Govt may gain control over Pataudi family's Rs 15,000 crore property in Bhopal: Report
Bhopal: The central government can take over the historical properties of the Pataudi family estimated to be worth Rs 15,000 crore in Madhya Pradesh under provisions of the Enemy Property Act, 1968, as per a ruling by the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The HC lifted the stay imposed on these properties in 2015, potentially paving the way for their acquisition under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, as reported by NDTV.
Some of the properties included in the ruling are Flag Staff House, the Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace, Kohefiza Property, among others. The Enemy Property Act allows the government to seize control of properties belonging to persons who migrated to Pakistan after the Partition.
Bhopal's last Nawab, Hamidullah Khan, had three daughters. One of them migrated to Pakistan, while his second daughter, Sajida Sultan, stayed in India and married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, and became the legal heir.
Saif Ali Khan is Sajida's grandson ,and he inherited a share of the properties. However, the government is citing the migrant daughter as grounds to take control of the properties, NDTV mentioned.
Justice Vivek Agarwal, in his ruling, stated that the amended Enemy Property Act, 2017, provides a statutory mechanism for addressing disputes. "If a representation is filed within 30 days from today, the appellate authority shall not advert to the aspect of limitation and shall deal with the appeal on its own merits," the report said, quoting the court.
Meanwhile, 1.5 lakh residents are anxious about the potential takeover after the government has been pushing forward its plans to conduct surveys and determine ownership.
"The stay has been lifted, but merging these properties under the Enemy Property Act is complicated. The Pataudi family still has a chance to appeal," one of the residents of these properties told the publication.
"The government is claiming these properties, but many have been sold or leased over the years. This issue is far from straightforward,” another resident said.
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Karnataka: GBA city corporation polls likely between June 14 and 24
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi on Friday said elections to the five city corporations under the GBA will be held anytime between June 14 and June 24.
He said the exact date for the polls will be announced after a week, asserting that the power to postpone the elections, as requested by GBA authorities, lies with the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had directed the Karnataka government and the State Election Commission to conduct Bengaluru local body elections by June 30.
On Friday, the SEC held a consultation meeting with the GBA Chief Commissioner and commissioners of the five city corporations regarding the election schedule, as per the provisions of the GBA Act.
“During the meeting, I informed GBA officials that only the election date has to be fixed, as all other measures and formalities for conducting the polls have already been completed,” Sangreshi said.
“They requested the Commission to consider factors such as rains, exams, census work, SIR, and manpower shortages while fixing the date and sought additional time,” he added.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, “I told them this meeting was not for seeking time. Elections to the five corporations under the GBA must be held before June 30, as directed by the Supreme Court, and a compliance report must be submitted to the court. I do not have the power to postpone the elections as requested.”
The Supreme Court has already given a “final opportunity,” and both the SEC and the government must comply with its directions, the State Election Commissioner said.
He asked GBA officials to suggest suitable dates between June 14 and June 24.
“While stating that they are ready for elections, the officials highlighted operational challenges, including manpower shortages. However, I have informed them that the elections will have to be held between June 14 and June 24. After a week, I will announce the final date,” he said.
Reiterating that he does not have the power to postpone the elections, Sangreshi said the authority rests with the Supreme Court, and elections must be conducted as scheduled.
“We have consulted the GBA as per the rules. It is up to them to suggest a date within the given window. If they need more time, they must approach the court. Our responsibility is to fix the date and complete the polls before June 30,” he said.
The matter regarding manpower and other concerns raised by GBA officials is already before the Supreme Court, and the State Election Commission has also filed a petition in this regard. The case is yet to be heard.
“Since the matter has not come up for hearing, the earlier order remains binding. Therefore, preparations are underway,” he added.
The tenure of the previous elected body under the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ended on September 10, 2020, and since then, a government-appointed administrator has been managing its day-to-day affairs.
Bengaluru was divided into five municipal corporations—Central, East, West, North, and South—under the Greater Bengaluru Authority in September 2025, replacing the BBMP.
Sangreshi had earlier said that elections to the five corporations would be conducted using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines.
This follows the Congress government’s decision last September to recommend the use of ballot papers in all future panchayat and urban local body elections, citing concerns over declining public confidence in EVMs.
The state government subsequently enacted the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2026, paving the way for the use of ballot papers in local body elections.
