The KARNATAKA PARKS, PLAY-FIELDS AND OPEN SPACES (PRESERVATION AND REGULATION) ACT, 1985

THE KARNATAKA PARKS, PLAY-FIELDS AND OPEN SPACES 
(PRESERVATION AND REGULATION) ACT, 1985 
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
Statement of Object and Reasons 
Sections : 
 1. Short title, extent and commencement. 
 2. Definitions. 
 3. Preparation and submission of list of parks, play-fields and open spaces by 
executive authorities. 
 4. Approval of list by Government. 
 5. Inclusion of new lands. 
 6. Prohibition of the use of parks, play-fields and open spaces in certain cases. 
 7. Maintenance of parks, play-fields and open spaces. 
 8. Prohibition of construction of buildings etc. 
 9. Obligation of owner of parks and play-fields. 
 10. Submission of annual returns. 
 11. Penalties 
 12. Offences by companies. 
 13. Control. 
 14. Power to make rules. 
 15. Repeal and savings. 
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STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS 
 Act 16 of 1985.- In view of the increasing demand for residential and commercial 
sites in the urban areas, a number of Parks, Play-fields and open spaces are being 
converted into sites and for other such uses. In order to provide necessary space for 
recreation to the residents of each locality it is  necessary to preserve parks, play-
fields and open spaces and to put an end to the practice of converting such lands 
into other uses. 
 Hence this Bill. 
 (Published in the Karnataka Gazette (Extraordinary) Part IV-2A, dated 20-3-1985 
as No. 154 at page 11.) 
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KARNATAKA ACT NO. 16 OF 1985 
(First published in the Karnataka Gazette Extraordinary on the Eighth day of May, 
1985) 
THE KARNATAKA PARKS, PLAY-FIELDS AND OPEN SPACES 
(PRESERVATION AND REGULATION) ACT, 1985 
(Received the assent of the Governor on the Seventh day of May, 1985) 
 An Act, to provide for the preservation and regulation of Parks, Play-fields 
and Open Spaces  in the State of Karnataka. 
 WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for preservation and regulation of Parks, 
Play-fields and Open Spaces in the State of Karnataka; 
BE it enacted by the Karnataka State Legislature in the Thirty-Sixth year of 
the Republic of India as follows;- 
1. Short title, extent and commencement.- (1) This Act may be called the 
Karnataka Parks, Play-fields and Open Spaces (Preservation and Regulation) Act, 
1985 
(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Karnataka 
 (3) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 26 th day of December 
1984  in the Cities of Bangalore, Belgaum, Gulbarga, Hubli-Dharwar, Mangalore and 
Mysore and in the local areas comprised within a City Municipality in the State and 
on such date and in such other local areas of the State as the Government may by,  
notification, specify and the Government may cancel or modify any such notification 
  2. Definitions.-   In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,- 
 (a) "Chief Controlling Authority" means in the case of the Cities of Bangalore, 
Belgaum, Gulbarga, Hubli-Dharwar, Mangalore and Mysore, the  Government, and in 
other cases the Commissioner ; 
 (b) "Commissioner" means the Divisional Commissioner of the revenue division ; 
 (c) "executive authority" means the Chief Executive Authority of the local 
authority concerned who is vested with general executive powers under any law for 
the time being in force providing for the constitution of such local authority ; 
 (d) "Government" means the State Government ; 
 (e) "local authority" means a municipal  corporation a municipal council, the 
Bangalore Development Authority, an improvement board, a sanitary board or a 
notified area committee or a town board constituted or continued under any law for 
the time being in force and such other authority as may be specified by the 
Government, by notification, as a local authority; 
 (f) "open space" means any land on which there are no buildings or of which not 
more than one twentieth part is covered with buildings and the whole or the 
remainder of which is used or meant for the purposes of recreation, air or light or set 
apart for civic amenity purposes ; 
 (g) "park" means a piece of land on which there are no buildings or of which not 
more than one twentieth part is covered with buildings, and the whole or remainder of 
which is laid out as a garden with trees, plants or flower beds or as a lawn or as a 
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meadow and maintained as a place for the resort of the public for recreation, air or 
light ; 
 (h) "play-field" means a piece of land adopted for the purposes of play, game or 
sport and used by schools or colleges or clubs or general public and includes land 
set apart as a play-field by a local authority. 
