HC refuses to stay Rajyotsava awards function

  The High Court of Karnataka on Saturday refused to stay the Rajyotsava award function scheduled to be held on November 01.

This year, Rajyotsava Award will be conferred on 60 achievers from various fields. While hearing a petition filed by a writer B V Satyanarayana Rao, Justice Anand Byrareddy ordered notice to the State government. The petitioner had contended that despite High Court order directing the State government to consider his application for Rajyotsava award, the same has not been considered and his name was not picked for the award, this year. On a lighter note, the bench observed that when the awards are being given back by many achievers, how can the court consider a petition seeking direction to frame guidelines to choose the persons for awards.

 The petitioner has contended that despite being a mechanical engineer, he has written more than 66 books in Kannada and Sanskrit languages and has contributed in the field of literature.

The bench directed the petitioner to amend the petition by dropping the chief minister’s name and adjourned the hearing.

Encroachment

The High Court on Saturday ordered notice in a petition filed by a resident of Bhuvaneshwarinagar in Kempapura village seeking directions to the competent authorities not to approve and sanction the plan of a proposed commercial office complex Near Esteem Mall in Bengaluru. 

The petitioner, Shashank R has sought directions not to approve the plan proposed by Ms/ Astrazeneca India Private Limited, who are planning to construct a commercial establishment on 10 acres of land near Esteem Mall on Airport Road. The petitioner has contended that the civic authorities should not allow and approve the plan without application of mind. If the commercial establishments comes up, the vehicle movement would increase, encroaching upon the pedestrian space and parking space and thereby leading to more chaos and accidents in the vicinity.

The petitioner has sought directions to the civic agencies to seek public opinion and to ensure that pedestrian spaces are not encroached upon. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice B V Nagarathna ordered notice and adjourned the hearing.