Karnataka Governor suspends KPSC chairman

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Tuesday suspended the Karnataka Public Service Commission Chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar on the aid and advice of the state Cabinet on charges of corruption and large-scale irregularities.

This is the second time Shivashankarappa was suspended. The Governor had on July 13 suspended Sahukar, but the Karnataka High Court set aside the order on the grounds that the action lacked the ‘aid and advice of the state cabinet’. On August 21, the state cabinet decided to recommend to the Governor to suspend him. “As per the order of the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka dated August 18, Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka, on the aid and advice of the State Cabinet on August 21 has suspended Shivashankarappa S Sahukar, Chairman, Karnataka Public Service Commission, under Article 317 (2) of the Constitution of India until further orders by the Hon’ble President of India,” a statement issued by the Special Secretary to the Governor Prabhu Shankar.

Further, the next senior-most member of the Karnataka Public Service Commission has been directed to act as the Chairman of the Commission until further Orders, the statement said. Sahukar was suspended by the Governor following allegations that he had facilitated the alleged illegal selection of his two daughters as Industrial Extension Officers.