BENGALURU: “The High Court has taken cognisance of the properties damaged, both private and public, and appointed me as claims commissioner. It is to instill confidence in the minds of people and give a signal to society. I feel it is a recognition of my service and I am required to do justice to the victims,” said Justice HS Kempanna, who is the first claims commissioner in the state.
He has been appointed to assess the damage caused to properties during the DJ Halli riots on August 11. Justice Kempanna, who is a former judge of the high court, told The New Indian Express, “My job is to assess and submit the report. The court will then take action on the report to award compensation.” People should come forward with clear evidence and only then they will they get compensation, he said.
Born on April 4, 1952, Justice Kempanna enrolled as an advocate on May 28, 1976 in Bengaluru. He practised in civil, criminal and constitutional matters. He served as District and Sessions Judge and Principal District and Sessions Judge for 17 years from 1993 at Dharwad, Mangaluru, Chikkamagaluru, Bengaluru Rural and Urban districts. He also served as Law Secretary for three-and-a-half years.
He was appointed as the Additional Judge of the Karnataka High Court on March 12, 2010. He retired as a High Court judge on April 4, 2014. He headed a one-man commission appointed by the state government in 2014 to look into illegal denotification of land at Arkavathy Layout. In August 2017, he submitted the report of over 1,800 pages to the state government, which is yet to table it.