SC Says Premium FAR Cannot Be Used to Regularise Unauthorised Constructions in Karnataka.

Court seeks Karnataka government's response, citing concerns over Bengaluru's civic infrastructure and traffic burden.

The Supreme Court has directed that Karnataka’s Premium Floor Area Ratio (FAR) scheme cannot be used to regularise unauthorised constructions, as it issued notice to the state government on a petition challenging the policy. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, said approvals under the Premium FAR scheme will remain subject to the final outcome of the case. Introduced in April 2025, the scheme allows developers to purchase additional floor space by paying premium charges to civic authorities. Petitioners, Citizens Action Forum, argued that relying heavily on road width could further strain Bengaluru’s already stressed infrastructure. The court also highlighted the importance of planning for long-term civic amenities, referring to infrastructure in Greater Noida. Karnataka has maintained that Premium FAR is not a backdoor route for regularisation and said additional FAR is capped at 0.6 of the original FAR, without relaxing parking or setback requirements.