A file photo of Jayamahal Road in Bengaluru.

Amid allegations of “political vendetta” and a walkout in protest by the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) members, the Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, 2025, that is expected to help the State government address the contempt petition it faces in the Supreme Court, besides retaining the right to acquire or not the Palace land for road widening.

The Bill has been moved to replace the Ordinance that had been promulgated earlier in view of the contempt petition before the Supreme Court in which the government expressed its inability to provide TDR certificates worth ₹3,400 crore towards 15 acres and 39 guntas of land earmarked for acquisition to widen the Ballari Road and Jayamahal Road to the erstwhile royal family. However, on Wednesday, the Government decided to deposit the TDR certificates with the Supreme Court.

Piloting the Bill, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil said the Bill gives power to the State to acquire or not acquire the Palace Land. “The Supreme Court order has serious implications on Bengaluru urban development and the treasury. There will be serious ramifications on the State. If we accept the order, this 2 km stretch will become the costliest stretch in the world. If we agree to the valuation, what will be the valuation for 472 acres? The BJP Cabinet also did not agree to the valuation then (in 2022).”

He said the government has used executive power to withdraw from the road widening work.

‘Political vendetta’

Terming the move of the government as a “political vendetta”, BJP state President B.Y. Vijayendra said, “Why has the State government woken up now? Because the BJP (Mysuru) MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar belongs to the erstwhile royal family, the Congress government is extracting political revenge.”

However, when Mr. Vijayendra said that the BJP government had decided in 2022 not to pay the TDR in the interest of the public, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge pointed out that he was contradicting himself.

C.N. Ashwathnarayan, the BJP legislator from Malleswaram, under whose jurisdiction the Bangalore Palace falls, said the TDR will not come into the picture till the main case over the ownership of the Palace property between the government and the erstwhile royal family is settled.