Bandipur night traffic ban: Officer sent affidavit to Supreme Court without permission; Minister holds an emergency meeting on March 23

Karnataka faces pressure to lift Bandipur Tiger Reserve night ban amid political controversy and Supreme Court involvement.

 With the State Government believed to be under pressure from Kerala Congress leaders to lift the night ban on traffic traversing through Bandipur Tiger reserve, it has now emerged that a senior forest department official had also tried to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court on the issue without obtaining Government consent.

As it emerged that a Conservator of Forest had sent the affidavit, the Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre warned officials against acting on their own at an emergency meeting convened here on Sunday (March 23), during which he is also learnt to have sought opinion from senior officers on the night traffic ban.

In February, the Forest Minister had asked the officials to submit a report on the pros and cons of maintaining or lifting the night traffic ban, and had even asked for possible solutions. With the report yet to be submitted, the Minister reminded the officers to turn it in quickly. The Government, it is learnt, is under pressure, especially after Priyanka Gandhi’s victory from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, and a petition is also currently being heard in the Supreme Court seeking removal of night ban that has been in place for over a decade now.

Sources said that the Conservator of Forest in Project Elephant had given an affidavit without seeking the consent of the State government or getting a legal advice. “The continuation or removal of night ban is a policy matter and decisions are to be taken at the Government level. Individual officers cannot take such decision, and officer has been reprimanded,” sources said.

The source also pointed out that this was the second known attempt by IFS officers to have made moves without Government consent. In the past, an interlocutory application was filed in Supreme Court without the Cabinet discussing the issue in the HMT land case.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru South MP Tejaswi Surya criticised the government and said: “Congress government is under pressure from high command and its newly elected MP from Kerala. It is shamelessly attempting to sacrifice Karnataka’s forests to appease its political masters. For years, the night travel ban has been critical to protect Bandipur.” Taking to social media platform ‘X’, the Member of Parliament said that the BJP government had upheld the policy with Hunsur-Gonikoppa-Kutta route serving as an alternative for travellers.