BENGALURU: Amid a walkout by opposition BJP and JDS members, alleging the Congress government was resorting to vendetta politics against the erstwhile Mysuru royal family, the Legislative Assembly passed The Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill 2025, on Thursday.
After the bill is passed in the Legislative Council, it will empower the government to protect its rights on Transferable Development Rights (TDR), whether to develop Ballari and Jayamahal roads by utilising the portion of land, and decide on compensation if the land is utilised, and more importantly to avoid contempt of court.
It may be noted here that in its recent order, the Supreme Court had directed the government to deposit Transferable Development Rights (TDR) worth Rs 3,400 crore to the erstwhile royal family of Mysuru, against 15 acres 39 guntas of land proposed to be utilised to expand the roads. On Wednesday, the Siddaramaiah Cabinet had approved depositing of the TDR with the Supreme Court, condition to the final verdict of the Apex Court on ownership of the land.
Earlier, the government had promulgated an ordinance to this effect. It had tabled the Bill in the assembly on Monday, and on Thursday, made two amendments to the original bill before it was passed, in a bid to protect the action of the state government.
BJP legislators, including deputy leader of opposition Arvind Bellad and state president BY Vijayendra alleged that the government had resorted to vendetta politics to settle scores with the erstwhile Mysuru royal family as Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar is a BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency. They objected to using legislature to pass legislation for political reasons.
But Law Minister HK Patil clarified that the government is safeguarding its sovereignty in a democratic set-up in the interest of the people of the state. He cited Article 39(c) of the Constitution of India that states that the economic system should not concentrate wealth and the means of production to the detriment of the common good. “The ownership of the entire land is vested with the Government of Karnataka and there is a contempt of court suit against the royal family which is pending,” he pointed out.
Bill to regulate microfinance firms tabled in House
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Micro Loan and Small Loan (Prevention of coercive actions) Bill, 2025, was tabled in the Assembly on Thursday.
The proposed legislation imposes penalties, including imprisonment and fines. The state government had earlier promulgated an Ordinance, which was rejected by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.
“The proposed Bill is a necessary and legally sound intervention to address financial exploitation and does not violate any fundamental rights, but rather strengthens protections for vulnerable borrowers,’’ it stated.
The bill says no microfinance institutions, money-lending agencies or lenders shall seek any security from a borrower by way of pawn, pledge or other security for the loan. It empowers the government to prescribe by rules, regarding procedure and guidelines for grievance mechanism.