Land revenue amended bill consideration deferred in Council

The contentious Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill 2012, was today deferred in the Legislative Council after Chairman D H Shankarmurthy felt it may have to be referred to the Select Committee for further scrutiny.
"I have to lay over the bill as I feel it may have to be scrutinised by a select committee, and this can be decided in next session," Shankarmurthy said.
Shankarmurthy said the bill cannot sail through as the Opposition BJP and JDS members expressed apprehensions over several provisions ingrained in it. "They had also sought the Chair to refer it to the select committee for further verification," he added.

He also said he held parleys with both Opposition leaders, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Revenue Minister V Srinivas Prasad. "I want a consensus on the issue. So it can be taken up in next session," Shankarmurthy said.
The bill, popularly known as the 'Akrama-Sakrama', allows property owners to regularise their building bylaw deviations, specifically those related to setback and floor area ratio, but applying to those buildings constructed before 3 December 2009.
Governor H R Bhardwaj had recently given the green signal to the bill. However, during BJP rule the Governor declined to approve or reject it citing different reasons including it may lead to illegal grabbing of government land.

The government later withdrew the bill and introduced amendments on Governor's suggestion. Then the bill was sent to him pending approval of the House last year. The bill was unanimously passed in the Assembly on December 2.
Opposition Leader in Council D V Sadananda Gowda and JDS Floor Leader M C Nanaiah, had sent a notice under rule 116 to Shankarmurthy with a plea to refer the bill to the Select Committee of the both the Houses of the Legislature.