Monday is BTC`s day of reckoning as the High Court of Karnataka has posted for orders on a batch of writ petitions which will impact racing in India in a big way. The matter has been listed as item number 2 in Court Hall 2 before the division bench of Justice VGopal Gowda and Justice B S Patil. The judgment is expected to be delivered sometime after 10.30 a.m.

The Division Bench of High Court had grouped all the petitions pertaining to the race course and the following four cases are expected to be disposed of on Monday, March 22.

1. Petition Number: 31200/2009: Relating to allotment of tank bed area at Chikkajala for purpose of relocating the Bangalore Turf Club. A public interest petition had been field by M K Balakrishnan.

2. Petition Number: 30663/2009: Writ petition field by BTC seeking the declaration that the grant of land made to the race club in 1915 as absolute and quashing the termination of lease by the government. The club has also made an alternate prayer seeking land, tax holiday and governmental help for building a modern race course at a new venue.

3. Petition Number: 30767/2009: Filed by the employees of the Bangalore Turf Club against the termination of the land lease on the plea that the government`s move would lead to scores of people losing their livelihood all over the country and also leading to collapse of the racing industry itself.

4. Petition Number 22747/2009: Filed by People for Animals Group that race horses would be at peril if the lease was terminated as planned by the government.

The Bangalore Turf Club had filed a writ petition in the High Court on October 16 following the failure of negotiations with the government to get extension of lease beyond December 31, 2009. The outcome of the petition is waited with great deal of concern all over the country. If racing is Bangalore is affected for any reason, the entire racing industry in the country will be put to great strain. The Turf Authorities of India, the race horse breeders in the country and racing enthusiasts have been following the case in the hope that Bangalore Turf Club would be able to tackle the crisis and emerge stronger.