Horatti issues summons to Horticulture Department secretary, VC, registrar

Bengaluru: Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti on Wednesday issued summons to the Horticulture Department secretary, Vice-Chancellor and registrar of the University of Horticulture Sciences, Bagalkot seeking an explanation for their failure to appoint BJP MLC Hanumanth Nirani to the varsity board.

Horatti's decision to issue summons to the officials come a day after Nirani sought to know why the department was dragging its feet on confirming his appointment. 

Congress MLCs Puttanna, Ivan D’Souza and Nagaraj Yadav brought the issue to Horatti’s attention, pointing out that the varsity and department had not complied with the Council Chairman’s order to appoint Nirani.

“It is not right to disregard the directions of the Council Chairman. Why are the officials being so indifferent to your (Horatti) directions? If your directions are not honoured, what is their value,” asked Puttanna.

Echoing their party colleague’s concerns, Ivan D’Souza and Yadav said that, despite Horatti issuing directions to Horticulture Minister S S Mallikarjuna to remedy this mistake, no action had been taken. “This issue must be taken up urgently, and the officials concerned summoned to the House immediately,” the two Congress MLCs said.

Horatti then directed House Leader N S Bose Raju, also the Minor Irrigation Minister, to ensure that the Horticulture Department secretary, and the varsity’s VC and registrar were in his chamber at 10.30am on Thursday to explain why the Council Chairman’s orders had not been complied with.

On Tuesday, Hanumanth Nirani had complained that his appointment, made eight months ago, had not been confirmed by the Horticulture Department. Horatti had, in fact, threatened to move a privilege motion against Mallikarjuna in the event of the Horticulture Department failing to confirm the appointment by the end of the day.