Karnataka cabinet meets, installs speed governor

The bugle has been sounded; the war has begun. With governor HR Bhardwaj dropping clear hints that he may give the go ahead to prosecute chief minister BS Yeddyurappa any time after January 26, the state Cabinet, in an emergency meeting called on Wednesday, adopted a resolution asking governor HR Bhardwaj to disregard the request filed by the Lawyers Forum to prosecute Yeddyurappa for his alleged involvement in land scams.

The cabinet also finalised a strategy the party should adopt in the event of the governor giving his assent for prosecuting the chief minister. Yeddyurappa also dashed off a letter to Bhardwaj after the meeting explaining as to why it would not be a fair and judicious on the part of the governor if he accords sanction.

“The power to grant sanction either under Section 197 of the CPC or under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act can be invoked only after conclusion of investigation and the investigating agency is satisfied that sufficient evidence was available to prosecute,” said the letter. “In this case, neither any investigating agency nor any panel of inquiry has indicted the CM or the home minister. Hence your intended exercise of the power to process the request for sanction is wholly without jurisdiction,” it said.  The letter has also drawn the governor’s attention to the fact that the Lokayukta is already seized of the matter. Additionally, the government, too, had appointed a commission of inquiry headed by justice Padmaraj. “Hence the entire matter is sub judice.”

Law and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Kumar explained that a writ petition seeking direction from the HC as to who should conduct the probe—Lokayukta or the panel—had already been filed. Kumar also rejected the view that the government was encroaching on the rights of the governor.