Karnataka High Court Refuses To Entertain PIL For Naming Of Roads In Consultation With Villagers
The Karnataka High Court has made it clear that which road should be named after whom cannot be a subject matter of adjudication in a Public Interest Litigation. A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit dismissed a petition filed by B Narayan and others. The petitioners had approached the court seeking a direction to the Bettahalasuru Gram Panchayat...
The Karnataka High Court has made it clear that which road should be named after whom cannot be a subject matter of adjudication in a Public Interest Litigation.
A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit dismissed a petition filed by B Narayan and others. The petitioners had approached the court seeking a direction to the Bettahalasuru Gram Panchayat Grama Soudha to pass appropriate Resolution after taking Representation from the villagers for selecting names to be incorporated on the name plate of each road.
The bench said “Learned counsel for the petitioners despite vehement submissions is not in a position to demonstrate the justiciable right, qua the 4th respondent–Grama Panchayat to pass Resolution after taking representations from the villagers for the purpose of naming/renaming the roads, corners & junctions.”
Further it said “Ordinarily, such an exercise is undertaken by the popular bodies like the Grama Panchayats keeping in view a host of factors, of which, courts may not be in a position to assess & appreciate.”
Thus it held “No elements of public interest have been shown in the matter, either. In the above circumstances, the Writ Petition being devoid of merits is liable to be & accordingly dismissed, costs having been made easy.”
Appearance: Advocate K Sreedhar for Petitioners.
AGA Niloufer Akbar for R1.
Citation: 2023 (Kar) LiveLaw 421
Case Title: B Narayana & Others AND State Of Karnataka & Others
Case No: WRIT PETITION NO. 19391 OF 2023