JOIN USThe matrix fixed by the State government for sharing BE seats at Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE), Mysore, has been set aside by the High Court which directed that the counselling be redone.
A Division Bench, comprising Justice K L Manjunath and Justice Ravi Malimath, on Thursday directed the government to redo the counselling and refix the seat matrix as per the consensual agreement signed with the college.
The SJCE had moved a petition against the matrix, stressing that it was not as per the consensual agreement. It argued that the government fixed the seat matrix for 120 seats in two BE streams — electronics and communication and computer science. But of the lot, only 60 seats were aided and the rest unaided.
The petitioner mentioned that as per the consensual agreement for unaided seats, only 45 per cent seats would fall under the government quota.
Thirty per cent of seats will be filled through the Comed-K and the rest by the management. The problem arose when the government gobbled up all seats against the agreement, the petitioner said.
The bench took the government to task and remarked: “How can you do this? Take action against those responsible. Don’t you know what to do when you have a consensus agreement?”
The court also warned of imposing costs on the government for wasting its time. “How can the seat matrix be contrary to the consensual agreement?”
CM’s nod sought
A Bangalore-based lawyer, N P Amruthesh, has sought sanction from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to prosecute Minor Irrigation Minister, Shivaraj Thangadgi, for “interfering” in the proceedings conducted by Koppal Deputy Commissioner, in order to “shield” his brother Nagaraj who is accused of illegally constructing a bungalow on farm land.
In the July 10 letter to the Chief Minister, Amruthesh accused the minister of “interfering” in the revenue appeal heard by the Koppal DC, Tulasi Maddineni, on June 26, 2013.
“The proceedings conducted by the DC are equivalent to those of court and interference in them is nothing but interfering in the court proceedings. I request you to grant permission to prosecute Thangadgi under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988,” he said in the appeal.
Amruthesh contended that Nagaraj began construction on a land which did not belong to him. He also accused the minister’s brother of creating “fake” documents in a desperate bid to prove that he owned the land. The minister feared the DC would take action against his brother and hence tried to “influence” her, he said.
However, in an open court hearing, Maddineni held Nagaraj guilty of illegal construction, encroachment and creation of fake documents and recommended criminal proceedings against the then tahsildar and another person, Neelavva, for colluding with him,” the letter said.
The lawyer also pointed that Maddineni was transferred the very next day.