The High Court of Karnataka on Monday expressed displeasure over the State and its bureaucracy for their inaction to take a final decision on certain allegations made over nomination of six members to Syndicate of Bangalore University despite the issue being referred by the court to the State for consideration in two petitions during past one year.
“There is something seriously wrong with this government and bureaucracy. Is the bureaucracy functioning or not? This is a clear case of contempt,” a Division Bench comprising Justice H.G. Ramesh and Justice John Michael Cunha observed when the government counsel sought time during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by N.K. Ramesh, who had questioned the nominations.
The Bench noticed that another Division Bench, headed by the Chief Justice, had disposed of an earlier PIL petition filed by the petitioner on the same issue in July 2016 and had directed the Secretary, Higher Education Department, to dispose of the petitioner’s representation within two months from the date of its receipt.
Also, the Bench pointed out, that the government counsel had sought time to seek status of representation filed before the Higher Education Department’s Secretary when the present petition had come up for hearing way back in October 2016. Further hearing was adjourned till January 18.
