Bangalore: A forum of social organisations is holding a dharna in front of the Mahatama Gandhi statue here on January 5 demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment.

The forum, which includes Karnataka Hindulida Vargagala Jagruta Vedike, Karnataka Rajya Dalita Sangharsha Samiti, KAS Abhyarti Hita Rakshana Samiti and Muslim Okkuta, has said that all recruitments made while H.N. Krishna was the KPSC chairman should be annulled and a fresh process initiated.

Accusing Mr. Krishna of "nepotism and corruption", the members of the forum said he had "twisted" the reservation policy to benefit only a few.

During his tenure, 45 seats were filled under 3A category and 26 seats under SC/ST category, while the quantum of reservation for the categories was 4 per cent and 46 per cent, respectively, they alleged here on Tuesday.

Ignored

The representatives of the forum said although the Government was aware of the irregularities, it had turned a blind eye.

Referring to the findings of an inquiry by the Corps of Detectives (CoD) into irregularities in the KAS examinations of 1998 — which has implicated senior IAS officer A.K. Monappa, Food and Civil Supplies Department Deputy Director K. Rameshwarappa, and 10 others — the members said these findings were only the "tip of an iceberg" and a larger inquiry needed to be conducted into all the irregularities in the recruitment process over the years.

According to them, their accusations corroborated the earlier findings of a committee headed by K.K. Mishra, the then Chief Secretary to the State Government.

The report submitted to the Government said: "Available information now pointed to irregularities in a large number of cases and possible involvement of a large number of persons associated with the examination.

"A comprehensive, impartial and early investigation would help restore the faith of the people in the recruitment process for government services, which has been seriously impaired by several alleged irregularities and illegalities."

Systemic defects

In yet another observation, the report found fault with the system of examination that depended heavily on interview and personality test of the candidates.

It said of the 200 marks assigned to interview, many owed their high ranking to getting 195 out of 200 in the interview in the 1998 batch.

Prior to the submission of this report, a KPSC sub-committee had conducted an inquiry and come up with a "three-man conspiracy theory" implicating Chief Examiner K.S. Shivanna, besides Mr. Monappa and Mr. Rameshwarappa.

The sub-committee recommended to the Government in November 2002 to take action against Mr. Monnappa and Mr. Rameshwarappa.

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