BENGALURU: The issue of state government’s nominations to the posts of Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) chairman and members is threatening to snowball into a confrontation between Governor Vajubhai Vala and state government with the former returning the related file and the government showing no signs of a rethink on its choice.
The Governor has raised serious objections against the recommended candidates and has made it clear that he could not consider the names unless they are accompanied by vigilance reports from the respective departments, which are vetted by the Lokayukta. The government has, in its response, defended its choice.
Raj Bhavan is now drawing all the attention as political observers are awaiting the Governor’s next move.
Vala, in a detailed note sent along with the returned file, has expressed serious displeasure over the choice of V R Sudarshan as Karnataka Public Service Commission chairman and also over the names recommended for appointment as members.
“There are no vigilance reports of the persons proposed except Syed Ulfat Hussain and that too was not vetted by Lokayukta,” Governor said in the note sent to the Chief Minister.
The list sent by the government included names of Hussain, Govindaiah, Raghunandan Ramanna, Dr Ravikumar, Nagabhai Bulla and Michael Simon.
The Governor has drawn the attention of the state government to the Supreme Court verdict in a case related to appointment of a former MLA as Punjab PSC chief and also recommendations of the second Administrative Reforms Commission over the issue to defend his decision to return the list.
“A member selected from among government officers should have held office under a state government or Central government for at least 10 years and should have occupied the position of the head of the department or secretary to the government in a state or a comparable position in an institution of higher education,” the Governor said.