Orissa High Court Asks BDA To Put Cap On Multiple Plots Allotment In Bhubaneswar

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has restricted the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) from allotting multiple plots to individuals in the city under its schemes.

A single bench of Justice Biswanath Rath passed the order while hearing a petition related to allotment of multiple plots by the development authority under discretionary quota (DQ) which would ensure that plots are available to all bonafide citizens.

“Before parting with the case, this Court likes to put an observation for future caring in the allotment of land by Development Authority involved herein to at least put a ‘cap’/ “restriction” on applicant by the party already in receipt of land from the Development Authority under any of its Development Schemes operated in city or under any other development scheme in the city and even in any other development scheme of any other district at least to make it available to all bonafide citizens instead of allotting multiple land in favour of particular individuals, who are already in entitlement of a land by such agencies may in any of the districts,” the court said.

A Junior Assistant of the BDA had availed a plot in Kalinga Nagar Plotted Development Scheme under discretionary quota. He later transferred the plot to one Farhat Nizami on the consent of the BDA. The petitioner was also in possession of a commercial plot at Chandrasekharpur allotted by the BDA in September 15, 2001 under the District Centre Commercial Plotted Development Scheme. He moved the court after the third plot was not allotted to him even after he got it in quota.

“This Court finds considering petitioner to be entitlement in another plot will be jeopardising the interest of persons, who are yet to get a single plot,” Justice Rath noted.