A year when cases concerning state in SC created ripples

Key among them are SC/ST promotions, Sasikala's conviction, Cauvery dispute hearing

The state government suffered a major setback in the Supreme Court when its 2002 law providing reservation in promotion to SC/ST employees was quashed. The judgement resonated throughout the year.

The hearing in the Cauvery water dispute case, the direction for a CBI probe into the death of DySP M K Ganapathi and approval for a Lokayukta SIT probe into corruption charges against former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy were other high-points of discussion from the state in the court.

The collegium's decision to transfer Justice Jayant Patel days before his expected elevation as Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court and his subsequent resignation also were part of public debate. Not to forget, the conviction of former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa's aide Sasikala and others in the disproportionate assets case and their incarceration in the Bengaluru jail.

The Siddaramiah government faced a major embarrassment when it defended before the Supreme Court its law granting protection to 'Gau Rakshaks' to check cow slaughter, during the hearing of a PIL.

An estranged couple from Bengaluru drew shock and astonishment from the Supreme Court for filing 67 cases against each other.

During the year, the top court declined a plea by mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy to reside in Ballari, but allowed him to visit his hometown a number of times during Dasara and Deepavali and for his daughter's marriage.

In February, a two-judge bench termed as unconstitutional the provisions of the Karnataka Determination of Seniority of the Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation (To the Posts in the Civil Services of the State) Act. The court directed for revising the seniority list of the employees.

The order spawned subsequent action, with the government filing a review petition, mooting an Ordinance and finally enacting a legislation in an effort to circumvent the apex court's decision. On a batch of contempt petitions against the top officials, the court, however, granted the government time till January 15 for revising its list of promotion of the employees.

In the year, the apex court started hearing civil appeals against the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal's decision of 2007 and reserved its verdict. The judgement may be delivered any time before March.

Karnataka's bid to impose tax on motor vehicles registered in other states, but plying in the state beyond a period of 30 days failed, affecting the state's finances. Its appeal against the HC's order, quashing the provisions of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Act, however, remains pending.

The apex court directed the CID to conduct an inquiry into the alleged defrauding of properties worth more than Rs 500 crore left behind by world-renowed Mysuru-based taxidermist Edwin Joubert Van Ingen.

Former Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao failed to get any relief from the court over summons issued to him in the case of extortion run by his son Y Ashwin Rao, a few officials and others through his office in 2015.

The ritual 'Made Snana' was stayed till the court finally decided the legal validity of the practice.