Date:31/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/31/stories/2005013102450500.htm

Karnataka

BDA promises adequate compensation for land acquired

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JAN. 30. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) assured the Karnataka High Court on Friday that land and house owners who surrendered their property for the formation of Arkavathy Layout will be adequately compensated.

The BDA was making its submission before Justice Gopala Gowda who is hearing petitions by several residents of Amruthalli, Yelahanka, Hebbal and surrounding villages challenging the acquisition of their property by the authority.

The petitioners said that the BDA had acquired their lands without conducting a proper survey. Besides, there was disparity between the preliminary and final notification. Landowners fear that the compensation for their lands will be meagre. The BDA assured landowners that compensation will be paid according to the rules. Justice Gopala Gowda adjourned further hearing of the matter till next week.

Dismissed

Justice Hulavadi G. Ramesh on Thursday dismissed as withdrawn a bail petition by Dinesh, one of the accused in the murder of a software engineer, Girish, in Bangalore on December 4, 2003.

The police had arrested Shubha, a third-year law student, Dinesh and another person on the charge of murdering Girish. Shubha had been engaged to Girish and they went out on December 4, 2003 evening. When they were on the Ring Road in Koramangala, some persons were said to have assaulted Girish.Girish died in a private hospital the next day. The police, who registered a case, arrested Shubha and others. Shubha had been granted bail by the High Court.

When the mater came up today, Dinesh sought to withdraw the bail plea.

Notice

A Division Bench comprising Justice Sodhi and Justice Padmaraj on Thursday ordered issue of notice to the State Government on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition by the Akhila Karnataka Andha Shikshakara Sangha. The sangha challenged the November 10, 2004 notification of the Department of Public Instruction calling for applications to the post of teachers in primary schools. It said the department had refused to accept applications from the visually challenged, saying the notification barred such persons.

The sangha urged the court to stay the final selection list of teachers.

Costs

A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Nauvdip Kumar Sodhi, and Justice B. Padmaraj, on Friday dismissed two public interest litigations, saying that they were misconceived and levied costs of Rs. 5,000 on each of them.

In the first case, the Mohiuddin Arabic Madrasa School of Mithabail in Bantwal taluk, Mangalore district, had moved the court against the proposed grant of licence by the Bantwal Taluk Panchayat to open a poultry shop near the madrasa.

The Bench said the panchayat had not yet taken any decision and said the petition was misconceived. It levied Rs. 5,000 cost on the petitioners and directed them to deposit it within two weeks with the High Court Legal Services Committee.

The Bench levied costs of Rs. 5,000 on Shivarudragouda Patil and eight others of Gadag district challenging the Government's decision to shift the office of the Land Acquisition Officer, Ghataprabha Project, from Dharwad to Bagalkot. The Bench said it was an administrative decision and courts could not interfere with such orders. It said the petition was frivolous and misconceived.

Endorsement

A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Nauvdip Kumar Sodhi, and Justice B. Padmaraj on Friday ordered issue of notices to the State Government and other respondents on a public interest litigation petition by a resident of Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar district.

The petitioner, Krishna, challenged the endorsement given by the authorities in permitting a liquor shop to come up within 30 metres of a residential school.