Officials' transfer at netas' instance illegal: HC

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday ruled the transfer of officers at the instance of chief minister and ministers’ recommendation illegal, upholding the previous order of a single bench on the issue.

G R Devendra Naik, an executive engineer, had challenged the single bench order of the High Court, which had quashed his transfer as Executive Engineer, Hebbal Division by the Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

Dismissing the appeal, a division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Ravi Malimath observed, “The elected representatives shall not interfere in the transfer of officials working at autonomous institutions. The previous ruling by the single bench that all such transfers are illegal is justified.”

HC raps BBMP commissioner

Taking a strong objection to the BBMP commissioner’s decision to post Naik as Executive Engineer, based on a recommendation letter by the Chief Minister, the division bench observed, “It is clear and evident that the commissioner is unable to discharge his duties freely. The court may have to consider that he is unfit to handle that post.”