BENGALURU: Upa Lokayukta Justice KN Phaneendra has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report narrating the woes of a needy 77-year-old man and his physically challenged, bedridden wife who are struggling without old-age and disability pension, due to non-linking of their Aadhaar credentials with bank accounts. The couple lives in Sagar of Shivamogga district.
Depriving the couple of their old-age and handicap pensions solely because their accounts have not been linked to Aadhaar, and failing to take steps to do so, prima facie amounts to dereliction of duty by the authorities, said Justice Phaneendra, who registered the case under Section 2(1) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act. According to the complaint, Gajanana is looking after his wife Bharathi, who is physically challenged and has been bedridden for 7-8 years.
With no other means of livelihood, the couple, who lives in a house adjacent to Bheemanakone Main Road in Sagar, is left in the lurch. The issue of their old age and disability pensions being stopped was brought to the notice of taluk officials, who visited the house and initiated the process for Aadhaar linking, but the application was rejected. No further steps were taken to facilitate linking.
Terming the authorities’ failure to act as ‘maladministration’, Justice Phaneendra registered a case against Assistant Commissioner Veeresh Kumar and Tahsildar Chandrashekar Nayak, of Sagar taluk. He also forwarded a copy of the order to the senior civil judge and member secretary of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Shivamogga, to visit the couple’s residence and hear their grievances, and issue directions to the concerned. He also sought a report by January 19.