BENGALURU: After Isha Yoga Centre gave an undertaking that they would not take any alleged deforestation or construction except what is necessary for the scheduled event on January 15, 2023, in Chikkaballapura district, the Karnataka High Court clarified that its interim order of status quo passed in a PIL would not come in the way of the event.
A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Ashok S Kinagi passed the order on Friday after hearing senior advocate Uday Holla, representing Isha Yoga Centre.
While extending the interim order of status quo till the next date of hearing on February 2, 2023, the court said, “Considering these facts, we clarify the order on January 11, 2023, would not come in the way of a scheduled event, subject to the undertaking given that Isha Yoga Centre would not take any activity of alleged deforestation and alleged construction.”
Holla filed a statement of objections against the PIL, including grounds like suppression of material facts and credentials of petitioners. The petitioners S Kyathappa and three others, who are local agriculturists, challenged the land granted to Isha Yoga Centre, which allegedly violated laws.
Senior counsel Prashanth Bhushan, representing the petitioner, submitted that they have built a road through the forest areas with political backing which would not be allowed in a thick forest.