Panel chief's term: State told to clarify stand

Hearing a plea by the Karnataka Valmiki Nayak Maha Sabha challenging the State government’s decision to extend Olekar’s term, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice Ashok Hinchigeri directed the State to clarify its stand.

The petitioner had complained that being a sitting MLA from Haveri, Nehru Olekar, was too busy to efficiently carry out his responsibilities as the Chairman of the commission.

Submit records

The High Court on Thursday directed the petitioner to furnish records within four weeks to confirm allegations of land grabbing made against City-based Vishwabharathi House Building Co-operative Society (VHBCS).

A retired Indian Navy medical officer Kota Subramanya has moved the High Court alleging a land scam at Girinagar 5th phase involving former president of VHBCS B Krishna Bhat and two senior advocates.

In the PIL, the petitioner stated that the president of the society had encroached BDA property worth crores of rupees in Girinagar 5th phase, which was eventually sold without title deeds between 1985 and 2009.

Further, the petitioner has accused the former president of VHBCS of cheating as many as 9,000 families.

He estimated the land scam to be to the tune of Rs 540 crore.