Bill that clips KSOU's wings passed in Assembly

Varsity can't open centres outside state when law comes into effect

The Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed an amendment bill that scraps a provision which enables the Karnataka State Open University to open its centres outside the state

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Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra piloted the Karnataka State Open University (Amendment) Bill, 2016, in the Assembly. Opening of centres outside Karnataka contradicts the instruction issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on the jurisdiction of universities, as per the statement of objects and reasons of the bill.


The bill was presented amid dharna and slogan-shouting by the Opposition BJP and JD(S) on the suicide of DySP M K Ganapathi. As a result, the minister could not explain the bill’s details in the House. The government has sought to snatch the KSOU’s powers following charges that the university opened its centres outside Karnataka and conducted outreach courses without authorisation.

Meanwhile, the Legislative Council approved a bill that seeks to establish a new university — Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University. The university is proposed to be set up in Gadag, the Assembly constituency of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil.

The government had earlier sought to establish the university through an ordinance. But Governor Vajubhai Vala sent the bill back and asked the government to table it in the legislature. The total cost of establishing the university is Rs 166 crore. The bill was passed without any discussion in the Upper House due to dharna by the Opposition on the Ganapathi suicide.

The Council also passed the Karnataka Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2016, that seeks to increase the maximum number of board members in co-operative societies to accommodate representatives of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The Upper House also passed the Karnataka State Law University (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which brings in uniformity with University Grants Commission Regulations, 2010.
SC/ST quota in contracts.

The Assembly passed a bill that gives reservation to SC and ST contractors in construction works taken up by the government to the tune of Rs 50 lakh. The government will reserve 17.15% and 6.95% of its construction works for SCs and STs respectively if the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2016, becomes law.

The government had sought to promulgate an ordinance a few weeks ago to give effect to the reservation. But the Governor refused to promulgate it and advised the government to allow a debate on the bill in the legislature. An ordinance replacement bill — Karnataka Stamp (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2016 — was also tabled in the Assembly.