Disqualified MLA Sudhakar should not continue in Karnataka Pollution Control Board: HC

Administration

The HC was told that the appointment of Sudhakar as the Pollution Control Board chief was illegal and in contravention of the Supreme Court order.

Soumya Chatterjee

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The Karnataka High Court on Friday orally observed that the appointment of disqualified Chikkaballapur MLA K Sudhakar as Chairman of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) should be quashed.  The matter has been posted for final hearing on September 23 with the state government being asked to file its objections on or before September 20.  Sudhakar who won on a Congress ticket, was one of the 17 MLAs of the former JD(S)-Congress coalition government who had resigned from their positions to pave way for the BJP to form a government in the state. Sudhakar was appointed as the KSPCB chairman in June by former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy after days of him lobbying for the post with the top rung of his former party.  Read: Former Cong MLA's appointment as K'taka Pollution control board chief, HC asks govt stand The HC bench comprising Chief Justice AS Oka and Justice Mohammed Nawaz on Friday came down heavily on the government of Karnataka for violating section 4(2) of the Water Act while appointing Sudhakar to the post of chairman of KSPCB.  It was observed by the court that post facto approval to the appointment was given on September 3, 2019 and was done after the High Court directed the principal government advocate to produce all records relating to the appointment.  The HC opined that it was a "disturbing trend and not acceptable". The court further noted that the order issued in the name of the Governor dated June 20 does not state about the post facto approval sought to be obtained on appointment. The court was also unhappy that the state government did not respond as directed. It was earlier reported that the same bench on August 30 had asked the state government to produce all relevant documents relating to the appointment while hearing a writ petition challenging Sudhakar’s appointment.  The advocates for the petitioner argued that the appointment was arbitrary and in violation of the Supreme Court directives, as Sudhakar did not possess any special knowledge in respect of environmental matters. 

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'Building blocks of democracy compromised': Dakshina Kannada DC quits IAS

Administration

“I feel it is unethical for me to continue as a civil servant in the govt when the fundamental building blocks of our diverse democracy are being compromised,” Sasikanth said in his statement.

TNM Staff

Deputy Commissioner of Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district Sashikant Senthil resigned from the Indian Administrative Service on Friday. “I have taken this decision as I feel it is unethical for me to continue as a civil servant in the government when the fundamental building blocks of our diverse democracy are being compromised in an unprecedented manner,” Sasikanth Senthil said in a statement. In his statement, Sasikanth, who hails from Tamil Nadu said, “I also feel strongly that the coming days will present extremely difficult challenges to the basic fabric of our nation and that I would be better off outside the IAS to continue with my work at making life better for all. It simply cannot be business as usual anymore.” He also added that his resignation was a purely personal one and had nothing to do with his work as the DC of Dakshina Kannada. Sasikanth Senthil served as the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada starting December 2017. An engineer by profession, Sasikanth quit his job at a reputed company to join the civil services in 2009. He emerged as Tamil Nadu’s topper in the 2009 UPSC exams and also ranked 9 at the national level. Hailing from Chennai, Sasikanth Senthil studied Bachelors in Engineering (Electrical and Communication) from the Regional Engineering College of Bharathidasan University in Tiruchirapalli. After being inducted into the service, he has served as the Assistant Commissioner in Ballari, Chief Executive Officer of the Shivamogga Zilla Panchayat and Deputy Commissioner of Chitradurga and Raichur districts. He was posted in the Mines and Geology Department Director before being transferred as the DC of Dakshina Kannada. Sasikanth is the second IAS officer to resign in recent weeks. Kannan Gopinathan, a Malayali IAS officer from the Union Territory Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, submitted his resignation from the service in August over the clampdown in Jammu and Kashmir with the abrogation of Article 370. He quit the service stating that he wanted his freedom of expression back. 

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‘Watching porn not treason': K'taka Law Minister defends Laxman Savadi over 2012 row

Politics

Current Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi was forced to resign as a minister in 2012 for watching porn on his mobile phone in the Assembly.

