KPSC Chairman In Soup Over Nepotism: HC Issues Notice To CBI, Karnataka Cabinet Backs Governor's Suspension Recommendation

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar, whom the Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had recommended suspension for fraudulently selecting his two daughters to the post of Industrial Extension Officers by producing fake income certificates, is in deep soup.

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While the Karnataka High Court has refused to stay the Governor's direction, the State Cabinet has approved the Governor's action of suspending him. Meanwhile, following another petition, the Karnataka High Court has issued notice to the CBI to check if the central organisation can investigate the case against the Chairman.

Soon after the Governor issued suspension order and directed the senior most member in the KPSC to discharge the duties of the Chairman, Shivashankarappa Sahukar had approached the Karnataka High Court, requesting to stay the order. However, the Court refused to stay the Governor's direction, but issued notice to the State government, seeking the details if the State cabinet had approved the Governor's directions. During an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss drought situation in the State, the cabinet included the Governor's direction as one of the subjects and endorsed the recommendations.

Meanwhile, the expelled BJP MLA Basannagouda Patil Yatnal and few students filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Karnataka High Court, seeking an investigation into the Shivashankarappa Sahukar on how many such cases he was involved in.

The students contended that they were aggrieved by repeated such favouritism in KPSC and requested the court to form a SIT or order a CBI investigation into the recruitment processes taken place under Shivashankarappa Sahukar.

The court felt that forming SIT at this particular juncture could lead to a lot of administrative problems and felt that investigation by an independent agency like CBI would be appropriate and issued notice to the CBI.

Earlier in the last week, the Karnataka Governor had recommended the President of India that the matter be referred to the Supreme Court under Article 317(1) of the Constitution for an inquiry. At the same time, the governor has also directed that the senior most member of the KPSC should discharge the function of the Chairman until further orders, stating that the suspension was necessary to ensure a fair and impartial investigation.

A release from the Governor's Secretariat stated: ``It is found that the Chairman failed to recuse himself or formally declare a conflict of interest while his direct dependents participated in the KPSC selection process. One of the daughters of the Chairman has obtained the income and caste certificate declaring the family income of ₹ 40,000 per annum. These evidences indicate that the Chairman's daughter has claimed OBC Reservation and Creamy Layer exemption by deliberate suppression of facts and using manipulated lower income declarations in spite of having income more than prescribed limit and knowing that her father is working as the Chairman of the Commission.''