Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Monday suspended Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar following allegations that he allegedly facilitated the illegal selection of his two daughters as Industrial Extension Officers. According to reports from PTI, Gehlot also recommended to the President that the matter be referred to the Supreme Court under Article 317(1) of the Constitution for an inquiry into the allegations. The Governor directed that the senior-most member of the Commission discharge the functions of the KPSC chairman until further orders, stating the suspension was necessary to ensure a fair and impartial investigation. As per the Governor's Secretariat, the suspension was implemented to ensure a 'fair, impartial and uninfluenced investigation' and to protect the credibility of the Commission.
The order from the Governor's Secretariat stated that Sahukar failed to recuse himself or formally declare a conflict of interest while his direct dependants participated in the KPSC recruitment process. According to PTI, the allegations include that one of his daughters obtained an income and caste certificate by declaring the family's annual income as ₹40,000 and claimed OBC reservation and creamy layer exemption by suppressing facts despite her father serving as KPSC chairman. The Governor's Secretariat alleged that Sahukar and his daughter concealed this information to secure undue benefits, with the chairman's income and property returns, along with other records, disclosing prima facie evidence of misconduct warranting action under Article 317(1) of the Constitution.
The controversy gained significant traction after Union Minister Pralhad Joshi wrote to Gehlot and Chief Minister D K Shivakumar seeking a transparent investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment process for the posts of Industrial Extension Officers. On July 4, KPSC members unanimously decided to keep Sahukar away from meetings of the commission and exam-related work over the allegations. According to PTI, a government order dated March 30, 2002, bars children of the chairman of a Public Service Commission from claiming reservation under the backward classes quota in Karnataka. The Governor's Secretariat said complaints had been received seeking action against Sahukar for allegedly facilitating the unlawful selection of his two daughters as Industrial Extension Officers.
Recently, the Vidhana Soudha police registered an FIR against Sahukar's daughter Suma S Sahukar on charges of forgery and cheating for allegedly submitting a false income certificate while applying for the government job under the 3B reservation category. The order emphasized that Sahukar had been placed under suspension until further orders from the President to ensure a fair, impartial and uninfluenced investigation while protecting the integrity and credibility of the KPSC. The suspension will remain in force until further orders from the President.
