Published Mar 23, 2026 | 9:57 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 23, 2026 | 9:57 PM
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy
Synopsis: The Telangana Cabinet has approved the Telangana Hate Speech and Hate Crime Prevention Bill, 2026, aimed at curbing inflammatory speech and actions that disturb communal harmony. It also cleared the Parents Support Bill, the formation of a panel for the Rohith Vemula Act, and the Telangana Advocate Protection Bill, among others.
The Telangana Cabinet on Monday, 23 March, approved the Telangana Hate Speech and Hate Crime Prevention Bill, 2026. The proposed Bill seeks to curb hate speech, inflammatory posts, and actions that disturb communal harmony or incite violence and clashes.
The legislation was first proposed by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy during his Christmas Eve address at LB Stadium in Hyderabad on 20 December 2025. He had said the law would ensure strict punishment for those engaging in speech or actions that insult other faiths.
“Every citizen is free to practise their religion, but respecting other religions is equally essential. Any attempt to disturb communal harmony will be dealt with firmly,” the Chief Minister had said at the time.
The development comes months after the Congress-led Karnataka government passed similar bill in December.
The Cabinet also approved the Parents Support Bill, under which public representatives and employees in both government and private sectors who neglect their elderly parents will face salary deductions.
An amount equivalent to 15 percent of salary or ₹10,000, whichever is lower, will be deducted and provided to parents as financial support.
A Cabinet sub-committee has been constituted to frame rules for the proposed Rohith Vemula Act, aimed at preventing caste discrimination in educational institutions.
The panel will be headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. Ministers Damodar Rajanarasimha, Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar will serve as members.
The Cabinet approved the Telangana Advocate Protection Bill. The move comes in the backdrop of incidents such as the murder of advocate couple Vaman Rao.
The Cabinet decided to expedite the process of taking over the existing 69 km Hyderabad Metro Phase-1 project from L&T.
According to a sub-committee report, the government is expected to pay around ₹15,000 crore, including debt. Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) has been assigned responsibility for handling payments and transactions and will serve as the nodal agency for the takeover.
The Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2026, was also cleared.
The Bill provides for mandatory registration of gig workers, the creation of a Welfare Board, and a dedicated welfare fund. It seeks to ensure legal recognition, social security, and protection of rights for gig workers. The legislation also incorporates minor revisions to align with the Centre’s Social Security Code.
The Cabinet approved the report of an independent expert committee on the caste survey conducted in the state. The panel, led by Justice Sudarshan Reddy, prepared the report.
A Cabinet sub-committee will further examine its findings.
