Bengaluru: Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has issued a stern warning to Assistant Commissioners (ACs), directing them to accept only legitimate cases that fall within their jurisdiction. Speaking at a monthly progress review meeting held via video conference, the minister stated that while officials cannot curtail people’s legal rights, they should not indiscriminately accept all cases, especially civil suits that should be handled by civil courts.
"Who gave you the authority to take on cases that belong in a civil court?" the minister questioned, expressing his frustration. "While citizens wish to have their civil cases concluded in the AC court, no one has the power to accept cases that fall outside the legal framework."
Gowda reiterated his praise for the majority of officials who are doing good work, earning appreciation from the public. However, he warned that a few irresponsible officers are giving a bad name to the entire department. "We know how to bring such irresponsible officials on the right path," he stated.
Chikkamagaluru AC Reprimanded
In a notable incident during the meeting, the minister reprimanded Sudarshan, the AC of Chikkamagaluru. When the video conference began, Sudarshan was engrossed in a mobile phone conversation. A visibly upset minister remarked, "You don't have to show me respect. At least respect my chair. I am not holding this meeting for personal work. This meeting is for the public to make the department more people-friendly; at least respect that."
New Directives on Case Orders
Gowda also expressed displeasure over some ACs issuing illegal orders in their court cases. He noted that five ACs in the state have overstepped their authority and that the respective Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to conduct an inquiry. "We will take appropriate action after receiving their reports," he said. He further warned, "If officials continue to act outside the law, we too are ready to approach the Supreme Court if they challenge our actions."
The minister has also directed all ACs to clearly mention the specific law and section under which an order is passed, along with information confirming their legal authority to do so.
Call to Clear Pending Cases
Gowda urged officials to clear all pending cases, criticizing them for failing to meet targets. He highlighted that while the goal was to dispose of pending cases within two months, it is taking six months to achieve this.
According to the minister, there are 18,000 cases pending for over six months in AC courts, 14,000 for over a year, and 4,000 for more than five years. He stressed that these cases must be resolved fairly and legally, and no case should remain pending in an AC court for more than four months.
Revenue Department Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar Kataria and Revenue Commissioner Sunil Kumar, among other officials, were present at the meeting. Ajay Rao’s Divorce Petition: Wife Swapna’s Allegations Are Truly Shocking!