Arkavathy denotification case resurfaces: Karnataka Guv’s battle with state govt escalates

Bengaluru: The ongoing conflict between the Karnataka Governor and the state government has intensified, with the controversy surrounding the Arkavathy denotification case resurfacing. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has reportedly written to the government, requesting the report and documents from the Justice Kempanna Commission’s investigation, which had probed the denotification scandal during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s first term.

The Governor’s letter, sent in early September to the Chief Secretary, Shalini Rajneesh, seeks detailed information on the commission’s findings. This move has brought back to light several contentious denotification scandals, including those that took place during the tenure of former Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa and H.D. Kumaraswamy. The Arkavathy Layout dispute, which had been dormant for some time, now appears poised to escalate further.

Report Submitted to DCM?

Following the Governor’s request, the Chief Secretary’s office forwarded the letter to the Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Ministry, seeking the report and related documents. As a result, a five-chapter report, accompanied by several annexures, has reportedly been sent to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

According to sources, the submission occurred on September 20, marking a new chapter in the ongoing political tussle between the Raj Bhavan and the state government.

Governor’s Move Deepens Tensions

The dispute between the Raj Bhavan and the state government had already been escalating, primarily due to the issues surrounding the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA). Governor Gehlot’s requests for more information are being perceived by the state as attempts to create difficulties for the Siddaramaiah government. The tension between the two constitutional positions deepened after the Governor granted permission to prosecute the Chief Minister.

This rekindles memories of the conflicts that occurred during the tenure of former Governor Hansraj Bhardwaj and the Yediyurappa government.

What’s in the Report?

The Kempanna Commission had submitted its report on the Arkavathy Layout denotification scandal in 2014. However, neither Siddaramaiah’s government nor the subsequent administrations of H.D. Kumaraswamy, B.S. Yediyurappa, or Basavaraj Bommai took any significant action on the findings. It remained unclear whether the report had been accepted by the government or not.

When the Bommai government faced allegations of a 40% commission in contracts, the then-Chief Minister had raised the issue of the Arkavathy denotification in the Assembly and vowed to take action, but no concrete steps followed. Recently, Legislative Council member C.T. Ravi urged the current government to release the commission’s reports, asserting that such documents should be public records.