HC to state govt. , No nod to RMP without permission

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the State government not to grant approval to the Revised Master Plan (RMP)-2031 for Bengaluru without seeking its permission.

A Division Bench of acting Chief Justice H.G. Ramesh and Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar passed the interim order on a PIL petition filed by Namma Bengaluru Foundation and Citizens’ Action Forum. Further hearing was adjourned till October 30.

The petition, filed in October 2014, has questioned the inclusion of MPs, MLAs and MLCs in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Planning Committee (BMPC) and the appointment of vice-presidents of panchayats in determining the two-thirds value of elected representatives as members of the BMPC.

The petitioners have questioned the inclusion of the Chief Minister and the Minister of Urban Development in the committee, saying their inclusion will actively nullify the purpose for which the Constitution was amended to create MPC as an independent and autonomous body. Also, it is contended that as a number of decisions of the MPC have to be eventually approved by the State government, the appointment of such political leaders will lead to a conflict of interest.