HC settles Chamundi Hill land dispute: Declares forest land

Hill land designated as State forest land in 1940 under the Mysore Forest Act of 1900

Mysore/Mysuru: The Karnataka High Court has resolved the long-standing dispute over the land atop Chamundi Hill where a multi-storey parking lot complex was constructed, ruling that the land is classified as forest land based on records from the Forest Department.

This decision of the High Court Division Bench of Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice Ramachandra D. Huddar overturned the Aug. 29, 2011 verdict of the Trial Court which had declared the land as private property belonging to the family of one Mallaiah and others.

The conflict began with the construction of a multi-storey parking lot by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), which was built on a 20-year lease from the Forest Department to accommodate the vehicles of visitors to the Hill shrine.

Mallaiah’s family had claimed possession of the land in survey number 34/1, including the land where the parking lot was built and had provided revenue records having their names as owners. They had argued that it was private land that was in the name of their ancestors.

This led to a legal battle that started in 2011. The Trial Court initially ruled in favour of Mallaiah’s family, ordering State authorities to transfer the land to them. Following this, KSRTC appealed to the High Court, and simultaneously the Forest Department re-examined its records to establish ownership.

In 2023, it was revealed that Chamundi Hill had been designated as State forest land in 1940 under the Mysore Forest Act of 1900. This critical finding led the High Court to rule that once land is classified as forest, it retains that status permanently, bringing the dispute to a close.

The High Court has instructed authorities to update the revenue records within three months, bringing an end to the lengthy legal dispute.