Bangalore, June 3 (IANS) In a major setback to mining barons and influential Karnataka ministers, the Reddy brothers and their associate, Governor H.R. Bhardwaj Thursday decided to refer to the Election Commission a complaint seeking their disqualification as legislators on grounds of conflict of interest.
The governor’s decision follows failure of Tourism Minister G. Janardhana Reddy, his elder brother Revenue Minister G. Karunakara Reddy and their close associate Health Minister B. Sriramulu to appear before him to answer questions arising out of the petition.
‘It is a fit case for reference to the Election Commission for its opinion under Article 192(2) of the Constitution and, therefore, a reference has been made to the Election Commission for opinion in the matter,’ a statement from the Raj Bhavan said.
Congress legislator K.C. Kondaiah had filed a petition in November last year seeking the disqualification of the three ministers on the ground that they had allegedly encroached upon reserved forest area for mining and illegally amassed wealth.
There was conflict of interest in the three continuing as legislators, Kondaiah had contended.
The three ministers refused to meet the governor to give their side of the story and instead sent their advocate last month.
Taking exception to this, Bhardwaj asked them to appear in person June 3 but the three stayed away and again sent their advocate.
Janardhana Reddy also strongly criticised the governor for asking them to appear before him.
‘The governor has no right to conduct legal hearing and Raj Bhavan is not a court. He is crossing the limits,’ Reddy asserted.
Dismissing Reddy’s contention, Bhardwaj said he knows law very well as he had been a lawyer for decades.
‘I have not crossed the limits. Prima facie, I found some stuff in the complaint, that’s why I issued summons.’
The Reddy brothers have made iron-ore rich Bellary district in Karnataka their political base though most of their iron ore mines are in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh district. Kondaiah also hails from Bellary.
