Urban News

Advocate General Ashok Harnahalli made this submission before Justice DV Shylendra Kumar while the bench was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the demolition of houses by the BDA.

However, the court directed the state government and BDA to take action against errant officials responsible for midnight demolitions without following the rules and procedures.

The court also directed the BDA not to demolish unauthorised constructions without giving an opportunity to the affected parties. Before evicting illegal occupants, the authorities should have given them an opportunity, the court observed.

The court also suggested to the state government to provide reparation of demolished properties and directed it to submit a progress report on the next date of hearing.

Subir Hari Singh, additional chief secretary and principal secretary of Urban Development Department, and Barath Lal Meena, commissioner of BDA, were present in the court. Singh had filed an affidavit in the court stating that state will demolish illegal constructions only after following due procedure of law.

The government had issued a general circular to all city corporations and municipal corporations in the state directing them to follow rules while taking over possession of properties, the affidavit stated.

"If officers don't follow rules, appropriate action will be taken against them," Singh said in the affidavit.

Any procedural lapse will be examined with reference to individual cases, he promised in the court.

While hearing the petitions, the court had pulled up the BDA for not following the procedures while taking possession of properties. KV Indiramma, a resident of Geddalahalli, and Anuradha, a resident of Bommanahalli, had filed the writ petitions in the court.