Panel to discuss Bangalore Palace issue

Opposition party member R V Venkatesh created a flutter in the Legislative Council on Thursday by announcing his resignation in protest against the reply given by the State Government on the issue of maintaining status quo on Bangalore Palace premises following a Supreme Court direction.

Speaking about the issue under Rule 330 in the House, Venkatesh alleged that several organisations, colluding with the State Government officials, are operating business establishments, including hotels and amusement parks violating the Supreme Court directions on the Palace Grounds. “This has led to a huge loss of revenue to the State exchequer,” he claimed.

Rejecting the reply given by the Government on the matter, he urged the House leader V Somanna to set up a House Committee to investigate into the affairs of the Bangalore Palace Grounds.

Participating in the debate, the JD(S) floor leader M C Nanaiah also came down heavily on the State Government for providing a vague reply on the issue raised by Venkatesh and supported his demand for a House Committee probe on the matter.

Outlining the circumstances in which the previous government had passed an Act, which empowered the government to declare Bangalore Palace and its premises as a State property in 1996, which was questioned by the Supreme Court, the issue is still pending for disposal. The JD(S) leader claimed that the apex court, while ordering a status quo, had relaxed some rules in making available the land for various social activities.

The court, in its directions, had stated no permission should be given to any organisation to construct permanent structures and the maximum days of licence should last for only three days. The JD(S) leader wondered how two firms can carry out commercial activities for over 15 days without any break.

Leader of the House V Somanna, while refusing to set up a House Committee, said a meeting will be convened by a committee head by Chairman D H Shankaramurthy and Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, including Opposition leaders of both the houses as its members and others to review the commercial activities being carried out on Bangalore Palace Grounds to discuss the issue. The House also authorised its Chairman D H Shankaramurthy to head the committee on the issue.