Rama Krishna Sangem
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah may go to Supreme Court challenging the judgment of the High Court which came against him on September 24, Tuesday. Though there is speculation over his possible resignation, he is unlikely to do that in view of overwhelming support from the Congress MLAs. Dy CM DK Shivakumar and other seniors ministers came to his residence just after the HC verdict and expressed their solidarity to the CM.
In a setback to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed his petition challenging Governor’s approval for investigation against him in a site allotment case.
The Chief Minister had challenged the approval given by the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for an investigation against him in the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in a prime locality.
After completing the hearings on the petition in six sittings from August 19, the single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna on September 12 reserved its verdict. It had also extended its August 19 interim order directing the special court for people’s representatives that was slated to hear complaints against him in the case, to defer its proceedings till the disposal of the petition.
The facts narrated in the petition would undoubtedly require investigation, in the teeth of the fact that the beneficiary of all these acts is not anybody outside but the family of the petitioner. The petition stands dismissed,” Justice Nagaprasanna ruled. He said: “interim order of any kind subsisting today shall stand dissolved.”
Guv gave sanction to prosecute CM
The Governor on August 16 accorded sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences as mentioned in the petitions submitted to him by complainants Pradeep Kumar S P, T J Abraham and Snehamayi Krishna.
In the petition, the Chief Minister submitted that the sanction order was issued without due application of mind, in violation of statutory mandates, and contrary to constitutional principles, including the advice of the Council of Ministers, which is binding under Article 163 of the Constitution of India.
Siddaramaiah sought quashing of the Governor’s order contending that his decision is legally unsustainable, procedurally flawed, and motivated by extraneous considerations.
While noted lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Prof. Ravivarma Kumar had appeared for Siddaramaiah, Solicitor-General of India Tushar Mehta represented the office of the Governor. Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty also made his submissions.
