Advocate allowed to implead as respondent in PIL

The High Court of Karnataka on Friday allowed a City-based advocate Amrutesh to implead himself as a respondent in a petition seeking to quash the government notification enabling public to register property online from any part of State.

Petitioner Rajashekar, in his PIL, had stated that the notification dated November 4, 2011, issued by the Revenue department, is aimed at enabling online registration of properties by the public and the same was now being misused. Rajashekhar had also cited several instances of how it was being misused.

Amrutesh, in his impleading application, submitted that the proposal would be useful to the public and should not be quashed.

Stating that it was very helpful to the people, he submitted that the petitioner had not seen the other side of the coin. He contended that the proposed online registration of properties was  more useful for people in City. People can utilise advanced technology and satellite communication in the registration of documents, he added.

However, the counsel for petitioners objected to the application saying that the applicant had no locus standii to implead himself in the matter. “Moreover, the notification is issued by the State government, which is adequately represented and there is no need to implead the applicant,” the counsel said.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice Ram Mohan Reddy allowed the application, observing that there was no reason why the application should not be allowed. The court said the applicant will be arrayed as respondent no 4 in the matter.