Karnataka HC seeks clarity on rehab of families displaced in Kogilu Layout
Bengaluru: To assist the court in examining the temporary rehabilitation of families displaced following a demolition drive in Kogilu Layout in north Bengaluru, the High Court of Karnataka has appointed advocate B V Vidyulatha as amicus curiae on Wednesday.
According to a Deccan Herald report, the appointment was decided while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Zaiba Tabassum and others. The petitioners contested the demolition of Waseem and Fakeer colonies on December 20, 2025. They further claimed that the action breached Supreme Court standards, which require prior show-cause warnings before any demolition. The division bench was chaired by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Poonacha.
During the hearing, the bench observed that on the basis of the factual circumstances placed before it, in situ rehabilitation at Kogilu Layout itself may not be feasible. The court noted the state government’s submission that the land in question is part of a solid waste management site as habitation in such an area would be hazardous and potentially fatal to human health.
Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty told the court that verification revealed discrepancies, in response to claims by the petitioners that several evicted families held temporary allotment letters. He submitted that out of seven such letters produced, four were not found in official records, while the remaining three pertained to a different location altogether. He further added that the state’s statement of objections and supporting affidavit contained complete details of 167 affected persons.
The petitioners’ counsel, however, contested the government’s figures and argued that more than 800 people had been affected by the demolition. It was also submitted that the four temporary rehabilitation centres cited by the state were not functioning properly. The advocate general countered this by informing the court that only about 10 to 12 displaced persons had so far approached these centres.
The bench directed the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority to assist the newly appointed amicus curiae. The court also sought a detailed report on the temporary rehabilitation measures undertaken by the authorities, the exact number of people affected along with details of whether adequate arrangements have been made for those displaced.
The state government informed the court that the land at Kogilu Layout comprises an abandoned quarry measuring 9.36 acres and another parcel of five acres, which was handed over to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike as a landfill site through government orders issued in November 2014 and February 2016. According to the submission, the land has since been continuously used for solid waste disposal by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited.
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No need for guv: DMK leader Kanimozhi
Chennai (PTI): Senior DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Friday reiterated her party’s opposition to the office of the governor amid uncertainty over government formation in Tamil Nadu after a fractured election mandate.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Kanimozhi emphasised that the DMK’s demand for the abolition of the governor’s post remained unchanged, especially as questions arise over constitutional propriety during the current political transition.
"Our position that we do not need a governor at all is something the DMK has never changed at any point in time," she said.
When asked about the governor’s actions following the election results—particularly the delay in inviting the leading party to form the government—Kanimozhi pointed to what she described as the "inherent friction" between the office of the governor and the political interests of the state.
She said the current situation "raises a lot of questions" and requires introspection regarding constitutional procedures.
Kanimozhi described the election results as lacking a "clear mandate", which she identified as the primary reason for the prevailing political uncertainty in the state.
"What the people decide is supreme," she said, adding that while the mandate was not decisive, it must be respected.
The Thoothukudi MP attributed the ongoing delays and "many confusions" to the absence of a decisive majority for any single party.
She firmly dismissed rumours about the DMK potentially supporting the AIADMK from outside to help stabilise the government.
She described such reports as mere "speculation" and "rumours".
"We can’t be responding to every rumour," she said, declining to comment on the AIADMK’s claims regarding its numbers to form the government.
The political situation in Tamil Nadu remains fluid as stakeholders await the governor’s next constitutional step in an Assembly where no party has secured a clear majority.
The DMK and AIADMK—both of which suffered significant losses to the TVK—are reportedly exploring tactical manoeuvres to navigate the hung Assembly.
The TVK, with 108 seats and the support of Congress’s five MLAs, is still short of the majority mark. The DMK and AIADMK secured 59 and 47 seats, respectively.
