Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 7: The state high court on Friday September 6, verbally observed that appointment of Dr K Sudhakar, Congress MLA from Chikkaballapur, who has since been disqualified by the speaker, as the chairman of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, violated rules. "This measure of the government was fraught with lacunae besides being illegal. Therefore, this appointment may have to be annulled," it observed.

The high court also expressed its dissatisfaction at the way the government dealt with the court relating to this case. These remarks came during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed against Dr Sudhakar's appointment by R Anjaneya Reddy, president of Shaswatha Neeravari Horata Samithi, Chikkaballapur.

The advocate general on this occasion, presented a file relating to the appointment of Dr Sudhakar. The bench which went through the file, said that the appointment of the chairman violates section 4 of Water (conservation and pollution control) Act 1974. It also said that the way the government dealt with the high court orders on the appointment dated July 30 and August 30, 2019 have given rise to certain doubts. The court said that only some of the actual issues have been brought to the notice of the court. "Giving approval after the appointment and issuance of the order in the name of the governor are surprising," it said.

The bench, after directing the government to file objections to the points referred by the court before September 20, adjourned the hearing to September 23.