The Karnataka government has informed the Karnataka High Court of its plans to allocate land currently occupied by the Bangalore Turf Club for the construction of a new High Court building. This announcement was made during a hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Sharan Desai, who sought a directive for the state to designate at least 30 acres in Bengaluru for a modern High Court complex. The case, Sharan Desai MArch USA v The Registrar General & Anr, was heard by a Division Bench consisting of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice KS Hemalekha.
During the proceedings, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty represented the state and assured the court of the government’s commitment to pass a resolution for this land allocation. The bench, composed of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Hemalekha, had previously emphasized the importance of planning a new High Court complex that would cater to judicial needs for the next 30 to 50 years, highlighting the necessity for long-term infrastructure development.
The court has agreed to postpone further hearings for a month to allow the state to present comprehensive details on the progress of this initiative. The next hearing is scheduled for August 28. This move follows the state’s earlier decision to relocate horse racing activities from the current Bangalore Turf Club location.
In February, the Karnataka Cabinet sanctioned a 29-year lease of 110 acres and 20 guntas at Kunigal Stud Farm near Tumakuru to facilitate this relocation. However, this decision has faced legal challenges, with urban conservationist Vijay Nishanth contesting the relocation on grounds of non-compliance with the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006. The High Court has issued a notice regarding this petition and requested a response from the state government.
The concept of relocating the High Court is not novel. Last October, during a citizen outreach event at Cubbon Park, then Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar indicated the government’s interest in moving the High Court to a more expansive site. This initiative underscores the government’s ongoing efforts to address the growing infrastructural needs of the judicial system in Karnataka.
