Karnataka High Court orders notice to govt on PIL seeking appointment of chairperson for SC/ST body

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday ordered notice to the state government in a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking direction for expeditious appointment to the post of chairperson to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Commission, Karnataka.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice MI Arun has adjourned the matter to February 17.

The petition filed is by CL Srinivasa, a resident of Chamarajanagar. The petitioner submitted that the post of chairperson of the SC/ ST Commission, Karnataka is vacant since December 9, 2022 and thousands of grievances are pending.

The petitioner stated that the vacancy has directly contributed to the commission’s failure to discharge its constitutional obligations and the grievances filed by the members of the SC/ST community have gone unaddressed.

“The state is mandated under Article 46 to promote the educational and economic interests of SC and ST community and protect them from social injustice and exploitation. The non-functioning of SC/ ST Commission, Karnataka has resulted in denial of socio-economic upliftment of SC/ ST and marginalized community and the said vacancy of chairperson has affected lakhs of litigants who are in the search of justice,” the petition said.