Karnataka Guv seeks report from govt on works undertaken purportedly on CM's verbal instruction

Bengaluru, Sep 19 (PTI) Karnataka Governor has sought a detailed report from the government in connection with Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) allegedly undertaking works worth Rs 387 crore in violation of rules, purportedly on the verbal instruction of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his Varuna constituency and Srirangapatna.
Thaawarchand Gehlot has written to Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh citing detailed representation submitted to him by a complainant in this regard, and terming the allegation as "serious in nature."
The letter comes close on the heels of the Governor according sanction on August 16 for investigation against Siddaramaiah under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences as mentioned in the petitions of Pradeep Kumar S P, T J Abraham and Snehamayi Krishna, in connection with a MUDA site allotment case.
The Governor said in the letter that a person named P S Nataraj from Mysuru has submitted a detailed representation dated August 27, wherein, he has informed that the MUDA has undertaken works worth Rs 387 crore in violation of section 15 and 25 of the Karnataka Urban Development Authority Act, 1987 on the Chief Minister's oral instruction in Varuna and also in Srirangapatna constituency."
The petitioner has also informed that in spite of non-availability of funds in the Authority, a decision has been taken on the oral instruction, he said, adding, "further, he alleged that by doing this the authority has misused its power and requested to conduct enquiry from CBI."
"Since the allegation is serious in nature, it is directed to look into the matter and submit the detailed report along with documents at the earliest," the Governor added.
The High Court on September 12 completed its hearing on Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the legality of Governor Gehlot's approval for investigation against him in the MUDA site allotment case and reserved its orders.
On August 19, Siddaramaiah moved the High Court challenging the legality of the Governor's order.
Meanwhile, in a move aimed at clipping the powers of the Governor, the state Cabinet that met on Tuesday has cleared a Bill to amend the Karnataka State Rural Development & Panchayat Raj University Act that proposes to divest the Governor of the power to appoint the vice-chancellor to the Karnataka State Rural Development & Panchayat Raj University, and giving that powers to the government.
During the cabinet meeting, discussion is also said to have taken place regarding another letter by the Governor to the Chief Secretary, seeking details of all prosecution sanction requests against officials, sent by the Lokayukta to the government since May, 2023, when Congress came to power, according to official sources.
Some Ministers are said to have expressed displeasure over the Governor's move, with a few even suggesting not to respond to the letter, they said.
Noting that the government had rejected the proposal of Lokayukta for prosecution sanction against officials in some cases, the Governor, in the letter to Chief Secretary, said: "In this regard. I desire to know the details of these cases and also to know on what basis the decision has been taken in these cases."
Following this letter from the Governor, the vigilance wing of the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (DPAR) wrote to all the departments, giving them a week’s time to submit information sought by the Governor. There are reports that the government has not yet sent the sought details to Raj Bhavan.
In the MUDA site allotment case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife B M Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts. Opposition and some activists have also claimed that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)