TNM Staff

Laxman Savadi with BS Yediyurappa

Karnataka Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs JC Madhuswamy, on Thursday defended Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi over the 2012 controversy in which he was forced to resign as a minister for watching porn on his mobile phone in the Assembly. "Watching video in Vidhana Soudha is not an accusation of treason. It should morally not be done but it is not a treason. Accidentally watching a video is not a big issue. Everyone speaks something wrong. It cannot be pulled up repeatedly,” Madhuswamy said while speaking to reporters in Tumakuru. He further added that people should stop criticising him over the issue. "He has not cheated anyone or committed any treason that calls for punishment. There is no point criticising him for the same," he said. Laxman Savadi, who made news after he was caught watching a pornographic video during an Assembly session in 2012, was appointed as a Deputy Chief Minister despite losing the Assembly elections in 2018. He was also given the portfolio of Transport Minister.  The move to appoint him caused disgruntlement among other BJP leaders. In February 2012, Laxman was caught inside the Assembly by cameramen working with TV news channels, watching a pornographic video with the then Women and Child Development Minister CC Patil on the mobile handset of Krishna Palemar.  The footage was aired on TV channels and sparked public outrage. Laxman and CC Patil resigned within a week to prevent embarrassment to the ruling BJP. The duo also claimed that they were watching footage of a rave party held in Udupi and not watching a pornographic clip. Seven years after the incident, both CC Patil and Laxman are in the Karnataka cabinet even though an inquiry was ordered into the 2012 incident.   

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Excise Minister Nagesh makes u-turn, says K'taka govt not planning door delivery of liquor

Excise

This came less than 24 hours after announcing that there was a proposal to implement such a system.

TNM Staff

Karnataka Excise Minister H Nagesh stated that the Karnataka government is not planning door delivery of liquor to individuals in the state. This came less than 24 hours after announcing that there was a proposal to implement such a system.  Nagesh told the press on Thursday that his earlier statement was misinterpreted. “There are no such proposals (of starting mobile liquor shop and online liquor sale) before the state government. My statement has been misinterpreted", he said, according to Times of India.  On Wednesday, Nagesh had announced a proposal of delivering liquor to home. He had also spoken about a system of mobile sales units of liquor in the thandas (colonies) of tribal communities. The proposal stemmed from concerns over how people were travelling 10-15 km to find a liquor shop in some remote areas of the state.  “I had cited examples of liquor delivery systems in many other states. There is no plan of delivering liquor to someone’s doorstep. I apologise to women who felt offended by my statement. Our objective is to eradicate illicit liquor from the state,” he said as per The Hindu. The announcement of the proposal came nine months after a protest march by women from rural parts of Karnataka demanding a statewide ban on the sale of alcohol. Women, most of whom were from rural areas, marched from Chitradurga to Bengaluru, a distance of 200 km and held interactions in villages along the way about their protest.   Nagesh has now acknowledged the protest and apologised to women following the retraction of his earlier statement. He further denied that the government was looking to increase the sales of liquor in the state.  Towards the end of 2018, the Karnataka government disallowed the delivery of liquor in the state claiming that it had not created a license for it. The Excise department pulled up internet-based alcohol delivery systems and those affected include popular local concierge applications 'Dunzo and HipBar. H Nagesh is the only independent MLA in the Karnataka cabinet. He was elected from the Mulbagal constituency and was also part of the cabinet in the coalition government formed by former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. Read: 'Beer Beda, Neer Beku': K'taka women march to Bengaluru demanding prohibition

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Two years on, Gauri Lankesh's family seeks fast-track trial in her murder case

Remembrance

A total of 16 persons have been arrested in the case by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder.

