Bengaluru: The Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Thursday categorically denied of the present government denotifying land notified for the formation Dr. K. Shivaram Karanth Layout.

“No land has been denotified by the present government in Dr. K. Shivaram Karanth Layout,’’ Chief Minister’s Secretariat said in a statement.

It said that 3,546 acres of land was notified in 2008 for the formation of Shivaram Karanth Layout. “The previous government between 2008 and 2010 gave directions to Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) to exclude 257.20 acres of land from the proposed acquisition. Further, the Land Acquisition Officers of BDA during 2012-2014 excluded 446.07 acres of land from acquisition on the basis of parameters given by Supreme Court/High Court orders in the case of Arkavathi layout,’’ it said.

The acquisition of land for Dr. K.Shivaram Karanth Layout has been challenged before the High Court in W.P. No. 12908 of 2015. The High Court in its order dated 02-09-2015 has ordered that the scheme for formation of Dr K. Shivaram Karanth Layout has lapsed on the grounds that the State Government and (BDA) did not pursue action to complete the acquisition proceedings by issue of final notification, drawing an award, making payment and taking possession of the land.

As per the land acquisition laws acquisition process has to be completed in five years from the date of preliminary notification. The delay of five years from preliminary notification in 2008 till 2013 was responsible for the whole scheme becoming infructuous. “An appeal was filed against this judgment during the tenure of the present Government in November, 2016 and the appeal was dismissed on 28-04-2017 on the grounds as held in the Single Bench Judgment. An SLP is being filed against this order in the Supreme Court by the BDA,’’ it said.

The Chief Minister’s Secretariat said the BDA at its level has issued endorsements to the land owners regarding the lands excluded by the SLAOs by applying the criteria laid down by the Supreme Court / High Court orders. The BDA has also issued endorsements to the land owners informing them of the 02-09-2015 order of the High Court stating that the entire land acquisition has lapsed.

“These endorsements are issued at the level of BDA and Government has no role in this. Therefore, the allegations that the Government has denotified 1300 acres of land is false, baseless and devoid of any evidence or records,” the Chief Minister’s Secretariat has clarified.