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BJP slams govt move to take over Bengaluru palace grounds from royals

Jan 18, 2025 08:00 AM IST

The state cabinet on Thursday decided to expedite the case in the Supreme Court regarding the validity of the 1997 Act that took over the Bengaluru Palace grounds

The state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday criticised the state government’s move to take over the Bengaluru palace grounds from the royal family of Mysuru.

The 1996 Bangalore Palace (Land Acquisition and Transfer) Act transferred all rights and properties belonging to the palace to the state government. (HT Photo)
The 1996 Bangalore Palace (Land Acquisition and Transfer) Act transferred all rights and properties belonging to the palace to the state government. (HT Photo)

“The state government has become bankrupt and is unable to run the government due to maladministration. Now, it is searching for all kinds of income from all kinds of sources,’’ state BJP general secretary P Rajiv said on Friday, adding that the state government has hiked tax on liquor, fuel and registration fees twice in a year.

The state cabinet on Thursday decided to expedite the case in the Supreme Court regarding the validity of the 1997 Act that took over the Bengaluru Palace grounds. The government has decided to request the court to dispose of the appeal as soon as possible to settle the ownership of the property.

During a meeting, the Cabinet discussed the transfer of development rights (TDR) for the 15 acres and 17.5 guntas of land belonging to the Bengaluru Palace grounds, as per the Supreme Court’s judgment on December 10 last year. The court ordered the payment of 3,011 crore as TDR at the rate of 2,83,500 per square metre on the Bellary Road side and 2,04,000 per square metre on the Jayamahal Road side, a substantial financial burden on the government. The state had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court regarding the TDR case, but it was rejected.

The 1996 Bangalore Palace (Land Acquisition and Transfer) Act transferred all rights and properties belonging to the palace to the state government. However, the royal family challenged this Act in the high court in 1997, and the petition was upheld. The heirs later approached the Supreme Court, which had ordered the maintenance of status quo.

‘’Until the ownership question is settled, the Cabinet has been directed to handle the TDR case as per the law,’’ law minister HK Patil told reporters.

‘’The government has also decided to file a contempt of court petition against the heirs of the Maharaja for constructing permanent buildings on the palace grounds in violation of the 2000 Supreme Court order. The unauthorised constructions cover an area of about 2 lakh square metres, exceeding the court’s permitted limits. Notices have been issued to remove the unauthorised structures within 15 days,’’ he added.

To prevent further unauthorised activities on the palace premises, the government has decided to impose restrictions on all activities in the area. This move aims to protect the historic property and uphold the rule of law.

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