Bengaluru: The Karnataka Government has informed the High Court that it will soon pass a resolution allocating the land presently occupied by the Bangalore Turf Club for the construction of a new High Court building.

The submission was made before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K.S. Hemalekha by Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty.

The Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Sharan Desai, seeking a direction to the State to allot at least 30 acres of land in Bengaluru for a modern High Court complex.

During an earlier hearing, the Bench had orally observed that any new High Court complex should be planned to meet the Judiciary’s requirements for at least the next 30 to 50 years, underscoring the need for long-term infrastructure planning.

The Court accepted the Advocate General’s request to defer the hearing by a month to enable the State to place on record the relevant details of the steps it is taking. The matter is now listed for hearing on Aug. 28.

The Government’s statement comes against the backdrop of its earlier decision this year to relocate horse racing activities from the existing Bangalore Turf Club premises.

In February, the Karnataka Cabinet approved the lease of 110 acres and 20 guntas at the Kunigal Stud Farm near Tumakuru to the Bangalore Turf Club for a period of 29 years to facilitate the relocation.

However, the decision to relocate horse racing activities has been challenged before the High Court. Urban conservationist Vijay Nishanth has questioned the proposed relocation, contending that the Government’s order was issued without complying with the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006.

The High Court has already issued notice in the petition and sought the State’s response.