Story perspectives

Supreme Court Bars Karnataka’s Premium FAR Scheme Regularisation

By Drooid · Sep 23, 2026, 10:26 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Surya Kant Bars FAR

Chief Justice Surya Kant led the bench that issued a notice barring the Premium FAR scheme.
The order prohibits using the scheme to regularise illegal buildings.
Citizens Action Forum must receive the state’s counter-affidavit within four weeks.
State Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the scheme caps additional FAR at 0.6 and retains parking rules.
The government says revenue from the scheme will fund a dedicated infrastructure fund.

Summary

Tamil Nadu Seeks Release

Tamil Nadu petitioned the Supreme Court to force Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs daily from Sept 9-23.
The state recorded 125 mm rainfall, 43% below normal, deepening farmer distress in the Cauvery basin.
Karnataka said it had already released excess water by Aug 31, meeting a CWMA order for 9,000 cusecs.
The Supreme Court rejected a petition to shift 70 TMC of Cauvery water from Tamil Nadu to Karnataka.

Summary

Karnataka Orders SIT

Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva ordered a fresh probe into the 2012 Dharmasthala rape-murder.
Karnataka must form a tech-savvy SIT led by a senior police officer.
No officer from Belthangady Police, CID or CBI may join the new SIT.
The probe must finish within three months and the report be filed before the court.
Acquitted accused Santhosh Rao is barred from further prosecution under Article 20(2) double-jeopardy.

History

Historical Context

Since Justice M.C. Mehta’s 1987 ruling that imposed absolute liability on polluters and the 1996 Taj Trapezium judgment banning coal in a 10,400 km² zone, India’s Supreme Court has actively shaped environmental policy. In 2024 Chief Justice Surya Kant’s bench halted Karnataka’s Premium FAR plan, rejected Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery petition, and ordered a Dharmasthala probe, continuing that activist precedent.

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Surya Kant Bars FAR

Chief Justice Surya Kant led the bench that issued a notice barring the Premium FAR scheme.
The order prohibits using the scheme to regularise illegal buildings.
Citizens Action Forum must receive the state’s counter-affidavit within four weeks.
State Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the scheme caps additional FAR at 0.6 and retains parking rules.
The government says revenue from the scheme will fund a dedicated infrastructure fund.

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