HC notice to IAS officer over trade licence to hotel in residential area

The High Court of Karnataka on Friday ordered notice to senior IAS officer M Lakshminarayana, a former BBMP commissioner, who is presently serving as principal secretary, Department of Public Works and Inland Water Transport.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar ordered notice on a petition seeking directions to grant sanction to prosecute the IAS officer for allowing a restaurant to function in a residential area.

The petitioner, Namma Bengaluru Foundation had written to the Urban Development Department on February 27, 2015 to grant sanction to prosecute Lakshminarayana, the then BBMP commissioner.

The petitioner had contended that Lakshminarayana had made a note to the Palike’s health officials stating “please help in getting the trade licence” to a person who is running an eatery ‘Breakfast Club’ in a residential area in Koramangala.

The petitioner had said that by granting the trade licence, the commissioner had violated the rules of the Revised Master Plan 2015, which had specifically said that no commercial activity will be allowed on roads measuring 40 feet or less. 

The bench has directed the Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department to inform the court about their action to the representation given by the petitioner in the next hearing.