State not to allot sites to cricketers

The Karnataka government today countermanded its decision to allot posh residential sites to the members of the World Cup winning Indian cricket team, citing legal hurdles.

The government, which faced criticism for the offer, has now decided to award Rs 25 lakh each to the players. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said the government could not allot the sites but would present them the cash at a felicitation function, which be held soon.

The state’s U-turn comes days after it announced allotment of 4,000 square feet of

residential plot to each of the player in the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team, which won

the trophy after 28 years. Speaking at a function here, he said legal hurdles did not permit allotment of sites to the team members.

Soon after Dhoni’s men lifted the trophy, CM had announced that the government would allot 50 x 80 feet sites to them. The announcement drew criticism, among others, from the family of Commonwealth Games gold medal winner athlete Ashwini Akkunji, who also was also made a similar promise but was never fulfilled.

There was also criticism over legality of allotment, with some arguing that the government could allot sites only to local persons who excelled in national or international sporting events under the sports quota and not to outsiders, as per the rules of Bangalore Development Authority. The HC had also given a ruling few months ago that the government had no power to allot sites under “G” category (discretionary quota).