Karnataka HC issues notice to state govt alleging discriminatory allocation of funds

Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court on Wednesday issues notice to the state government and the Deputy Commissioner of Bagalkot district in a PIL filed by Jagadeesh Shivaya Gudagunti, alleging discriminatory allocation of funds. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha sought response from the respondents while directing the matter to be listed on January 31, 2026 for further consideration.

The petition claimed discrimination in allocation of funds under the Rs 8,000 core Chief Minister’s Infrastructure Development Programme (CMIDP) to constituencies represented by the legislators of the opposition parties. The petition contended that the allocations of funds were being made in violation of Article 14 (right to equality) as well as the Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined under Articles 38 and Article 39 of the Constitution of India. According to the petitioner, the CMIDP, introduced in the 2025–26 budget, provides Rs 50 crore for development works in the constituencies represented by the ruling Congress MLAs, while only  Rs 25 crore to those constituencies represented by the MLAs belonging to the opposition parties.

The petition stated that constituencies in Bagalkot district, such as Mudhol, Bilagi, Badami, Bagalkot and Hungund are allocated Rs 50 crore under the CMIDP only for the reason that they are represented by the MLAs belonging to the ruling party. The petitioner further claimed that the same yardstick is being adopted across the state in other constituencies. This will create inequality in facilities and creation of opportunities to the Jamkhandi Assembly Constituency, bringing it at par with other constituencies, the petition said.

“ The power to distribute and redistribute public assets and resources lying within the State discretion is not absolute. The test of reasonable classification has to be based on the intelligible differentia distinguishing the persons or things that are grouped together from others that are left out of the group and the differentia must have a rational relation with the objective sought to be achieved by the policy in question. The only differentia in allocation of funds to different constituencies is based on which political parties the MLAs of each constituency belong to,” the petition said.