Karnataka Asserts Control Over Bangalore Palace Grounds

The Karnataka government introduced a bill to assert control over Bangalore Palace Grounds, rejecting transfer rights to the Mysuru royal family. It also tabled bills to protect vulnerable groups and regulate agricultural e-commerce. The Supreme Court ordered compensation for land acquired for road projects.

The Karnataka government has presented the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, 2024-25, in the Assembly, aiming to assert its rights over the expansive Palace Grounds. Spanning 472 acres near Mehkri Circle, this move comes after a January decision to reject Transferable Development Rights (TDR) for parts of the land owned by the Mysuru royal family.

In January, the state cabinet decided against granting TDR for 16 acres within the Palace Grounds, deeming the Rs 3,014 crore expenditure for road development economically unfeasible. An ordinance was subsequently issued on January 29. However, the Supreme Court, on February 27, mandated that the Karnataka government deposit TDR certificates worth Rs 3,000 crore for approximately 15 acres involved in road-widening projects.

Additionally, the Assembly saw the introduction of bills addressing exploitative interest rates by money lenders and pawn brokers, aiming to protect vulnerable groups. Alongside, the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Amendment) Bill proposed regulation of e-commerce platforms for agricultural produce, stipulating licensing criteria and operational standards.