The Karnataka High Court on Monday, August 19, issued a directive to the trial court, instructing it to refrain from taking any immediate action against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, based on the recent sanction for prosecution granted by Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot. The directive will remain in effect until the next hearing before the court.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had petitioned the court, challenging the Governor’s decision to authorise an investigation into allegations that Siddaramaiah’s wife was granted sites illegally by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). The Governor sanctioned prosecution on Saturday, August 17. Siddaramaiah argued that the Governor's decision lacked proper consideration and violated statutory and constitutional principles, and that he had ignored the advice of the Council of Ministers as mandated by Article 163 of the Constitution.
"I have bestowed by consideration to the prima facie submission. It was argued that the proceedings before the trial court are up for orders on whether a sanction should be granted to prosecute the CM. Any order permitting action to proceed further against the CM would frustrate the proceedings before this court. Since the proceedings are pending before this Court, the trial court shall defer its proceedings till the next date of hearing. There shall be no precipitative action qua these complaints..." the court held, according to Live Law.
Governor Gehlot's decision to grant sanction for Siddaramaiah's prosecution came following petitions from activists Pradeep Kumar, TJ Abraham, and Snehamayi Krishna, who alleged irregularities in the sites allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife by MUDA, causing substantial losses to the state exchequer. The Governor had issued a notice to Siddaramaiah, giving him seven days to respond before sanctioning the prosecution.
The case relates to the controversial allotment of 14 housing sites in Mysuru to Siddaramaiah’s wife, BM Parvathi. These allegations have fuelled criticism from the opposition BJP, which has demanded Siddaramaiah's resignation and called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.
