BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday stayed the order passed by the Urban Development Department (UDD) to repatriate 24 assistant executive engineers and executive engineers to their parent department (Public Works Department) and the departmental inquiry initiated against them.
Hearing the applications filed by Assistant Executive Engineer M K Harish and others, Justice R B Budihal, Judicial Member of KSAT, passed the interim order staying the orders dated October 19 and 20, 2019.
There were alleged irregularities in the civil works undertaken by these engineers in Malleswaram, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Gandhi Nagar division and other wards.
During the hearing, M S Bhagwat, the counsel of the accused, contended that the allegations against them were related to the year 2008-11 and that action was taken against them after a lapse of 11 years. None of the allegations against the officials have been proven till date. “The accused applicants cannot be subjected to an inquiry and that cannot be grounds to repatriate the services of these applicants to their parent department,” he argued.
Contending that the applicants have been posted to the BBMP for a specified tenure and the said term was not completed yet, Bhagwat also contended that the BBMP has taken action against them based on a report submitted by a committee headed by former Karnataka High Court Justice H N Nagamohan Das and based on the Beena Report.
“None of these reports have been made after hearing applicants and similarly situated people. Therefore, the said reports are unilateral and contrary to the basic notions of law and justice,” he argued. The KSAT also issued a notice to the state in the matter.