JOIN USDirects five officials to be present before the court during the next hearing.
The High Court of Karnataka on Friday hinted at initiating contempt proceedings against five officials who had violated its orders on scaling and moderation of the marks secured by candidates of gazetted probationers’ examination held in 1998 by the Karnataka Public Service Commission.
A division bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice B V Nagarathna directed the five officials to be present before the court during the next hearing on April 11.
“We think that individual notice should be issued to these officials questioning why contempt of court proceeding should not be initiated against them. The registry is directed to issue them notice to appear before the court on April 11, 2014,” the bench said.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Khaleel Ahmed, V Raghu and others seeking action on the CID report pertaining to irregularities in the selection of gazetted probationers during the years 1998, 1999 and 2004.
The five officials facing the wrath of the Court are: B S Ramprasad, the then secretary, KPSC and now secretary to Governor of Karnataka; B A Harish Gowda, former IAS officer and then secretary, KPSC; Shobha Basavaraj, system analyst; S Arunachalam, section officer and I B Nirwani, former deputy Secretary, KPSC.
They are being questioned for not complying with the High Court order dated October 10, 2002. Meanwhile, the bench granted more time to the KPSC to conduct fresh interviews of 94 candidates shortlisted after the new personality test.
Senior counsel P S Rajgopal, appearing for the KPSC, submitted that the commission required six weeks to conduct the interviews and announce the results. The court orally directed the petitioners to identify more people affected on account of the faulty recruitment process.
Tahsildar summoned
The High Court has summoned the tahsildar, Bangalore West, to appear before it in connection with a petition challenging grant of land earmarked for road, to a private educational institution.
The residents of Kasavanahalli in Varthur hobli of Bangalore Urban district, had approached the court claiming that five acres 13 guntas of land reserved for formation of a road had been granted to a private educational institution.
The division bench directed the tahsildar to appear before it on March 24.
SPP’s plea dismissed
The High Court of Karnataka on Friday dismissed a petition filed by the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Bhavani Singh challenging the special court judge’s order levying cost of Rs 60,000 for delaying the hearing in the disproportionate assets case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalitha.
Singh, in his plea, had claimed that he sought adjournment on health grounds and furnished medial certificate to the court. However, Justice S N Satyanarayana, matter dismissed the petition.
Notice to B’lore varsity
The High Court has ordered emergent notice to Bangalore University in a petition filed by S G Murthy, Chairperson and Head, Department of Geography, challenging the withdrawal of his appointment as scrutinising officer for BA, BCom and BBM examinations.
The petitioner had contended that his appointment has been withdrawn without any notice.