The Karnataka High Court on Friday dismissed a PIL petition, which had sought a direction to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) not to grant permission for holding any non-sporting event and activity in the National College grounds at Basavanagudi.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar passed the order while dismissing the petition filed by Shankarapuram Residents’ Welfare Association describing the nuisance caused to the residents when non-sporting activities were held on the ground.
Admittedly, the Bench said, the playground belongs to the municipal authority, and cultural and other activities for the benefit of citizen also have their importance. “The municipal authority, in it's wisdom, has restricted permission to use the playground for activities other than the sports for a maximum of five days in a month,” the bench observed.
The playground is an open land and not a specially constructed or designated stadium or a sport complex. Hence, the decision of the municipal authority does not suffer from any irrationality or illegality, calling for interference, the bench observed.