HC notice to govt on process to appoint KPSC members

The High Court on Monday ordered notice to the State government with regard to the petition challenging the process to appoint the chairperson, vice-chairperson and members to the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).

The petitioner, T J Abraham had contended that there are no guidelines framed and transparency in the procedure to nominate the chairman, vice-chairman and members to the KPSC.

The petitioner’s advocate submitted to the court that the recent judgement says that the KPSC chairperson must be a person who has a clean record from the vigilance department and the Lokayukta and that the chairperson must not have any political connections.

While hearing the petition, a division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice Ram Mohan Reddy asked what kind of KPSC it was and if the commission had made any progress in the past ten years.

The bench questioned the government if it has recovered money from those who have been accused in the recruitment scam.

Advocate General (AG) appearing for the State government said that there are 800 posts vacant and to fill them, they have to appoint a chairperson, vice-chairperson and members to the KPSC. 

The bench asked the State government to take some care while making the appointments for KPSC.  The bench also deleted the governor’s office which was mentioned as one of the respondents.

Open borewells
The High Court on Monday directed the district-level groundwater authority to report to the district legal services authority about the progress in closing down defunct borewells in the State with proper lids.

Disposing of a PIL which had sought to implement Supreme Court’s guidelines in managing borewells which have either dried or become defunct.

The PIL was filed against the backdrop of the death of a six-year-old boy Thimmanna, after he fell into an open defunct borewell in Bagalkot.

 In another incident, four-year-old Akshata had fallen into a borewell in Bijapur district.