Market space allotment: Karnataka High Court notice to MLA, BBMP official

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court issued notices to MLA R.V. Devaraj, BBMP Assistant Revenue Officer (South) Market Venkatesh and others for temporary allotments of open spaces in new Kalasipalya Market to few private parties.

While issuing notices the court questioned them as to why they should not be punished for having committed the contempt of court by involving, recommending or making the allotment of the open spaces in the market and possession certificates, contrary to the previous decisions of High Court and the order dated Sept 12, 2000 passed by the state.

“This case raises a serious question of the blatant breach of directions of this court in earlier judgments and the violation of the order passed by the State Government itself, by allotment of open spaces in the Municipal Market namely, the New Kalasipalya Market,” court observed.

The HC had in an order dated March 24, 2000 taken on record the stand of the BBMP itself that allotments in the open spaces and passages of the New Kalasipalya market would be illegal and contrary to the provisions of KMC Act and taking this stand of BBMP on record, the HC had allowed the State Government to take appropriate decision in the matter.

Later, State Government on September 12, 2000 took a decision that allotments made by the BBMP to the persons in the Kalasipalya Market were illegal and the same being contrary to the provisions of the KMC Act, were withdrawn.