( 1 ) IN these appeals the following important questions of law arise for consideration :

(1) Whether the Deputy Commissioner, Bangalore District has the power to grant permission for conversion of agricultural lands for non-agricultural purpose under Section 95 of the Karnataka land Revenue Act in respect of lands falling within the area covered by the Outline development Plan or Comprehensive Development Plan for the City of Bangalore prepared and published under the provisions of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961 ('the planning Act' for short) and

(2) Whether the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal could have issued direction to the Deputy commissioner to grant the conversion under Section 95 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act 1964 as sought for by the respondents in these appeals.

( 2 ) THE facts of the case, in brief, are as follow:

Respondent-1 M. Narayanappa, filed an application for grant of permission to divert land measuring 1. 11 acres in Survey No. 159/1 and 1. 21 acres in Survey No. 159/2 of Bilekahalli village, Begur Hobli, Bangalore South Taluk. The respondent in the second appeal M. Ramakrishna filed an application for grant of permission to di