Kharge's daughter too got site in Judicial Layout

Kharge was the Home Minister at that time in the SM Krishna-led Congress government, besides holding other portfolios. Priyadarshini availing the site is a direct violation of Clause-10 of the Model Bye-laws of HBCSs which deals with the rights of members. Clause-10(B) says: “He/she in the case of Employee House Building Society is an employee of the organisation for which the society has been organised and has put in a minimum continuous or intermittent service of five years in Karnataka.”

However, in the case of Priyadarshini, she is not even eligible to become a member as she is a doctor by profession. But KSJDE HBCS, represented by its Director N Shivanna, has considered a Sale Deed in favour of Priyadarshini. Unlike in all other deeds, there is no mention of the membership number, even though the deed says: “Priyadarshini, one of the member applicants, has paid the said amount from time to time which the society, hereby, acknowledges.”

Further, Clause-53 of the Bye-laws prescribes that the allotment of the site has to be on the basis of seniority and that any member has to produce an employment certificate from the employer proving that she/he has served a minimum of five years as an employee with the said organisation.

But at the time of allotment, Priyadarshini was only 25 years, making her one of the youngest to avail a site in the judicial layout. According to the Sale Deed, which is in possession of Deccan Herald, she purchased site number 1,448, measuring 3,280 sq ft on January 15, 2002 at Rs 1,96,837. Interestingly, she has not provided her family name.

According to the document, the site is registered in the name of “Priyadarshini”, then 25, daughter of “Mallikarjuna,” and their address is “289, 17th Cross, 8th Main, Sadashivnagar, Bangalore.” On verifying with the official website of Karnataka Pradesh
Congress Committee, the address matched with that of Mallikarjun Kharge.

As per the Election Commission of India website, Priyadarshini is a voter registered in Sadashivnagar, Malleswaram Assembly Constituency and her address is “289, 2nd Main Road Sadashivnagar,” which is also the address of Priyank M K, Mallikarjun Kharge’s son.

It is noteworthy that in a judgment in the case of Narayana Reddy versus State of Karnataka, 1991, the division bench headed by Justice Rama Jois has ordered: “In case of house building societies formed in respect of employees of any organisation or industry, the membership should be confined to the employees who may continue as members even after retirement and the societies should be prohibited from enrolling outsiders as members.” And this order has been upheld by the Supreme Court.

On enquiring about the matter with Priyank, he said: “That is an old matter, it was done when a lot of people were given sites.” His acknowledgement notwithstanding, he refused to comment on the issue further and said Priyadarshini was not in town.