Unfazed by eviction move, traders assert ownership

Mysore/Mysuru: A day after Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) Commissioner K.R. Rakshith stated that a public hearing will be held on Mar. 18 to initiate eviction proceedings against tenants allegedly occupying shops illegally at Duplin Complex in Shivarampet, the Duplin Complex Traders’ Association has dismissed the concerns.

Girish, President of the Association, said their legal advisors have reassured shop owners not to worry about the Commissioner’s remarks as they officially hold ownership of their shops.

Speaking to Star of Mysore yesterday, he said the shop owners possess sale deeds, which their legal advisors have already verified. According to him, officials of the erstwhile Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) had issued sale deeds along with title deeds to the traders years ago.

While Commissioner Rakshith maintained that MUDA engineers had not registered the shops, Girish said all the documents had been shown to their legal advisors, who confirmed that the shops are officially registered with MUDA. “Therefore, there is no need for concern,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rakshith said that under the Karnataka Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1974, conducting a public hearing is mandatory before initiating eviction proceedings. The move follows a recent High Court order.

He added that the occupants had earlier been given time till the first week of March to vacate the shops voluntarily. In the first phase, eviction proceedings will be initiated against 21 shops identified as unauthorised after the public hearing.

However, Girish pointed out that the venue of the hearing has not yet been disclosed. He also noted that the hearing is scheduled just a day before the Ugadi festival, when business activity is at its peak and traders usually are extremely busy handling the festival crowd.

Nevertheless, he said the traders would participate in the public hearing once the venue                           is communicated.