HD Kumaraswamy
He specifically sought postponement of the Nov 15 examination for recruitment to 319 gazetted probationer posts. Bengaluru: With allegations of recruitment irregularities under investigation and candidates staging protests, Union minister HD Kumaraswamy demanded that all ongoing Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) examinations be put on hold until the commission is reformed.
Questioning the state’s finances, Kumaraswamy said contractors were awaiting nearly Rs 39,000 crore in pending payments even as the cabinet had cleared road projects worth Rs 26,000 crore. Meanwhile, more than 20 Congress functionaries from Kunigal joined the JD(S) in Kumaraswamy’s presence on Saturday.
The JD(S) state president said investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and a special investigation team (SIT) into alleged examination and recruitment irregularities over the past three to four years had raised serious questions about the commission’s credibility. Several job aspirants have also raised similar concerns,” he said. With candidates protesting at Freedom Park, conducting examinations amid such uncertainty would be unfair to deserving aspirants, he said. Making announcements alone cannot solve the problems faced by farmers,” he said. Calling the situation “ridiculous”, he alleged that a package-based contracting system was sidelining local contractors in favour of firms from Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
“Given the ongoing investigations and allegations of financial transactions, I have no confidence that the KPSC can conduct examinations and make transparent and fair appointments. Kumaraswamy pointed out that a committee headed by former minister RV Deshpande, appointed to recommend reforms in the KPSC, was yet to submit its report. “The govt has become completely inactive on this issue. He also accused Congress functionaries of taking credit for medical institutions in Bengaluru South district, claiming that key decisions and funding for the projects had been initiated during his tenure as CM and under the JD(S)-Congress coalition govt.