The Supreme Court has issued a directive to the Karnataka government, requiring it to deposit Transferable Development Rights (TDR) certificates valued at ₹3,400 crore for the acquisition of 15 acres of Bangalore Palace land. This land is intended for road expansion projects, specifically the widening of Bellary and Jayamahal roads. The order reflects the court’s frustration with what it sees as the state’s inconsistent handling of the case.
The bench, which includes Justices MM Sundresh and Aravind Kumar, voiced their dissatisfaction during the hearing of contempt petitions by the heirs of Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar and others. The legal battle, which centers on the acquisition process begun in 1994, has escalated due to the state’s shifting legal arguments and delayed compliance.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Karnataka, argued that the valuation should be reassessed based on current rates, suggesting that issuing TDR certificates at 2024 prices would bring the total cost for the entire 462-acre project to over ₹1 lakh crore—a figure he claimed would place an undue financial burden on the state. Sibal urged the court to resolve the main appeal first, as the state had previously obtained a favorable decision from the high court.
In contrast, opposing counsel, including senior advocates AK Ganguli, Rakesh Dwivedi, Madhavi Divan, and Gopal Sankaranarayanan, accused the Karnataka government of contempt as of December 10, 2024. They criticized the state’s tactics as deceptive, aimed at evading the court’s previous orders.
The Supreme Court’s order stipulates that the TDR certificates must be deposited within a week, with the next hearing scheduled for March 20. The court also provided relief to the chief secretary and the special land acquisition officer by excusing their personal appearance at the next session. However, it mandated the presence of the commissioners from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), emphasizing the need for accountability and swift compliance with its directives.
