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IN THE HIGH COURT OF AT

DATED THIS THE 12 th DAY OF NOVEMBER 2014

BEFORE

THE HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE HULUVADI G.RAMESH

Writ Petition Nos.18600-601/2014 (BDA)

C/w. Writ Petition Nos.12948-958/2014 (LB-RES)

W.P.Nos.18600-601/2014 :

BETWEEN:

M/s.Umrah developers No.22/1, Miller Tank Bund Road Kaveriyappa Layout, Bangalore, Rep.by its Proprietor Yusuf Shariff @ D.Babu. .. Petitioner

( By Sri Reuben Jacob, Advocate )

AND:

1. State of Karnataka Urban Development Department Vikas Soudha, Bangalore, By its Principal Secretary.

2. Bangalore Development Authority, T.Chowdaiah Road, Kumara Park West, Bangalore, By its Commissioner. .. Respondents

( By Sri K.Krishna, Advocate for R-2 And Smt.S.Susheela, AGA for R-1 )

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These Writ Petitions are filed under Articles 226 & 227 of the Constitution of praying to quash the communication dated 7.4.2014 issued by R2 BDA vide Annexure-K to the writ petitions.

W.P.Nos.12948-958/2014 :

BETWEEN:

1. M/s.Umrah developers No.22/1, Miller Tank Bund Road Kaveriyappa Layout, Bangalore, Rep.by its Proprietor Yusuf Shariff @ D.Babu.

2. M/s.Hill Land Estates No.22/1, Miller Tank Bund Road Kaveriyappa Layout, Bangalore, Rep.by its Proprietor Yusuf Shariff @ D.Babu.

3. M/s.Hill Land Properties No.22/1, Miller Tank Bund Road Kaveriyappa Layout, Bangalore, Rep.by its Proprietor Yusuf Shariff @ D.Babu.

4. M/s.Afnan Constructions Pvt.Ltd., No.22/1, Miller Tank Bund Road Kaveriyappa Layout, Bangalore, Rep.by its Proprietor Yusuf Shariff @ D.Babu.

5. Yusuf Shariff @ D.Babu, S/o Dasthagir Shariff, 47 yrs, No.22/1, Miller Tank Bund Road Kaveriyappa Layout, Bangalore. .. Petitioners

( By Sri Reuben Jacob, Advocate )

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AND:

1. State of Karnataka Urban Development Department Vikas Soudha, Bangalore, By its Principal Secretary.

2. Bangalore Development Authority, T.Chowdaiah Road, Kumara Park West, Bangalore, By its Commissioner.

3. The Deputy Commissioner, , K.G.Road, Bangalore. .. Respondents

( By Sri G.Lakshmeesh Rao, Advocate for R-2 And Smt.S.Susheela, AGA for R-1 & 3 )

These Writ Petitions are filed under Articles 226 & 227 of the Constitution of India praying to direct the R-1 to consider the proposals sent by the R-2 BDA as per the communication dated 7.11.2012 and communication dated 5.12.2012 vide Annexures-J and L.

These Writ Petitions coming on for orders this day, the Court made the following :

ORDER

Petitioner in Writ Petition Nos.18600-601/2014 has sought for writ of certiorari to quash the communication dated 7.4.2014 issued by the 2 nd respondent-BDA at

Annexure-K and to issue writ of mandamus directing the 2 nd respondent to consider the representation dated 27.12.2013

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vide Annexure-G and pass suitable orders rectifying the land use of the schedule land in the Revised Master Plan-2015 from the existing land use of Tank/Lake to the land use as residential main and to pass such other orders in respect of land bearing Survey No.56, Block-3, measuring 2 acres 24 guntas and Block-4, measuring 1 acres 18 guntas, situated at Doddabettahalli village, Yelahanka Hobli, Bangalore North

Additional Taluk.

2. According to the petitioner, by notification dated

19.11.2008, the Deputy Commissioner, Bangalore District, notified several government lands for public auction, including the land in Survey No.56 i.e., Block-3, measuring 2 acres 24 guntas and Block-4, measuring 1 acre 18 guntas, of

Doddabettahalli village. In the auction notification, land use as per CDP/other authorities development plan was shown as residential in respect of these schedule lands. Petitioner participated in the said auction proceedings held on

3.12.2008 and was the highest bidder in respect of schedule lands i.e., for Block-3, the highest bid amount was

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Rs.1,57,00,000/- and for Block-4, the highest bid amount was Rs.88 lakhs. Petitioner sought for conversion of land to residential use after payment of sale consideration. Even

Sale Certificate is also said to have been issued in respect of the said schedule lands. According to the petitioner, he came to know about the fact that in the Revised Master Plan-

2015, the schedule land consisting of both Blocks-3 & 4, totally measuring 4 acres 2 guntas, has been designated as

