KARNATAKA HIGH COURT DIRECTS STATE TO FORMULATE COMPREHENSIVE HOMESTAY POLICY FOLLOWING TOURIST ASSAULT

BENGALURU: The High Court of Karnataka has directed the State Government to establish a comprehensive legal framework to regulate the booming homestay industry. Recognizing critical gaps in tourist safety and fragmented governance, the Court ruled that a unified policy is essential to protect travelers and maintain the state's reputation as a secure destination.


The single-judge bench of Justice Suraj Govindaraj issued these directions while hearing a petition challenging the abrupt cancellation of a homestay’s registration in Kutta village, Kodagu district. The local authority had revoked the license following a criminal complaint by a 33-year-old United States national, who alleged she was drugged and sexually assaulted by a housekeeper at the property.
While the High Court quashed the immediate cancellation order on procedural grounds—noting that authorities failed to issue a mandatory show-cause notice or afford the operator a fair hearing—the Court emphasized that the incident exposed systemic vulnerabilities. Justice Govindaraj observed that the existing Karnataka Tourism Trade (Facilitation and Regulation) Act, 2015 does not adequately address the unique operational and security challenges posed by modern homestays.

Because homestays operate at the intersection of residential properties, commercial hospitality, and often ecologically sensitive zones, the Court noted that oversight remains disjointed across multiple government branches. To bridge these gaps, the High Court outlined nine critical areas that the state’s Tourism Department must integrate into a new, streamlined regulatory framework:

• Security and Verification: Mandating strict identity verification protocols for all guests and staff, rigorous record-keeping, and seamless coordination with local law enforcement.
• Scale and Classification: Drawing a clear legal distinction between small, family-run homestays and large-scale commercial operations to ensure regulatory burdens remain proportionate.
• Safety and Sanitation: Implementing mandatory fire safety measures, food safety compliance under FSSAI standards, and public health checks for drinking water and waste disposal.
• Zoning and Environment: Ensuring strict adherence to local building laws, occupancy limits, and environmental guidelines, particularly in hilly or eco-sensitive regions.
• Consumer Rights: Enforcing transparency in booking procedures, pricing structures, and cancellation policies.

The Court concluded that an institutional mechanism featuring a single-point authority and coordinated inter-departmental inspections is urgently required. By setting these guidelines, the High Court aims to balance industry growth with ironclad public safety, ensuring that accountability is clear and that tourist confidence is preserved across the state.

Discription: BENGALURU: The High Court of Karnataka has ordered the State Government to draft a comprehensive regulatory policy for homestays to ensure tourist safety and streamline industry oversight. Presiding over the matter, Justice Suraj Govindaraj highlighted critical legal gaps in the Karnataka Tourism Trade Act, 2015 following a sexual assault complaint filed by a U.S. tourist against a staff member at a Kodagu homestay. While the Court quashed the immediate cancellation of the property's license due to a lack of due process, it mandated a new framework focusing on nine core areas. These pillars include strict guest and staff biometric verification, fire and food safety compliance, zoning regulations in eco-sensitive zones, and a single-point authority to eliminate fragmented, multi-departmental governance.