BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh on the Bangalore Development Authority terming its approach callous. Dismissing an appeal filed by the BDA commissioner against the decree passed by a city civil judge in 2011 on an original suit filed by S Venkatarama Reddy and his sister, Justice V Srishananda observed that BDA acted in a manner worse than an ordinary litigant and the cost should be paid to plaintiffs.
The court said the BDA, being a statutory body, is expected to process the application filed by the plaintiffs for seeking permission to develop the land in pursuance of the government order. The appellant, BDA, not only failed to do so, but also took a false contention that the acquisition proceedings are completed, the court added.
“BDA is established by taxpayers’ money. Needless to emphasise that the expenses of the employees and other incidental expenses of such a statutory body are met by taxpayers’ money. The action of the BDA should be in consonance to advance the cause of justice,” the court observed.
It said such litigants, if allowed to go scotfree would not only encourage unscrupulous elements to try their luck with similar petitions resulting in a burden to justice dispensation but also result in loss of confidence in public about the efficacy of institution. It is the duty of this court to check such litigants by saddling appropriate exemplary costs, it added.