The State government does not plan to resort to any further action on the judgment of the Karnataka High Court upholding the plea of the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to quash the cases against him in the report of the Lokayukta on illegal mining.
Mr. Yeddyurappa moved the High Court questioning, among other things, the action initiated by Governor H.R. Bhardwaj directing the investigation wing of the Lokayukta to file a First Information Report and investigate the matter based on the Lokayukta report, which was submitted to the government on July 27, 2011.
With a Division Bench of the High Court quashing the Governor's action, the stand of the State government is that it is now up to the Lokayukta to take a call on whether to appeal against the High Court ruling.
Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda told The Hindu : “The State government has no role to play in the matter, and it is my duty to protect the interests of the Government, ruling party leaders and legislators. The Lokayukta is an autonomous institution independent of the government. It is left to the Lokayukta to decide what it proposes to do.”
Presently the institution of the Lokayukta is without a head and there are two Upalokayuktas. They are empowered to decide on the next course of action. The State government, on its part, has referred the report on illegal mining back to the Lokayukta for “reconsideration”.
It is seven months now since the report was submitted to the government. The report has not been tabled before the State legislature although two sessions have been held since July. The government has to also submit an action-taken report while tabling the Lokayukta findings before the legislature. The government has not rejected the report either.
Mr. Gowda said that there were differences within the Bharatiya Janata Party and “we will sort it out in party forums. Nothing will be done to go against the interests of our own leaders. As such, the government has filed a detailed affidavit before the Supreme Court arguing that the Central Bureau of Investigation should not be asked to probe the mining-related cases in Karnataka and that the government has done its best to prevent illegal mining and export of iron ore”.
