PIL challenges appointment of MLA to Kalyana Karnataka board

Bengaluru: The high court on Monday ordered notice to the state government in a PIL challenging the appointment of Jewargi MLA Ajay Dharam Singh, son of former Chief Minister Dharam Singh, as chairman of the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Joshi directed the respondents to file their statement of objections.

The petitioner Saibanna Jamadar, a resident of Kalaburagi and President of Ahinda Chinthakara Vedike, also challenged the appointment of Nalini Atul, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Koppal District, as secretary of the board.

The petitioner claimed that as the notification by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) dated November 6, 2013, district in charge minister has to be appointed as chairman and a senior IAS officer not below the rank of the state secretary to the government as secretary of the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board. The petition said the state government appointed MLA Ajay Dharam Singh as chairman of the Board in August 2023 and in June 2025, appointed Nalini Atul, Deputy Commissioner of Koppal, as secretary of the Board.

The petition further stated that while both the state and the central governments are providing huge amounts in thousands of crores to improve the Kalyana Karnataka region, the fund is misused by the politicians and the bureaucrats. Upon complaints, the state government had referred the matter to E V Ramana Reddy, the additional Chief Secretary, to conduct an enquiry.

According to the petition, the report found misappropriation of funds and subsequently, the state government appointed Sudheer Kumar, a retired IAS officer, to submit a report within six months from November 11, 2024. Even then, the authorities have failed in discharging their duties, the petitioner said.