The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that the allotment granted to Balasaheb Thackeray Rashtriya Smarak Samiti, a trust, to construct the memorial of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, is valid, legal and done after following due process of law. Advertising Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice N M Jamdar were hearing two petitions filed by activist Bhagwanji Rayani and NGO Jan Mukti Morcha, challenging the state government’s decision to convert the mayor’s bungalow at Shivaji Park, Dadar, into a memorial to the Shiv Sena founder. The petitioner told the HC that the BMC has given its land for the memorial on a nominal lease rent of Re 1 per annum for a period of 30 years without any reserved price. The BMC explained the allotment in an affidavit filed by Parag Masurkar, Assistant Commissioner (Estate), in which it said that in many cases nominal rent of Re 1 or Rs 51 per annum leases are granted by the corporation. The affidavit states that in the past, the corporation has given land on such nominal rent for 30 years and more to various trusts like Swatantra Veer Sawarkar Rashtriya Smarak, Vatsalay Trust and Nana Shankar Seth Memorial.

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