 3. Preparation and submission of list of parks, play-fields and open spaces 
by executive authorities.- (1)  The executive authority of every local authority shall, 
not later than six months from the date on which this Act comes into the force in the 
area within the jurisdiction of  the local authority concerned, prepare, and submit for 
the approval of the Government a correct and complete list with plans and maps with 
dimensions of all the parks, play-fields and open spaces in the area aforesaid 
containing such other particulars as may be prescribed. 
 (2) The Government shall, as soon as may be, after the receipt of the list and 
other documents referred to in sub-section (1), publish the list together with a notice 
of the date (not being less than three months from the date of publication) before 
which representation in connection therewith may be submitted in the prescribed 
manner and such publication shall state at what place and time the plans, maps and 
documents aforesaid will be available to the public for inspection: 
 Provided that if any private land is included in any park, play-field or open space 
specified in the list, a copy of the list with the concerned plans and maps shall cause 
to be served on the owner of that private land. 
 4. Approval of list by Government.- (1)  Any person interested, may submit his 
representations, objections or suggestions in writing in respect of anything contained 
in or relating to the list, to the Government, within the time specified in the publication 
of the list under sub-section (2) of section 3. 
 (2) The Government may, after considering the representations, objections and 
suggestions, if any, and making such inquiry as it thinks fit, approve the list with or 
without modifications. 
 (3) The order of the Government approving the list under sub-section (2) together 
with the list approved shall be published in the prescribed manner and such 
publication shall state at which place and time particulars relating to the matter 
mentioned in the list will be available to the public for inspection. 
 5. Inclusion of new lands.-  (1)  The Government may at any time either suo-
motu or at the instance of the local authority concerned or of any person interested 
include new lands in the list. 
 (2) Before including such new lands the Government shall publish in the 
prescribed manner a draft notification proposing such inclusion together with a notice 
specifying a date on or after which such draft will be taken into consideration, and 
shall consider any objection or suggestion which may be received in respect of such 
draft from the local authority concerned or any person interested before the date so 
specified. 
 6. Prohibition of the use of parks, play-fields and open spaces in certain 
cases.-  No park, play-field or open space specified in the list published under 
section 4 or section 5 shall be used for any purpose other than the purpose or 
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purposes for which it was used on the date of commencement of this Act in such 
area. 
 7. Maintenance of parks, play-fields and open spaces.-   The local authority 
concerned shall maintain in a clean and proper condition all parks, play-fields and 
open spaces belonging to or vested in it and included in the list published under 
section 4 or section 5. 
 8. Prohibition of construction of buildings etc.-  (1)  No person shall construct 
any building or put up any structure likely to affect the utility of the park, play-field or 
open space or make any encroachment in or over any park, play-field or open space 
specified in the list published under section 4 or section 5 : 
 Provided that the executive authority may, subject to such rules as may be 
prescribed, permit the construction of such buildings or putting up of such structures 
as may be necessary for the improvement or more beneficial utilisation of the park, 
play-field or open space. 
 (2) No land or building within a park, play-field or open space specified in the list 
published under section 4 or section 5 shall be alienated by way of sale, lease, gift, 
exchange, mortgage or otherwise and no licence for the use of any such land or 
buildings for any other purposes shall be  granted and any alienation made or licence 
granted in contravention of this section shall be null and void. 
 9. Obligation of owner of parks and play-fields.-  (1)  In the case of parks and 
play-fields not vested in the local authority but included in the list published under 
section 4 or section 5, the executive authority, may, by notice, require the owner or 
the person or authority in occupation of such park or play-field,- 
  (i) to maintain such park or play-field in a clean condition ; or 
  (ii) to remove or alter any projection, encroachment or obstruction in or over 
any such park or play field or to execute such repairs to any building in such park or 
play-field as the executive authority may consider necessary within the date specified 
in the notice. 
 (2) If the owner or the person or authority in occupation fails to comply with the 
notice under sub-section (1), the executive authority shall itself arrange to,- 
 (i) maintain such park or play-field in a clean and proper condition ; or 
 (ii) remove or alter the projection, encroachment or obstruction; or 
 (iii) execute such repairs as it may consider necessary and the cost of such 
maintenance, removal, alteration or repairs shall be recoverable from the owner or 
the person or authority in occupation in such manner as may be prescribed. 
