Bengaluru, March 19 -- The Karnataka government on Wednesday introduced a bill in the legislative assembly aimed at curbing crimes committed "in the name of honour" and safeguarding individuals' right to choose their partners, proposing stringent penalties and new institutional mechanisms for prevention and redress.

The proposed legislation, titled Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of Honour and Tradition Bill, seeks to address a range of coercive practices, from violence and harassment to social and economic boycotts, that interfere with personal relationships, particularly inter-caste marriages.

A senior official involved in drafting the legislation said its purpose was to rei...