JOIN USA public interest case on violations in building bye-laws has become a thorn in the side of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda.
On Thursday, the Court was incensed by Gowda’s lawyers failing to file an affidavit in the case.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice Aravind Kumar also imposed a cost of Rs 5,000 on Gowda. The commissioner now has two weeks to file the affidavit.
“What is your law department doing? If they do not work even after our orders, what are we doing here? The intention of summoning you here is for not filing objections,” said the court to BBMP’s lawyers.
The Bench was hearing a petition by Higher Education Minister C T Ravi and other residents of JP Nagar II Stage.
The Palike commissioner had last appeared before the Court on June 26 for not filing an objection as directed by the Court.
Similarly, parties were told to file affidavits within the stipulated time, but the Palike failed to do so.
During the hearing the commissioner had admitted to violations in building bye-laws by the Palike, as alleged by the petitioners.