Lake/Tank and the said designation is evident as per Map

(a) of section 3.04, Byatarayanapura of the revised master plan. On coming to know about the same, petitioner made enquiries, including verification of the land records and it is found that at no point of time the land in survey No.56 of

Doddabettahalli village was tank or tank bed and as per the village map, the land in Survey No.56 of Doddabettahalli village is shown as government gomal land. As such, petitioner submitted a representation to the 2 nd respondent-

BDA to rectify the same in the revised master plan in respect of portion of Survey No.56 of Doddabettahalli village and to show it as residential instead of tank bed. According to the

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petitioner, the Deputy Commissioner (Task Force),

Bangalore, issued an endorsement vide Annexure-J dated

31.12.2013 indicating that part of Survey No.56 is not tank bed area and it is a government gomal and also a residential area. Subsequently, the BDA has issued communication dated 7.4.2014 admitting that the designated portion of

Survey No.56 of Doddabettahalli village in revised Master

Plan-2015 as lake/tank was on account of cartographical error and that in order to correct the error, action as per

Section 14-A of the Karnataka Town & Country Planning Act was required to be taken. However, it was mentioned that since interim order dated 9.1.2013 is passed in the connected Writ Petition No.21436/2005, it was not permissible to consider the said proposal for land use and to correct the said error in the revised master plan.

3. According to the petitioner, Annexure-J issued by the Deputy Commissioner (Task Force), Bangalore, clarifies the position that by oversight the land is mentioned in the revised Master Plan-2015 as tank bed area. As such, he

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sought for quashing of endorsement issued at Annexure-K.

Further, according to the petitioner, this is only a typographical and cartographical error in preparing the revised Master Plan-2015 and on account of the clarification issued by the Deputy Commissioner (Task Force), Bangalore, stating due to typographical/cartographical error, it is mentioned as tank bed area, the same has to be corrected as gomal/residential area. Petitioner also sought for writ of mandamus directing the 2 nd respondent-BDA to consider the representation dated 27.12.2013 vide Annexure-G by passing suitable orders rectifying the description of the land mentioned in the revised Master Plan from tank bed to residential.

4. Heard the learned counsel for petitioner, learned counsel appearing for BDA and learned Addl.Government

Advocate.

5. Even according to the petitioner, there is a resolution passed by the Government assuring persons like the petitioner for conversion of land use from agricultural to

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non-agricultural purpose. By order dated 18.2.2009 in

RD/299/LGB/2008, the government is shown to have extended assurance to such auction purchasers seeking for conversion of land use. According to the government, auctioning of government land was to reach the target of

3,000 crores of rupees and in that regard, the agricultural zone/green belt area was sought to be converted for residential and commercial purpose. With this assurance, petitioner being the auction purchaser, sought conversion of land use on the basis of the decision taken by the government in G.O. dated 18.2.2009.

6. It appears, in the Circular dated 18.2.2009, even government intended to convert the land use. In order to augment income for the State, government auctioned the properties. If a decision is taken and properties are sold in public auction by giving assurance of conversion, the said properties which are agricultural lands may have to be converted for non-agricultural purpose keeping in view the provisions of S.14 A of the Town & Country Planning Act and

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also keeping in view the observation made in the connected

Writ Petition No.21436/2005. It is for the BDA and government to take a decision in the matter and the petitioner’s case be considered for conversion of land use in terms of Section 14-A of the Town & Country Planning Act, in accordance with law.

7. However, since this matter was pending before the government from 2009 after the property was purchased in public auction and since there was stay granted in the connected Writ Petition No.21436/2005 on 9.1.2013 and the same being disposed of on 29.10.2014, it is for the BDA and the Government to consider the case and take decision in accordance with law keeping in view the decision taken in WP

21436/2005. The petitioner is also directed to seek for compliance at the earliest and timely action.

It is submitted by the petitioners counsel, it is for the

BDA and the Government to consider the Circular dated

18.2.2009 wherein it has accorded permission for seeking

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change of land use from agricultural to non-agricultural i.e., from green belt area to residential area.

In view of the above submission, keeping in view the provisions of Section 14-A of Karnataka Town & Planning Act, it is for the respondent to take action in accordance with law keeping in view the decision in WP 21436/2005.. However, petitioner may seek for further direction if there is no compliance of the order and if need be.

So far as Writ Petition Nos.12948-958/2014 are concerned, the petitioner is stated to be the auction purchaser of the government land and had sought for similar relief as prayed in Writ Petition Nos.18600-601/2014 in respect of 11 items of the schedule lands. In this case, it is submitted that already BDA is said to have considered the case of the petitioner positively and recommended the same to government for conversion of property from green belt to residential area. In that view of the matter, it is for the government and the BDA to consider the case of the

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petitioner in accordance with law in the matter keeping in view the decision taken in WP 21436/2005.

With the above observations, these Writ Petitions are allowed.

SD/- JUDGE

*bk/-