Govt to approach Supreme Court again over TDR rates to use Bengaluru palace land

Bengaluru: The Cabinet decided on Thursday to approach the Supreme Court to soon take up a petition by the government regarding the validity of the 1996 Act regarding the ownership of the Bengaluru Palace.

Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said: “We have already filed an IA seeking hearings on the government’s appeals on the 1996 Act.”

He recollected that the government’s appeal regarding the “financial strain” of Rs 3,011 crore that it would have to incur while providing TDR of Rs 2,83,500 per square metre (Ballari Road) and Rs 2,04,000 per square metre (Jayamahal Road) had been rejected by the Apex Court.

Noting that the Cabinet had discussed about the Supreme Court’s judgment on December 10, 2024, regarding the TDR rates to use 15 acres and 17.5 guntas of land belonging to the Palace Ground, Patil said the concerned department had been directed to take proper steps as per the law in the contempt of court issue.

“The Cabinet has decided on filing a contempt of court petition against the successors of the Mysuru Maharaja for violating the 2001 order and building permanent structures in 2 lakh square metres. Asking them to vacate the illegal structures in 15 days, notices dated January 9, 2025, have been circulated,” the minister added.

The Bangalore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1996 came into force on November 21, 1996, wherein the ownership of all movable and immovable properties of the Bengaluru Palace lie with the government.

The Karnataka High Court had upheld the Act. When the petitioners challenged this verdict and approached the Supreme Court in 1997, the apex court ruled that the “status quo” would continue.