A view of High Court of Karnataka.
| Photo Credit: SREENIVASA MURTHY V
The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday (February 5, 2026) said that it prima facie accepts that in situ rehabilitation of evicted families may not be feasible in Fakir Colony and Waseem Colony of Kogilu Layout, where the authorities had demolished around 167 sheds illegally built by encroaching upon government land.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha made this observation in its interim order during the hearing of a PIL petition filed by Zaiba Tabassum, Rehana and Areefa Begum, who were among the persons evicted from the two colonies.
The bench recorded its prima facie view after noticing the stand of the State government that no rehabilitation can be permitted on the government lands, where the colonies had come up, as toxic waste is stored in the land, as it was earlier used as a landfill for dumping city’s mixed garbage.
One of the requests made in the petition was for providing rehabilitation on the same government land from where they were evicted.
Amicus curiae
Meanwhile, the Bench appointed advocate Vidyulatha B.V. as amicus curiae and asked her to file a report on the demolished land, temporary rehabilitation centres set up by the civic bodies in four community halls, and facilities in these centres. The Bench directed the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority to assist her.
Earlier, State Advocate General K. Shashi Kiran Shetty told the court that of the seven allotment letters produced by the petitioners, three belong to lands outside the encroached land and no files with regard to other four letters could be traced.
Meanwhile, advocates for the petitioners complained to the Bench that some rehabilitation centres were found locked when the evicted persons visited and even the contact number displayed in the centre was erroneous.
Published – February 04, 2026 10:25 pm IST
