Proposal to appoint Karee Gowda as KPSC chief opposed

A non-government organisation (NGO) has submitted a memorandum to Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala amid reports that state government is inclined to appoint Bengaluru Rural Deputy Commissioner Karee Gowda as the chairperson of Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).

The memorandum, by Committee on Judicial Accountability, stated that Karee Gowda was appointed as an assistant commissioner in 1998 batch of gazetted officers illegally.

Details of memorandum

The memorandum quoted media reports stating that government is proposing the names of Karee Gowda and senior KAS officer L C Nagaraj, presently assistant commissioner, for the posts of the KPSC’s chairperson and member respectively.

“Both Karee Gowda and L C Nagaraj were selected in the 1998 batch of gazetted probationers as assistant commissioner and tahsildar respectively.

But their appointments have been challenged. The cases are still pending in the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal, Karnataka High Court and Supreme
Court.

Judicial and CID enquiries held with regard to illegalities in their selection by KPSC are established beyond a pale of doubt,’’ the committee has said in the memorandum.

High court judgement

According to the memorandum, Karee Gowda is identified as one of the beneficiaries of illegalities. The fact-finding committee, constituted by the Karnataka High Court, stated that due to fraud committed in the allotment of marks, Karee Gowda was selected as assistant commissioner, Revenue, in the place of one TS Hanumanthe Gowda and other meritorious candidates.

The high court, in its final judgement in June 2016, upheld the revised list, according to which Karee Gowda was demoted to the post of Commercial Tax Officer, Group B, the committee has said in the memorandum.

Hiremath’s contention

Founder president of Samaja Parivartana Samudaya S R Hiremath said, “Even the promotion given to Karee Gowda as (an) IAS (officer) is a conditional one. It is subject to the outcome of a special leave petition filed by an aggrieved candidate in the Supreme
Court.

The apex court order had said that any promotion made in the meantime shall be subject to the outcome of the present special leave petitions, and the same shall be intimated to the persons promoted so that he/she cannot claim any kind of equity.

The high court has held appointments of the candidates in 1998, 1999 and 2004 for the post of Gazetted Probationers as unconstitutional, contrary to the rules and government
orders.”