The Karnataka High Court on Monday restrained the Vision Group formed by the State government for coming up with an integrated vision for the development of Bangalore from either convening or carrying out any business till March 20.
‘Extra-constitutional’Justice Ram Mohan Reddy passed the interim order stating that the government’s action in creating Vision Group was an “extra-constitutional” action. The government, as per the Constitution, is mandated to set up a Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC).
“Vision Group overlaps with and invalidates the powers and functions of the Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC), which is a constitutional body comprising the Principal Secretary and the Minister of Urban Development apart from the Chief Minister and other planning functionaries…. aforesaid developments are altogether illegal and extra-constitutional and seek to override the letter and spirit of the law, particularly the provisions relating to the constitution of the MPC,” stated an affidavit filed by the petitioner C.N. Kumar.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy is the chairperson of the Vision Group while Ministers Roshan Baig, Krishna Byregowda and Dinesh Gundu Rao are its vice-chairpersons.
The Vision Group was notified on March 4 and its recommendations were to be implemented by a committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary.
The government had created the Bangalore MPC in January this year with the High Court’s intervention after the petitioner questioned the State’s move in granting permission for change of land use (under Section 14 A of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act) without the creation of an MPC.
It was pointed out to the Court that the government’s decision to frame draft rules for the Akrama Sakrama scheme for regularizing unauthorised structures and the creation of the Vision Group undermined the powers of the MPC.
Further hearing of the case has been adjourned till March 20.
