CM Siddaramaiah gets HC breather in land allotment row

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday got a breather in an alleged land allotment 'scam,' after the Karnataka High Court directed a special court slated to hear the complaints against him in the matter to defer the proceedings till August 29.

The HC directed the special court for people's representatives to defer its proceedings against the CM in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (Muda) site allotment 'scam', till the next date of hearing on August 29.

"No injunction has been granted," said Justice M Nagaprasanna, who heard a writ petition filed by the chief minister challenging the legality of the August 16 order of Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot according sanction against him under Section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

The Governor's granting of sanction became yet another flashpoint between rivals Congress and the BJP as both took to the streets over the matter. While the ruling party criticised Gehlot's action, the BJP demanded Siddaramaiah's resignation.