Karnataka Assembly passes Bangalore Palace Bill amid Oppn walkout

Bengaluru: The Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace Bill even as the opposition BJP-JD(S) combine accused the Congress of “vendetta politics” and staged a walkout after a sustained spell of intense debates.

The move came days after the Supreme Court directed the Karnataka government to deposit a Transferable Development Rights (TDR) of Rs 3,400 cr to the heirs of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family.

The Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, 2025, replaces the Bangalore Palace (Utilization and Regulation of Land) Ordinance 2025 with two amendments.

Piloting the Bill on the Floor of the House, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said: “The financial effect of the honourable Supreme Court’s verdict bears grave consequences on the state’s exchequer and upon the urban planning of Bengaluru. This is also not consistent with the total compensation determined as per the Bangalore (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1996, (Karnataka Act 18 of 1996).”

The bill notes that the “guidance value” will be arrived at as per the 1996 Act, which valuates the entire 472 acres and 16 guntas of the Bangalore Palace at Rs 11 crore. According to sources, the government is preparing to deposit the TDR but under the caveat that the members of the erstwhile royal family should not be able to use the funds till the matter on the ownership of the land is settled in the Supreme Court.

The minister pointed out that the previous BJP-led government had also decided not to go ahead with the project.

‘Vendetta politics’

Participating in the discussion, state BJP President B Y Vijayendra acknowledged that the BJP-led government had decided against issuing TDR but accused the Congress of pursuing the matter out of “political vendetta.”

“We are not discussing whether the Rs 3,000-odd crore amount is more or less. But the Congress has brought this up suddenly because a member of the erstwhile Royal family of Mysore has been elected as an MP from the BJP,” Vijayendra said, referring to Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who was elected as the Mysore-Kodagu MP in 2024.

A source in the government explained that the bill will help the government deal with the contempt case and retain the right to build or not build roads near the palace.

BJP and JD(S) legislators walked out when Speaker U T Khader put the bill for voting, which was eventually passed.