In a relief to hundreds of property owners, including a member of the erstwhile Mysore royal family, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, the Karnataka High Court has set aside the May 26, 2015, order of the Mysuru Deputy Commissioner declaring that around 2,000 acres of private land, held and alienated by the then Maharaja of Mysore, are government’s ‘B kharab’ land reserved for public purposes. A large portion of the land in villages at the foot of Chamundi Hills, was sold to several individuals during 1960s and 1970s from the private land vested with the Maharaja as part of the agreement with the Government of India as per the instrument of accession. Ms. Pramoda Devi and more than 150 other land owners challenged the May 26, 2015 order of the Deputy Commissioner. Justice S. Sunil Dutt Yadav, citing several illegalities in the Deputy Commissioner’s order, said the power to hold an inquiry under the KRL Act and cancellation of entries in revenue records could not have have been exercised decades after transfer of titles. Also, the court said the Deputy Commissioner had no power to decide the dispute over title under the KLR Act, as such a power is vested only with civil courts.

Source: The Hindu July 04, 2020 21:33 UTC