SAROJA G.T. Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These writ petitions are disposed of by a common order. The petitioner is same in all the writ petitions. She has challenged the common order dtd. 22/10/2021 passed by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal ('Tribunal' for short) on application nos. 20571/2021, 20127/2020 and 20150/2020. The material facts are that:

(2.) While the petitioner was working as Deputy Director, Grade - I (on own pay grade), Social Welfare Department, Raichur, the Upalokayukta, i.e., 3rd respondent, visited the hostels at Raichur on 31/1/2018. Noticing irregularities in the maintenance of registers and records of the hostels under the jurisdiction of the petitioner, the 3rd respondent issued a notice to her on 14/2/2018 seeking her explanation. She submitted a detailed reply on 15/3/2018 stating that she had instructed all the Taluka Social Welfare Officers to hold regular monthly meetings and supervise the proper maintenance of the hostels. She also stated that five talukas did not have regular Taluka Social Welfare Officers and the Office Superintendents had been kept in charge of Taluka Social Welfare Officers in order to look after the hostels. She further stated that because of frequent changes in the postings, it was difficult to supervise the hostel in effective manner and that there was no mismanagement of misappropriation of whatsoever nature. She produced the copies of the proceedings of the meetings held on various dates and requested for not initiating any action against her.

(3.) In W.P.No.200073/2022, it is pleaded that after the petitioner submitted her reply on 15/3/2018, the 3rd respondent made a report to the 1st respondent under sec. 12(3) of the Act on 27/11/2020 seeking entrustment of enquiry to it under Rule 14-A of the Rules. Likewise in W.P.Nos.202519/2021 and 202444/21, it is stated that reports under sec. 12(3) of the Act were made on 24/6/2019 and 8/1/2020 respectively. After reports under sec. 12(3) in all the cases were received, the 1st respondent proceeded to take action under sec. 12(4) of the Act on 22/6/2021, 29/7/2019 and 13/2/2020 as stated in W.P.No.200073/2022, W.P.No.202519/2021 and 202444/2021 respectively. The petitioner challenged the reports under sec. 12(3) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act and the orders of entrustment of enquiry under sec. 14-A of Rules by filing the applications mentioned above before the Tribunal. Since the Tribunal dismissed her applications, the petitioner has preferred these writ petitions.