The High Court on Monday sought the counsel for Karnataka Lokayukta to clarify as to the "discrepancies" relating to the date on which the report of defaulting ministers had been sent to the Governor by the previous Lokayukta and the reasons for reopening the issue against Sports Minister Alkod Hanumanthappa and Agricultural Marketing Minister S Darshanapur.

The query came from the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice Ram Mohan Reddy hearing the writ petitions from the two ministers.

The two have impugned Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde’s report submitted to the Chief Minister seeking action against them for non-filing of their assets and liability statement in time.

The ministers, supposed to file the details of assets and liabilities of the year 2005 by June 30, 2006, had filed them on Sept 1 and 2, 2006.

After a complaint by former minister S K Kantha in January 2007, the Lokayukta had submitted a report to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on May 11, 2007 seeking action against them.

While, on behalf of Lokayukta, it is contended to be two months from the date of sending the report to Governor (stated as July 1, 2006).

As the debate was on, the Bench pointed out that while the Statement of Objections(SO) filed on behalf of Lokayukta before the Court had stated that report of defaulters was sent on July 1, 2006, its receipt by Governor’s office had been acknowledged as on July 3.

The Bench also observed that there was discrepancy as to the grounds stated to be the basis for reopening the issue against the two ministers.

NRN’s petition
The Court on Monday reserved its orders on Infosys mentor N R Narayana Murthy’s petition against the criminal proceedings initiated by a City advocates’ forum, over his alleged derogatory statements regarding the national anthem.

Arguments by Narayana Murthy’s counsel and the counsel for complainant Kannada Rakshana Vakeelara Vedike, concluded on Monday. Justice K Bhaktavatsala reserved hearing for orders.