HC blow to Governor’s office

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the under secretary to the Governor to provide a city-based advocate information about the affidavits in which JD(S) MLAs had extended their unconditional support to the BJP to help it form the government.

Vijaykumar had filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the Governor’s office and sought copies of the affidavits. In January 2008, the Governor’s office had rejected the application on the ground that the information was confidential.

Vijaykumar had then filed an appeal before the Information Commission and won a favourable order. The under secretary to the Governor filed a petition in the HC in May 2008, challenging the order.

On Thursday, the High Court ordered the Governor’s office to furnish the information to the advocate. It also noted that the documents should not be misused. Advocate General Ashok Harnahalli stated that the Governor’s office would provide the information to the applicant within four weeks.

The JD(S) MLAs had filed affidavits before the then Governor pledging their support to the BJPled government for 20 months. They had then withdrawn support to the BS Yeddyurappa government.

Rs 1 lakh fine for delaying hearing

THE High Court imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on a petitioner for not pursuing the petition it had filed in 1999.

Justice DV Shylendra Kumar imposed the fine on Electronics Research Limited, which had challenged the custom duty of Rs 3.88 crore, citing that the Customs department had levied additional customs duty on it. The second additional city civil court had rejected the application, after which the petitioner had moved the High Court.

When the judge called the petitioner’s advocate for hearing, the junior advocate sought an adjournment.

The judge refused to give the adjournment and imposed the fine.

bngexpresso@expressbuzz.com