BENGALURU, Feb. 7 -- Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday placed responsibility for Bengaluru Metro's latest fare hike on the Union government, saying Karnataka has no legal authority to block or reverse the revision and is bound to implement the decision of a centrally constituted panel.

The 5% hike, announced by Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited, will come into effect on February 9. Siddaramaiah said fare determination is governed by the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, under which an independent Fare Fixation Committee set up by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs makes the decision.

"Under this law, metro fares are not decided by the state government. They are determined by an independent Far...