Thu May 22 21:10:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The Supreme Court of India has ordered the Karnataka government to release Transferable Development Rights (TDR) certificates worth over ₹3,000 crore to the legal heirs of the former Mysuru royal family. This is compensation for 15 acres and 39 guntas of Bangalore Palace Grounds acquired for road widening projects. The court’s decision follows concerns over the state’s changing stances and an ordinance that appeared to backtrack on the land acquisition. The state had previously argued that issuing the TDR would lead to excessive construction in the city.

**News Article:**

**Supreme Court Orders Karnataka to Release ₹3,000 Crore in TDR to Mysuru Royal Family Heirs**

**NEW DELHI, May 23, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India has directed the Karnataka government to release Transferable Development Rights (TDR) certificates worth over ₹3,000 crore to the legal heirs of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family. The ruling, issued on Thursday, settles a long-standing dispute over land acquired for road widening in Bangalore.

The case concerns 15 acres and 39 guntas of the Bangalore Palace Grounds, which were acquired to facilitate the expansion of Ballari and Jayamahal roads. The legal heirs, represented by advocate T. Harish Kumar, sought the TDR certificates as compensation for the land.

Justices M.M. Sundresh and Aravind Kumar presided over the bench that delivered the judgment. The court had previously expressed concerns over the Karnataka government’s vacillating stance on the issue. In February, the court ordered the state to deposit the TDR certificates.

The court also scrutinized the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Ordinance, 2025, which granted the state the right to either acquire the property or not. The court interpreted this as a sign that the state might abandon the road-widening plans to avoid paying the ₹3,000 crore TDR.

The Karnataka government had previously argued that issuing the TDR would result in a significant increase in constructable area in the city, with an estimated notional value of ₹1,396 crores after deductions. Separately, the government filed an application to take up a 1997 civil appeal challenging the constitutional validity of the Bangalore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1996.

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