BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court directed the State Government to appoint officers belonging to the IAS cadre as Special Deputy Commissioners-I and II within a month for Bengaluru Urban District to discharge their duties as quasi judicial authorities under the provisions of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act.
The court said that the order dated November 28, 2019, appointing MK Jagadish and Basavaraj, who belong to KAS cadre, as Special Deputy Commissioners-I and II insofar as Bengaluru Urban District is concerned, is contrary to the government order dated October 10, 2014, and the order passed by the HC in 2011.
A division bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Hanchate Sanjeevkumar passed the order, while disposing a PIL by advocate Vasudeva Reddy. In its order, the government had made provision for appointment of officers belonging to IAS cadre as Special Deputy Commissioners-I and II, to discharge their duties in Bengaluru North Sub-Division and Bengaluru South Sub-Division, respectively, in addition to Deputy Commissioner for Bengaluru District.
The duties assigned to Special Deputy Commissioners are to take up suo moto proceedings under the provisions of Section 136 (3) and 67(2), and proceedings under Section 39, 192(A) and (B) and Section 94(3) of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, arbitration matters, all matters relating to abolition of Inam tenures under Inam Abolition Acts and Rules, rehabilitation of displaced persons under various projects, etc.