Bengaluru, 7 September

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Monday questioned the Karnataka government's reported decision to allot 1,453 sites to land losers of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP) alleging that the move could be contrary to Supreme Court judgments and the government's own earlier stand on the issue.

In an open letter to Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the JD(S) patriarch said the Cabinet had directed Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Limited (NICEL) on 4 September to allot the sites (plots) and alleged that the government was attempting to "subvert the rule of law" by claiming judicial sanction for the decision.

"In January of this year, the High Court categorically held that compensation cannot be by way of sites formed at interchanges or on lands handed over for roads in contravention of the FWA," Gowda said. 

In a separate statement, he alleged that concessionaire Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Limited (NICEL) has not properly carried out any works under the 111-km-long Infrastructure Corridor project.  

Gowda noted that despite relevant judgments from both the Supreme Court and the High Court, there is total silence regarding the NICE project. He further claimed that NICEL continues to collect ₹2–3 crore in tolls daily, a practice flagged as illegal by the House Committee, and accused the government of acting in defence of the company.  

 The state Cabinet's move coincides with strong criticism from the Karnataka High Court over deficient project implementation by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE).