Karnataka High Court
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday ordered issuing a notice to the state government in a PIL against the appointment of Congress MLA, MP Narendra Swamy as the chairperson of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).
A division bench of Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice M I Arun posted the petition to March 17 for further consideration. It directed the matter to be tagged along with another petition filed with the very challenge.
The government appointed Swamy, MLA from Congress Malavalli, on February 5, 2025.
The petition was filed by R Anjaneya Reddy, a resident of Chikkaballapur.
He claimed that although Section 4(2)(a) of the Water Act, 1974, and Section 5(2)(a) of the Air Act, 1971, do not prescribe any academic qualification for the chairmanship in State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), they prescribe eligibility conditions for being the chairman of SPCBs to have special knowledge, practical experience in matters relating to environment protection and knowledge and experience in administering institutions dealing with environmental protection.
The petitioner contended that Swamy does not possess any of these statutorily prescribed eligibility conditions as is evident from his own declaration made before the Election Commission of India.
His election affidavit discloses that he is a civil engineer, who has only been into business and political activities.