HC orders cops to 'secure presence' of BBMP commissioner

The High Court on Tuesday passed an order directing the government counsel to ensure that the police commissioner “secures the presence” of the BBMP commissioner in the court as the counsel for the Palike failed to appear during the hearing of a PIL.

The court, however, recalled the order later after BBMP advocate K N Putte Gowda informed the bench during the post-lunch session that Palike Commissioner G Kumar Naik would appear before the court on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath passed the order directing the government counsel to ensure that the City police commissioner “secures the presence” of the BBMP commissioner in the court and adjourned the matter post-lunch.

The court had on January 29 expressed its displeasure over the absence of the BBMP counsel during the hearing of the PIL about unauthorised construction inside a park near CQAL Layout in Sahakarnagar here.

The court had passed an order directing the petitioner’s advocate to serve the court notices to the BBMP legal cell. The court in the previous order had stated: “Liberty is granted to the petitioner’s advocate Vishwanath P D, to inform the BBMP that their advocate was absent on consecutive dates. We expect that, on the next occasion, the BBMP shall arrange for the appearance of their advocate.”

The matter was adjourned to February 2 as the BBMP counsel was not present.
When the matter come up for hearing on Tuesday, the bench took serious exception to the absence of the BBMP counsel again and passed the order directing the police commissioner.