Karnataka Lok Ayukta in land allotment tangle

Barely one and half months after assuming office, Karnataka Lok Ayukta Shivaraj Patil has landed in a row for securing allotment of two residential plots from two housing cooperative societies violating rules.

However, Patil, a retired Supreme Court judge, defended himself, stating that his wife had purchased one of the sites.

Patil was allotted a site measuring 9,600 sq ft at Allalasandra on the city outskirts in the residential layout formed by Karnataka State Judicial Department Employees House Building Cooperative Society in 1994.

His wife Annapura was allotted another site measuring about 4012 sq ft at Nagawara by Vyalikaval House Building Cooperative Society in 2006.

Under the norms, the allotments violate Sec 10 (a) of the model bye-law framed for House Building Cooperative Societies which bars any member or his family who has been allotted a site by a society from getting another in the name of other family members.

In the wake of criticism over allotment of sites to Patil and his wife, the Lok Ayukta said he has advised his wife to return the plot to Vyalikaval House Building Cooperative Society.

"A letter has been given to the Society surrendering the site allotted to my wife on September 14", Patil told reporters at Raichur in North Karnataka.