The State government on Monday expressed helplessness in the Karnataka High Court in taking decision on a report submitted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on the alleged irregularities in the process of recruitment of gazetted probations during 1998, 1999 and 2004.
Additional Advocate-General H. Kantharaja told a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D.H. Waghela and Justice B.V. Nagarathna that the KPSC has “refused to give records with regard to the candidates who have allegedly benefited from the irregularities.”
Sincere efforts
He also told the Bench that the government has been making sincere efforts but is handicapped due to non-availability of the records.
“The Government has held three meetings with KPSC on July 30, August 2 and August 6. We have sought records from the KPSC with regard to those candidates who allegedly benefited from the irregularities to co-relate their names with registration numbers. However, on August 8, the KPSC wrote a letter refusing to part with those records saying that the CID report is only an interim report and that it (KPSC) is an autonomous institution,” Mr. Kantharaja said.
The Bench was hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by a group of unsuccessful candidates seeking action based on the CID report. The petitioners had submitted a list of 300 candidates who allegedly benefited from the irregularities.
Not happy
However, the Bench orally observed that “the government’s action does not inspire any confidence. It is not expected from a honest government”.
“Do you doubt the CID report or do you want to have a second enquiry report against the KPSC? The KPSC is headed by your own nominee. If bona fide action is not taken, then we will issue orders,” the Bench said orally.
The Bench adjourned further hearing to August 26 while issuing notice to the KPSC hoping that the commission would make available all records related to the candidates who are prima facie beneficiaries of the irregularities, to the government.
