Don't make T Sham Bhat KPSC chief: Petition

BENGALURU: In what could well be termed as an attempt to block the appointment of senior IAS officer, T. Sham Bhat, as chairman of KPSC, city-based advocate S. Nataraj Sharma has submitted a petition, urging Governor Vajubhai Vala not to approve the bureaucrat’s appointment for the top post.

Mr Sharma reportedly met Mr Vala and urged him not to accept the state government’s recommendation vis-à-vis Mr Bhat.

In his seven-page petition, Mr Sharma has listed the allegations against Mr Sham Bhat. “The Special Investigation Team investigating the issue of Lokayukta scam observed that the accused Ashwin Rao had called Mr. Sham Bhat several times and this information was published in many of the news papers.

A complaint by Mr Rizwan Mahadi is pending in the special Lokayuktha Court against irregularities in KIADB when Mr. Sham Bhat was its head. There is another allegation of changing bidding rules to favour select companies against Mr.Sham Bhat when he was heading of KIADB,” he said in his petition.

Taking note of Mr.Sham Bhat retiring from service in December 2016, Mr Sharma contended that if the investigation agency filed a FIR on any of the complaints pending before it, it would even affect the  government.

“If such situation arises, both Mr Bhat and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will face serious  trouble. The Chief Minister is trying to shield Mr Bhat by providing the constitutional safeguard for another  six years, so that both can escape from any scrutiny. It cannot be ruled out that, there are 6000 employments or posts to be filled in the near future and the confidence of the Chief Minister in Mr Bhat made the former to recommend Mr Bhat’s name for reasons best known to Mr Siddaramaiah,” the petition stated.

Therefore, Mr Sharma urged Mr Vala not to approve the proposed appointment of Mr Bhat as Chairman of KPSC, which he said, would dent the image and erode the credibility of the institution.