BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation filed by a Mysuru district-based person challenging the notification dated June 13 issued by the state for the acquisition of 513 acres at Kempayyana Palya in Bidadi Hobli for the controversial Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township project.
However, the court said that this order shall not be construed as an expression on the issues in respect of the impugned notification.
A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K S Hemalekha passed the order while dismissing the petition filed by Rajesh Kampalapura Basavanna from Periyapatna taluk of Mysuru district.
The petitioner, who enclosed the impugned notification, filed a petition along with the Report of Karnataka Regional Imbalances Redressal Committee, challenging the project on the ground that the said notification was issued under the Karnataka Urban Development Act and compensation is being paid under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, which is illegal.
However, the court declined to accept the contention, and accordingly the petition was dismissed.
State trying to snatch farmers’ land: Petitioner
The petitioner, appearing party-in-person, submitted that without declaring the resettlement, socio-economic and environmental impact assessment, the government issued a notification of acquisition of land against which the farmers are protesting for the past 500 days. Through which the state is trying to snatch the farmers’ land, which is against Article 14, which emphasises the right to profession, he argued. However, the court asked the petitioner to submit if there is any procedure violation, as the court is only dealing with the code of law.