HC raps govt for harassing wife of martyred officer

The High Court on Thursday directed the chief secretary to be present before it on Monday in connection with “harassment” meted out to the wife of a martyred defence person.

M V Bojamma, who lost her husband, a defence person in the Palar bomb blast carried out by sandalwood smuggler Veerappan and his associates in 1995, had filed a petition, seeking the court’s direction to the Saligrama Town Municipal Council to allow her to set up a godown to store LPG cylinders. Bojamma, a native of Madikeri, was allotted an LPG gas agency at Saligrama of Udupi district in 2001 on  compassionate grounds.

The petitioner had contended that Saligrama TMC officials were creating problems for her in running the LPG agency. The chief officer of the TMC denied her permission in setting up a godown to store cylinders, saying that cylinders with highly inflammable gas cannot be stored in residential locality.

The petitioner’s counsel pointed out that even though she followed all safety norms and obtained NOCs from the competent authorities, the TMC chief officer rejected her plea for setting up the godown. She appealed to the deputy commissioner but the DC upheld the TMC chief officer’s decision and dismissed the appeal. Bojamma then moved the High Court challenging the DC’s decision.

Her counsel mentioned that there were several court orders favouring her, including the one which quashed the DC’s order denying her permission to store the LPG gas cylinders. But the orders have not been executed by the authorities concerned. 

Justice Raghavendra S Chauhan, who heard the matter, lashed out at the State government. “How can you treat her like this? She is not a mouse and the State is not a cat or a tiger. Her husband laid down his life for the sake of the country. You (the State) took his life and left his wife and children in the lurch. This is a serious issue, with the State being a respondent, the chief secretary should be present before the court on Monday.”

Stay vacated

The High Court on Thursday vacated the stay granted by it to conduct elections to Karnataka Film Directors’ Association  (KFDA). Hearing a petition by Keshi Venkatesh, Justice A S Bopanna directed the association to go ahead with the polls.

Stating that there is no illegality in announcing the calender of events, the court has directed the KFDA to complete the process. Aspirants for various posts can file their nominations by July 10.

“Since the day he (P H Vishwanath) was elected as president, he has neither participated in any events of the association nor has he convened any meeting,” the petition stated.

Recall petition 

Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar has filed a recall petition in the Supreme Court to avoid further delay in conducting BBMP polls.

In a press release issued on Thursday, Chandrasekhar said:   “I am surprised to see the continued attempt of the State and some ministers to delay the BBMP election process and initiate moves for trifurcation of the Palike despite government’s undertakings to the Supreme Court on this issue,” he said.  
The MP said that his prayers in the apex court are to recall its order, dated July 3, 2015, by virtue of which eight weeks have been granted to the State to conduct the elections. 

Chandrasekhar has also urged the court to declare that there shall be no interruption in the model code of conduct, which is already in force, till the completion of the election process and that the government must not be allowed to defer or delay the elections to the BBMP.