Karnataka High Court orders reinstatement of KPSC Chairman

The Karnataka High Court has quashed the suspension of Shivashankarappa S Sahukar, the Chairman of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), and ordered his reinstatement within seven days.

A single-judge bench led by Justice Suraj Govindaraj ruled that the suspension order issued by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on July 10 was not legally sustainable. The court observed that the Governor failed to act on the advice of the state Cabinet, which is a constitutional requirement for such actions.

The court clarified that its judgment specifically addresses the constitutional validity of the suspension procedure and does not rule on the underlying allegations against Sahukar. These allegations include potential irregularities in the recruitment of veterinary officers and claims regarding the selection of his daughters.

As a condition of his reinstatement, the court directed Sahukar to refrain from participating in or influencing any decisions related to the recruitment of his daughters. Meanwhile, Sahukar is also seeking anticipatory bail in connection with separate investigations into recruitment irregularities.