaar cards.
Andhra Pradesh
Turning to the Andhra Pradesh state, the spotlight was on the principles of safety and equity. To make the reservation of benefits more equitable for the Dalits who are amongst the Dalits, the Andhra Pradesh SC Sub-Classification Act was enacted. Safety in the urban area too got an upliftment with the enactment of the Lifts and Escalators Act. The Prevention of Begging (Amendment) Act marked a shift from punishment to rehabilitation. Interestingly, the proposed Social Media Regulation Bill aims to protect women in politics from targeted online abuse, though it remains under heavy scrutiny by free-speech advocates.
Telangana
In Telangana, the year was defined by bold demographic and public health moves. Based on a new caste census, the state hiked Backward Classes (BC) reservations to 42% in education and local governance, effectively lifting the traditional 50% cap on total quotas. In the healthcare sector, a technical but life-saving update to the Transplantation of Human Organs Act allowed general doctors to certify brain death, helping the state maintain its lead in organ procurement. However, digital privacy remains a concern as the Cyber Crime Surveillance Directive sparked debate for allowing police to open "history sheets" for repeat social media offenders, a move the High Court has since tempered with stricter FIR guidelines.
Kerala
Kerala shot to national prominence when the Right to Disconnect Bill 2025, which aims to extend legal protection to private-sector employees from after-hours work communications, was proposed. This humanist tendency was counterpoised by a pragmatic policy shift in education: for the first time, the CPM-led government opened the sector to private players by passing the Private Universities Bill, with some checks on reservation, keeping 40 per cent for local Kerala residents. In response to local crises, the state also passed
the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, empowering officials to deal more effectively with human-animal conflicts in hilly areas. Also, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Bill gives legal recognition for traditional cattle races like Maramadi and Kalapoottu to preserve agrarian heritage.
Tamil Nadu
Finally, the Tamil Nadu government took a firm stand against "thuggish" recovery tactics with the Money Lending Entities (Prevention of Coercive Actions) Act. This law specifically targets the predatory lending practices that often drive vulnerable borrowers, particularly women, into cycles of harassment. The state also replaced its earlier attempts at a total gaming ban with a sophisticated Online Gaming Regulatory Framework that focuses on KYC verification and spending limits. Perhaps, the most significant administrative victory came from the judiciary; in April 2025, the Supreme Court ended a long-standing standoff with the Governor, enabling the state government to finally take over the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in its own universities.
Also read: Siddaramaiah nears record as Karnataka’s longest-serving CM
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