BANGALORE: The High Court on Thursday directed officials to issue notices to the state government, Governor’s office and five Legislative Council candidates. The order came in the wake of a petition questioning the nominations of the MLCs candidates - V S Ugrappa, Jabbar Ahmed Khan, Jayamala Ramachandra, Ivan D’Souza and Iqbal Ahmed Saradagi.
Justice Ashok B Hinchigeri also issued notices to the joint chief electoral officer and the ex-officio joint secretary to Government DPAR (Elections) Vidhana Soudha, represented by the under secretary to the Governor. He directed them to file objections against a petition filed by former legislator S Rajendran.
“Article 171 (5) of the Constitution of India provides for nomination of people to the Council with knowledge and experience in the field of literature, science, art, co-operative movement and social service,” Rajendran stated in his plea.
The petition states, “The Governor is not expected to approve every recommendation made by the Chief Minister or the Council of ministers. In 2010 the governor had refused to nominate former minister V Somanna to the legislative council quoting his defections.”
The petition also states that the then Governor H R Bharadwaj was to demit his office on June 28 this year and the entire process of nominations of V S Ugrappa, K Jabbar, Jayamala Ramachandra, Ivan D’Souza and Iqbal Ahmed Sardagi was done by June 24 this year.
According to Rajendran, the nominations were done in a day and hence amounts to fraud. He has also urged the court to nullify the authority of the five members to hold public offices of the state Legislative Council.