BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday permitted Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) chairman Dr Shantha A Thimmaiah to conduct its activity in a limited sphere on a day-to-day basis, and not take any policy decision till the next date of hearing. The court, however, said the parties can approach it if any urgent policy decision is required to be taken.
A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit passed the interim order, while staying the government notification dated August 31, clarifying that the tenure of Shantha Thimmaiah as KSPCB chairman stands completed as on March 4, 2022. Hearing the petition filed by Thimmaiah challenging the notification, the court said that it required a detailed hearing and granting a stay should not be treated as approval for the appointment.
A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice MGS Kamal passed the order after hearing the arguments of the counsel of the petitioner Shantha Thimmaiah and submission made by Advocate-General Shashikiran Shetty in support of the corrigendum issued as a notification by the state government.
The notification stated that there was an error in mentioning the date of completion of his tenure as November 14, 2024, instead of March 4, 2022, in the earlier notification issued for the appointment of Shantha Thimmaiah. Hence, the appointment of Shantha stands rectified and his tenure as chairman stands completed as on March 4, 2022.