Govt plans to amend Land Revenue Act

Move intend to regularise unauthorised constructions of dwelling houses on government lands in urban areas

The Karnataka government plans to introduce an amendment to the Karnataka Land Revenue Act 1964, to regularise unauthorised constructions of dwelling houses on government lands in urban areas, official sources said. The amendment Bill would seek to insert a new section 94 CC in the Act, providing for the grant of land in the case of unauthorised construction of dwelling houses in government land in urban areas.

Governor H R Bhardwaj had returned the Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill, 2012, passed in both the Houses of the Legislature during the previous BJP government on the ground that "the amendment does not serve any public good or social cause. On the other hand, it may lead to illegal grabbing of government land." A team of advocates is studying the points raised by the governor. Keeping in mind public interest, the government would draft the Bill again and introduce it in the Assembly. Regularisation of constructions on governmentôrevenue lands would benefit lakhs of households in Bangalore.

The proposed legislation is aimed at regularising unauthorised occupation of revenue land belonging to government in urban areas with dwelling houses constructed, by granting the land to unauthorised occupants, the sources said.