BJP MLA family matter: Karnataka high court told to decide by March 2020

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court quashed an order of a family court directing Mudigere BJP MLA M.P. Kumaraswamy to take his wife Savitha into his house.

The high court has told the couple to approach the Family Court on September 3 in Mysuru with their grievances and objections.

The lower court has been directed to decide on the case after hearing the two before March 31, 2020.

The MLA approached the High Court challenging the family court’s order, saying it was passed in favour of his wife without hearing him.

Recently, the MLA's mother-in-law had accused him of not following the family court’s order. The MLA in 2016 had allegedly assaulted his wife over an alleged extramarital affair.

Issue gazette notification on ad by-law
The High Court directed the state government to issue a gazette notification on Outdoor Signage and Public Messaging by-law-2018. The court was hearing PILs related to illegal hoardings, posters, banners and seeking directions to remove illegal structures.

The by-law was placed before the state in January, and as per the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, the government had to decide on the by-law within three months after receiving it for approval. In the absence of any action taken within three months, it is deemed to be approved as per law, the court stated. It clarified that the state government’s decision to reject the by-law on June 31 does not hold as it failed to do it before the March 31 deadline.

Notice to Centre on Family Courts Act
The High Court issued a notice to the central government and others following a petition questioning the Constitutional validity of Section 13 of the Family Courts Act, which prohibits lawyers from appearing before family courts, The petition states that Section 13 imposes an arbitrary and unreasonable restriction on lawyers.