The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : High Court notice to State on legislators’ America tour

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Saturday, Aug 23, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

High Court notice to State on legislators’ America tour

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Friday ordered issue of notices to the State on a petition by a Bangalore-based advocate challenging the proposed visit to the United States by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and several legislators.

A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran and Justice V. Gopala Gowda, directed the Principal Government Advocate to take notice on behalf of the Government on the petition filed by S. Vasudeva.

The petitioner had said that the Chief Minister and other legislators were going to the United States on August 29 on government money to attend a conference organised in Chicago by the Association of Kannada Kootas of America (AKKA).

He said that he came to know from reports in the media that the State Government decided that the Chief Minister, his Cabinet colleagues and MLAs were going to participate in meet.

According to him, the proposed tour was not at the cost of the individual members, but at the cost of the State exchequer.

The petitioner said that the Government was obliged to use taxpayers’ money for development of the State.

The Bench adjourned further hearing of the case to Monday and asked the Government to verify and place facts before it.

Stayed

Justice N. Kumar on Friday ordered issue of notices to the State Government and other respondents on a writ petition filed by N. Shabbir Pasha of Chickballapur.

The judge also passed an interim order staying for two weeks the election to be held on August 24 to the management committee of the Jamat Ahle Islam, a wakf institution. The petitioner had challenged the allotment of symbols to the candidates, saying that several of them had been allotted the same symbol.

He submitted that the election officer had issued calendar of events to the elections on August 5, 2008 and the final list of candidates on August 16, 2008 and allotting the same symbol of ‘Rising Sun’ to 19 candidates and a car symbol to another 19 candidates, though he had about 75 symbols for allotment to various candidates.

The action of the election officer in giving the same symbol was violative of the principle of the elections that one symbol should be allotted to one candidate only, he said.

The petitioner contended that the very purpose of allotment of symbols would be defeated.

The judge adjourned further hearing of the petition.

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