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Karnataka Police Mahasangha, an NGO, has sought Governor Vajubhai Vala’s sanction to prosecute Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for appointing Hoskote MLA ‘MTB’ Nagaraj as the chairman of Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA) in alleged violation of rules.
The letter written to the governor states that Section 5 of the Karnataka Planning Authority Rules stipulate criteria for appointing chairman. According to the rules, only a qualified specialist such as economists, geographers, sociologists or legal practitioners can be made the chairman.
In the letter to the Governor, V Shashidhar, president of the Mahasangha, stated that as a resident of Garudacharpalya in BBMP limits, Nagaraj is not entitled to become chairman of the planning authority. The eligibility criteria mentioned under Karnataka Planning Authority Rules say “he shall be a person ordinarily resident in the local planning area, he must be associated with town planning work at least for one year in bodies such as municipalities, village panchayats, town improvement boards, planning authorities or the state town planning boards.”
Apart from these, “the person must be a qualified town planner or architect or engineer practicing in the state, the periods of such practice being not less than five years or he must be a specialist such as an economist, geographer, sociologist or legal practitioner,’’ the letter stated. The complainant sought sanction to prosecute the chief minister since his letter had recommended the appointment of Nagaraj.
“Nagaraj has been appointed as per Section 4-c (3) (i) of Karnataka Town and Country Planing Act. Since he does not have qualifications required to be the chairman as per Section 5 of the rules, recommendation by the chief minister amounts to getting undue benefits to Nagaraj under Section 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. There are several such letters issued by the chief minister recommending the appointments to Boards and Corporations which are in violation of the rules,’’ the letter said.
The letter written to the governor states that Section 5 of the Karnataka Planning Authority Rules stipulate criteria for appointing chairman. According to the rules, only a qualified specialist such as economists, geographers, sociologists or legal practitioners can be made the chairman.
In the letter to the Governor, V Shashidhar, president of the Mahasangha, stated that as a resident of Garudacharpalya in BBMP limits, Nagaraj is not entitled to become chairman of the planning authority. The eligibility criteria mentioned under Karnataka Planning Authority Rules say “he shall be a person ordinarily resident in the local planning area, he must be associated with town planning work at least for one year in bodies such as municipalities, village panchayats, town improvement boards, planning authorities or the state town planning boards.”
Apart from these, “the person must be a qualified town planner or architect or engineer practicing in the state, the periods of such practice being not less than five years or he must be a specialist such as an economist, geographer, sociologist or legal practitioner,’’ the letter stated. The complainant sought sanction to prosecute the chief minister since his letter had recommended the appointment of Nagaraj.
“Nagaraj has been appointed as per Section 4-c (3) (i) of Karnataka Town and Country Planing Act. Since he does not have qualifications required to be the chairman as per Section 5 of the rules, recommendation by the chief minister amounts to getting undue benefits to Nagaraj under Section 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. There are several such letters issued by the chief minister recommending the appointments to Boards and Corporations which are in violation of the rules,’’ the letter said.
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(Published 20 September 2017, 20:36 IST)
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