The Ex-Corporators Association of Belagavi has decided to file a public interest litigation (PIL) against the Belagavi City Corporation’s decision to pay ₹20 crore in compensation for land acquisition in Shahapur. The land acquisition is intended for road expansion in the area. The legal action will be led by former corporator and lawyer, Adv. Amar Yellurkar has been entrusted with the responsibility of preparing and filing the PIL.
The road work was carried out without following the proper land acquisition procedure. The decision to permit this road work was not taken in the Council meeting. Thus, to save public money, the elected body in the Council should decide to withdraw the road work and hand over the acquired land to its owners was opined by Sujit Mulgund has floated Save Belagavi Campaign.
The decision to move forward with the litigation was made during a meeting of the association on Thursday evening. The group, which includes several prominent former corporators who are also practising lawyers, has come together to challenge the compensation payout, raising concerns about its appropriateness and public interest.
Adv. Yellurkar will spearhead the preparatory work for the petition, rallying support from the legal community and ensuring the necessary groundwork is completed. This initiative follows similar efforts by various social organizations in Belagavi, which have also expressed opposition to the compensation decision. A “Save Belagavi” campaign has been launched, aiming to raise awareness and garner public support against the Municipal Corporation’s move to pay the compensation from the city Corporation’s fund.
The association comprises ex-mayors, deputy mayors, and corporators from different linguistic backgrounds, who have set aside their differences to focus on this shared cause. In the past, they have guided various matters concerning the Belagavi Municipal Corporation, and this latest move reflects their continued commitment to safeguarding the city’s interests.