Bengaluru, Nov. 24 -- The Karnataka government is preparing a fresh inquiry into long-running land acquisition disputes that have accumulated across multiple departments, with deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar announcing that a special investigation team (SIT) will be set up to examine irregularities and identify officials and lawyers who may have contributed to delays and financial losses.

Speaking after a review at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar said on Saturday that the state had little choice but to intervene directly, given the volume of unresolved cases and the potential burden on the treasury. "We are forming an SIT to investigate irregularities in land acquisition for the Irrigation and Bengaluru Development departments. The guilty...