BDA cannot auction intermediary sites: HC

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has restrained the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) from auctioning any intermediary sites pursuant to the impugned amendment to the BDA (Corner Sites and Commercial Sites) Rules.

Justice Krishna S Dixit passed the interim order restraining BDA from auctioning the sites, till the next date of hearing, after hearing a petition filed by Keroji Rao, an ex-serviceman, residing at Muthyalanagar in the city.

However, the judge said this order will not prohibit the BDA from auctioning other corner and commercial sites. Intermediary sites are plots situated between two sites in the lands acquired for development projects.

The petitioner, whose plea against BDA for cancellation of site allotted to him at Arkavathy Layout is pending before the court, contended that the BDA issued a notification on June 17 to dispose of sites through auction, ignoring the plight of several people like him. He said that the BDA’s action was aimed at benefiting privileged sections of society at the cost of underprivileged. The auction is not sustainable in law, he added.