Dasara Celebrations: Is there a magic formula?

Mysore: Even though the standoff between the state government and the Mysore royal family has touched boiling point, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah continued to evade questions on Mysore Dasara. Refusing to intervene in the Dasara imbroglio, Mr. Siddaramaiah on Sunday empowered his minister V. Sreenivas Prasad, who is Mysore in-charge minister and chairperson of Dasara Executive Committee, to take any decision pertaining to Dasara festivities.

“There is a Dasara Executive Committee, which is headed by Mr. Prasad and the committee will look into all aspects of Mysore dasara”, Mr Siddaramaiah told reporters after arriving at Mysore airport to attend several government functions.

Interestingly, Mr. Srinivas Prasad during the press briefing on Saturday was equally evasive saying Mr. Siddaramaiah being the head of the Dasara high power committee should make the decision on the Dasara festivities. The dilly-dallying by Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr Prasad on who should take responsibility and make hard decisions has left other confused.

Reliable sources told Deccan Chronicle that Mr. Prasad has again sent a message to Maharani Pramoda Devi seeking an appointment on Monday. However, Ms. Pramoda Devi is unlikely to entertain any of these requests under the present circumstances, wherein the State government is unwilling to compromise and issue a statement explaining its stand on the Mysore Palace property dispute.

Royal family upset over  changes in TDR rights case

The Mysore royal family is upset over the sudden replacement of the three-member Supreme Court bench which was hearing the Bengaluru palace land case, which was acquired by BBMP for road widening promising transferable development rights (TDR), but was challenged by the State government in the Apex Court.
Sources close to the royal family said the three-member bench comprising Justice Anil R. Dave, Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose had heard the case on July 15 and had questioned government advocate Basava Prabhu Patil, who is the son of former SC judge Justice Shivaraj Patil, why TDR can’t be issue and asked for an affidavit to be filed.

Now, the three-member bench has been replaced with a two-member bench comprising Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice R.K. Agrawal. “The final hearing in the case was expected on August 6 and adjourned to August 28, but again was not listed. Now, the case is coming-up on September 16 and because it’s a new bench there may be another adjournment”, a source said saying it is a setback for the royal family.