KPSC: Governor still waiting for report on T Sham Bhat?

Bengaluru: The appointment of chairman of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) is likely to be delayed further for want of clearance of former Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Commissioner T Sham Bhat’s name by Raj Bhavan.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in May this year had picked Mr Bhat for the post of KPSC chairman, after Governor Vajubhai Vala did not give his assent to the candidature of Mr V.R. Sudharshan, former chairman of the State Legislative Council, on charges of land encroachment. Despite sending the proposal twice, the governor refused to clear Mr Sudarshan's name for the KPSC post.

Subsequently, the CM sent a fresh proposal to the government proposing Mr Bhat for the post much to the dismay of his own party colleagues. The then Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Mr Kagodu Thimmappa had openly opposed Mr Bhat for the KPSC post following charges of alleged irregularities during his tenure as commissioner in the civic agency. But, the CM stuck to his stand and refused to heed any suggestion from his party leaders.

After receipt of the proposal, Mr Vala returned it seeking further clarification from the government. Though, the government tried to explain the reasons for Mr Bhat's appointment, the governor reportedly wanted to know about the charges of irregularities against Mr Bhat made by both ruling and opposition parties.

A number of organisations submitted petitions against the appointment of Mr Bhat as cases against him had been filed in the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). They have also pointed to his alleged role in the Arkavathy denotification scam. In fact, Mr Bhat was summoned by one-man Kempanna Commission which was constituted to probe the Arkavathy scam.

A senior minister told Deccan Chronicle that Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash Adi has delayed giving a report to Raj Bhavan saying that no case was pending against Mr Bhat. “Mr Vala is waiting for the official report from the anti-corruption body without which he is not going to sign the file. For more than two months, the file is before the office of Upa Lokayukta,” he added.