KPSC appointments give BJP fresh ammo to take on Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Some BJP leaders are  getting ready to file a special leave petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court if the state government proceeds with the appointment of Congress leader,  V.R. Sudarshan as chairman of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).

Sources close to BJP state president, Pralhad Joshi said the petition would also object to the appointment of commission members,  Syed Ulfat Hussain, Govindaiah, Raghunandan Ramanna, Dr. Ravikumar, Dr. Nagabhavi B. Bulla and Michael Simon.  

A team lead by BJP MLC, B.G. Puttaswamy and party leader, B. Somashekar ,which met Mr. Joshi at the party office here on Friday asking for permission to file the SLP, was reportedly  given the green signal.

Meanwhile, a BJP delegation headed by Mr. Joshi and former Chief Minister, B.S.Yeddyurappa  which appealed to  Governor Vajubhai Vala to reject the government’s  recommendation on the  chairman and members of the KPSC, was reportedly assured that he would go by the law in the matter.

The party’s contention is that a Supreme Court order of  2011 had made it clear that only persons of high integrity, competence and independence, and with knowledge of public administration, should be appointed to such a commission.

The fact that the members of the commission are all drawn from the Ahinda community has also got the BJP worked up. “One section of people will get appointments through KPSC if the Governor gives his consent to the government’s present proposal,” a BJP leader,who is keen on filing the SLP, told Mr. Joshi.