HC directs corrigendum to KPSC notification

The Karnataka High Court on Friday directed the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) to issue a corrigendum to the notification inviting applications for the posts of first and second division assistants.

National Federation for the Blind, Karnataka had filed a petition challenging the February 2011 notification on the ground that the KPSC barred visually-challenged and those with low vision from applying for the recruitment.

The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar sought to know A division bench headed by the Chief Justice J S Khehar sought to know why the State could not identify the posts for visually-challenged and those with low vision, when the Central Government had done so.

The Bench further directed the State government to constitute an expert committee within two weeks to look into the matter. The committee should submit its report to the court within eight weeks.

The High Court has issued notice to KPSC over the appointment of Panchayat Development Officers for each district. Vijaynath Babu, the petitioner had stated that the appointments were in violation of Supreme Court orders and sought to quash the government order approving appointments to 1,333 posts. The petitioner also contended that each candidate should be allowed to apply only within his district to the post.

Petitions dismissed

The HC has dismissed a petition challenging the suspension of valuation by PUC lecturers who were demanding pay scales on a par with other states.

Disposing of the petition by a parent who contended that the stir had hurt the students, the Bench observed that valuation was not easy work and the teachers faced a lot of difficulties.

The Bench felt that facilities should be accorded to them and pay grades should be increased if not on a par with UGC, then at least close to it.

A petition challenging election of Dinakar Shetty as JD(S) legislator from Kumta has been dismissed by the court. The now deceased Mohan Shetty and his brother Dinakar Shetty had contested the 2008 Assembly elections from different parties.

Mohan lost by 20 votes to his brother. He had approached the court alleging irregularities in counting. Justice V G Sabhahit dismissed the petition and upheld the election of Dinakar Shetty.

Judgment reserved

The High Court has reserved judgment in the matter related to the appointment of senior counsel B V Acharya as Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for the Lokayukta.

Katta Jagadish had challenged the appointment of B V Acharya by the Lokayukta to argue in six cases in the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board land scams. He had stated that appointing a SPP was not in accordance to the law, when the government had already appointed an counsel to argue the case.

Directive on elections

The HC has directed the Wakf Board to complete elections and announce results to the Managing Committee of Anjuman-E-Islam of Indi in Bijapur district before July 15, 2011.
Hearing a batch of petitions the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar directed the Board to appoint a returning officer.

The Board has been given time till July 31 to submit an affidavit to the Court on the results. The Court, in accordance with the ruling of the Karnataka Wakf Tribunal of Belgaum that the name had to be changed before conducting elections, changed the name to Anjuman-E-Islam Indi.