Prajwal Bhat

It was two years ago on September 5 that journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her residence in Bengaluru. In an event held in remembrance of the slain journalist, her sister Kavitha Lankesh requested the Karnataka government to set up a special court and fast-track the trial in connection with the murder case.  "We have seen how cases like this can go on for so many years. It has been four years since Professor Kalburgi and Pansare were killed and six years since Dabholkar was killed. If the state government could set up a special court to fast-track our (Gauri Lankesh) case and the Kalburgi case, it would be very good," Kavitha said, while speaking at the event held in St Joseph's College in Bengaluru.  A total of 18 persons were named in the chargesheet in the Gauri Lankesh case by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder. Six of the accused are also named as accused in the MM Kalburgi murder which took place four years ago. These men were linked to the Sanatan Sanstha, a radical pro-Hindu group. Kavitha Lankesh pays respects to her sister Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru  Kanhaiya Kumar pays respects to 'teacher and comrade' The event was attended by former student leader and Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Kanhaiya Kumar. He was closely associated with Gauri and she used to refer to him as her 'ideological son'. "After Rohit Vemula's death, Gauri decided that wherever there was a fight for justice, she would try to have a lively relationship with the people involved in it. She was a teacher and comrade to me," Kanhaiya said.  He said that Gauri was perceived to be dangerous because she wrote extensively in Kannada. "If she had written in English and lived in Delhi, she would have been trolled on social media and not murdered. It’s because she wrote in Kannada that she was murdered," he said. He added that Gauri will get justice "when the idea of justice and equality are protected". Journalist Ravish Kumar to receive first Gauri Memorial Award  It was announced that journalist and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Ravish Kumar will be the first recipient of the Gauri Lankesh Memorial Award. He will be presented with the honour at a ceremony in Bengaluru's Town Hall on September 22. The announcement was made when friends and family of Gauri Lankesh gathered at her grave in Chamarajpet on Thursday morning to pay their respects. A remembrance was also held for AK Subbaiah, the politician and a fierce critic of the BJP, who passed away on August 27. A collection of editorials written by Gauri — Kandahage 4, was released at the event along with Noorara Nota, a book written by HS Doreswamy, the 101-year-old freedom fighter and activist.    

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Vitamin E named as primary culprit in vaping illness, but feds urge caution

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Denotification case: Karnataka special court issues summons to HD Kumaraswamy

Crime

On July 20 this year, special judge Ramachandra D Huddar had rejected the Lokayukta’s B Report (closure report) in the case, where it had cited lack of evidence.

TNM Staff

The Special Court for Elected Representatives in Bengaluru on Thursday issued summons to former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to appear for questioning in the alleged illegal denotification case. In 2007, when Kumaraswamy was serving as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, a complaint was filed with the Lokayukta that he illegally denotified land in Banashankari’s Halage Vaderahalli. The court has summoned Kumaraswamy for questioning on October 4. On July 20 this year, special judge Ramachandra D Huddar had rejected the Lokayukta’s B Report (closure report) in the case, where it had cited lack of evidence. The court had also directed the complainant in the case to record his statement in court. In October 2007, M Mahadeva Swamy from Santhemarahalli in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district had filed a complaint with the Lokayukta that Kumaraswamy had passed an order to denotify 2.24 acres of land listed under survey numbers 128 and 137 at Halage Vaderahalli in Bengaluru in favour of a few people, who in turn, sold the land to builders. The complaint alleged that Kumaraswamy had approved the denotification of this land on October 1 in 2007, just a week before he resigned from his post as Chief Minister. Mahadeva Swamy had stated that the land in question was later acquired by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to construct residential sites for which a preliminary notification was issued in April 1989 and the final one in 1997. Mahadeva Swamy alleged that Kumaraswamy’s denotification orders had resulted in a loss of Rs 56.6 crore to the state exchequer. Mahadeva Swamy alleged that the documents submitted by the BDA, showed that the land was sold to third parties on the same day Kumaraswamy denotified the land. He also accused Kumaraswamy of deliberately forgoing the Urban Development Department’s adverse opinion regarding denotification. In 2012, the Lokayukta police registered an FIR against Kumaraswamy and filed a B report in July this year. Special judge Huddar had rejected the B report stating that the list of sections mentioned in the FIR were too serious. A case had been registered against KUmaraswamy under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 483 (counterfeiting a property mark), 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using forged documents) of the IPC; and sections 13(1)(c) (fraudulently misappropriating government property), 13(1)(d) (obtains for himself or for any other person any valuable thing or pecuniary advantage by corrupt means), 13(1)(e) (disproportionate income during tenure as public servant) and 13(2) criminal misconduct of public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.  

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