 (3) Any dispute as to the amount of cost shall be decided by the Government and 
its decision shall be final. 
 (4) The executive authority, may, instead of or in addition to taking action as 
indicated in sub-section (2), proceed to acquire the land under the Land Acquisition 
Act, 1894 for the purpose of effective management of the land as a park or play-field. 
 10.  Submission of annual returns.-  The executive authority shall submit to the 
Government through the Commissioner in such form and with such particulars as 
may be prescribed, an annual return in respect of the parks, play-fields and open 
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spaces which are situated within the limits of the local authority concerned and which 
are specified in the list published under section 4 or section 5.  The return shall also 
contain a list of the parks and play-fields in respect of which action was taken under 
sub-section (2) of section 9 together with particulars as regards the nature of the 
action taken in respect of them and the steps taken in regard to their proper 
maintenance. 
 11. Penalties.-  Whoever contravenes the provisions of section 6 or section 8 or 
throws any rubbish into any park, play-field or open space specified in the list 
published under section 4 or section 5 shall be punishable with imprisonment for a 
term which may extend to six months or with fine or with both. 
 12. Offences by companies.- (1)  Where an offence under this Act is committed 
by a company, the company, as well as every person in charge of and responsible to 
the company for the conduct of its business at the time of the commission of the 
offence, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be 
proceeded against and punished accordingly : 
 Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person 
liable to any punishment if he proves that the offence was committed without his 
knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent commission of such 
offence. 
 (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) where an offence under 
this Act has been committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been 
committed with the consent or connivance of, or that the commission of the offence is 
attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other 
officer of the company, such director, manager, secretary, or other officer shall also 
be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against 
and punished accordingly. 
 Explanation.-  For the purpose of this section,- 
 (a) "company" means a body corporate and includes a firm or other association of 
individuals ; and 
 (b) "director" in relation to a firm means a partner in the firm. 
 13. Control.-  (1)  If the Chief Controlling Authority is satisfied, after giving the 
executive authority an opportunity of being heard, that the executive authority has 
failed to enforce effectively the provisions of this Act or to execute any work which 
under this Act the executive authority is required to execute, it may order the local 
authority concerned to do all things necessary for enforcing the provisions of this Act 
effectively or for executing any work which under this Act the executive authority is 
required to execute. 
 (2) For the purposes of this section, the Chief Controlling Authority shall have the 
same powers of calling for records, causing inspection to be made, and of enforcing 
its orders by appointing persons to enforce them as the Government has under 
sections 94, 96 and 97 of Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976 (Karnataka 
Act 14 of 1977). 
 14. Power to make rules.-  (1)  The Government may, by notification, and after 
previous publication, make rules for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this 
Act.  
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 (2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions 
such rules may provide for,- 
(a) controlling or regulating the admission of persons to, and the conduct of 
persons in, and in the vicinity of parks, play-fields and open spaces ;  
(b) restricting or prohibiting the admission of animals or any class of animals 
to any park, play-field or open space ; 
 (c) conditions subject to which permission may be granted to construct 
buildings under section 8 ; 
 (d) the time within which the annual return under section 10 shall be submitted 
to the Government ; 
 (e)  all matters expressly required or allowed by this Act to be prescribed. 
 (3) All rules made, all notification issued and all lists of parks, play-fields and 
open spaces published under this Act shall, as soon as may be, after they are made 
or published be laid before each House of the State Legislature while it is in session 
for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or 
more successive sessions and if, before the expiry of the session in which it is so laid 
or the session immediately following both Houses agree in making any modification 
in such rule, notification or list, or  both Houses agree that such rule, notification or 
list should not be made or published, such rule notification or list shall thereafter have 
effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so, however, 
that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of 
anything done under that rule, or notification or list. 
 15. Repeal and Savings.-  (1)  The Karnataka Parks,  Play fields and Open 
spaces (Preservation and Regulation) Ordinance, 1984 (Karnataka Ordinance No. 19 
of 1984) is hereby repealed, 
 (2) Notwithstanding such repeal anything done or any action taken under  the 
said Ordinance shall be deemed to have been done or taken under this Act. 
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