Karnataka HC quashes KPSC Chairman's suspension, orders reinstatement in 7 days
Synopsis
The Karnataka High Court has struck down Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's suspension of KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar, ruling the Cabinet was never consulted — a constitutional requirement. On the very same day, the ED raided 21 locations over alleged recruitment fraud in the same commission. Sahukar is ordered back to office, but returns under an active money laundering probe.
Key Takeaways
The Karnataka High Court on 18 August declared the suspension of KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa S.
Sahukar null and void.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had issued the suspension on 10 July without Cabinet recommendation, which the court held was constitutionally impermissible.
Sahukar must be reinstated within seven days , but is barred from making any decisions on his daughters' appointments.
The court cited Article 317(1) of the Constitution , holding the Governor cannot suspend a State PSC Chairperson without a Presidential reference to the Supreme Court.
The ED simultaneously conducted searches at 21 locations in Karnataka and Ahmedabad over alleged irregularities in KPSC Veterinary Officer recruitment .
Premises searched include the KPSC office , Sahukar's residence, and the office of Edutest Solutions Pvt.
The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, 18 August quashed the suspension order issued against Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Chairman Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar, declaring it legally untenable and directing authorities to reinstate him within seven days. The ruling delivers a significant setback to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, whose 10 July suspension order has now been struck down by the court.
What the Court Ruled
A bench headed by Justice Suraj Govindaraj, hearing Sahukar's petition challenging the suspension, held that the order was 'not legally sustainable.' The court found that the Cabinet had neither recommended nor suggested the suspension of the KPSC Chairman — a procedural requirement the Governor was bound to follow.
Accordingly, the bench declared the suspension order null and void and directed the reinstatement of Sahukar as KPSC Chairman within seven days. Notably, the court imposed a specific restriction: Sahukar must not take any decision concerning the appointments of his daughters.
The Constitutional Argument
Senior counsel Arun Shyam, appearing for Sahukar, argued that the suspension did not conform to legal requirements. Sahukar had contended that the Governor lacked the power to suspend the Chairperson of a State Public Service Commission unilaterally — that authority vests only after the President, acting on the Governor's recommendation, makes a reference to the Supreme Court under Article 317(1) of the Constitution for an inquiry against such a Chairperson. The High Court's ruling upheld this constitutional position.
ED Searches Amid Recruitment Irregularity Allegations
The court order arrives on the same day the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted search operations at 21 locations across Karnataka and Ahmedabad, in connection with alleged irregularities in the KPSC's recruitment of Veterinary Officers. The searches were carried out by the Bengaluru Zonal Office of the ED under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Premises searched reportedly include the KPSC office, Sahukar's residence, the residence of KPSC member Shanta Hosmani, offices of alleged middlemen, residences of candidates selected for Veterinary Officer posts, and the office of Edutest Solutions Pvt. Ltd. — the firm responsible for digital evaluation of examination papers.
Broader Context and What Comes Next
The KPSC has been under sustained scrutiny over alleged irregularities in its recruitment processes. This is not the first time a state constitutional body's appointment or removal has become the site of a Centre-state friction point in Karnataka, with the Governor's office and the elected government at odds. The reinstatement order, combined with the active ED investigation, means Sahukar returns to office under a cloud of ongoing legal proceedings — a politically and constitutionally charged situation that is unlikely to resolve quickly.
All eyes will now be on whether the state government or the Governor's office mounts a legal challenge to Tuesday's High Court order, and on the outcome of the ED's money laundering investigation into the Veterinary Officer recruitment process.
Point of View
Limiting gubernatorial discretion. Yet the optics are complicated. Sahukar walks back into office on the same day the ED raids his residence under PMLA. The legal victory is real, but the political and investigative pressure is undiminished. The deeper question — whether KPSC's recruitment process was compromised, and who benefited — remains entirely unanswered by Tuesday's order.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Karnataka High Court quash KPSC Chairman Sahukar's suspension?
The Karnataka High Court ruled the suspension was 'not legally sustainable' because Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot issued it without a recommendation from the Cabinet, which is constitutionally required. The court declared the order null and void and directed reinstatement within seven days.
What is Article 317(1) of the Constitution and why is it relevant here?
Article 317(1) governs the removal of a State Public Service Commission Chairperson. It requires the Governor to make a reference to the Supreme Court via the President before any inquiry-based removal can proceed. Sahukar's legal team argued — and the court agreed — that the Governor bypassed this constitutional requirement entirely.
What restriction has the court placed on Sahukar after reinstatement?
The Karnataka High Court has specifically barred Sahukar from taking any decisions relating to the appointments of his daughters, even after his reinstatement as KPSC Chairman.
What is the ED investigating in connection with KPSC?
The Enforcement Directorate is probing alleged irregularities in the KPSC's recruitment of Veterinary Officers. On 18 August, the ED searched 21 locations across Karnataka and Ahmedabad under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, including the KPSC office, Sahukar's residence, and the offices of Edutest Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
Who is Edutest Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and why was it searched?
Edutest Solutions Pvt. Ltd. is the firm that was responsible for the digital evaluation of examination papers in the KPSC Veterinary Officer recruitment process. Its offices were among the 21 locations searched by the ED as part of the money laundering investigation into alleged recruitment irregularities.
