Hearing a petition by BIAL, which had challenged the June 14, 2008 order of State Information Commission to bring it under the RTI act, Justice N Kumar stated that the full bench should be constituted within a week and the matter should be decided within two weeks.

The BIAL had said that in the entire Rs 2000 crore outlay, only Rs 450 crore was contributed by the state. Of this, Rs 350 crore was by way of loan, the petitioner added, seeking a stay on the order.

The State Information Commission had directed the BIAL to appoint the RTI officer following a complaint by  Benson Issac, whose query seeking suo motto disclosure application was rejected by BIAL saying it was a company with equity participation by private sector to the extent of 74 per cent and the RTI does not apply to it.
Notice to Centre

The Karnataka High Court issued notices to the Union and State Governments following a petition seeking a five-year ban on five ex- MLAs who recently defected to BJP.

Hearing a petition by N Srirama Reddy, who has sought specific legislations to prohibit such back door entry and a CBI probe into such corrupt practices, the division bench headed by acting Chief Justice, Deepak Varma, ordered notices to the Union cabinet Secretary, Government of India, Election Commission, both centre and state and CBI.

Reddy in his submission said that five MLAs Narasimhaswamy, Jaggesh, Balachandra Jarkiholi, Anand Asnotikar and Shivanagowda Naik should be debarred from holding any office and high posts atleast for a period of five years from the date of their resignation, as they have deceived the voters who have elected them.
Notices have also been ordered to the five MLAs who quit their parties to join BJP.