The Karnataka government on Tuesday, 22 September formally objected to the Karnataka High Court's decision to name specific officers for the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed to probe the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment scam. While the state said it did not oppose the formation of the SIT itself, it characterised the court's choice of investigating officers as an overreach into executive authority.

What the Government Said

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, drew a clear distinction between accepting judicial oversight and accepting judicial appointment of personnel. 'There is nothing wrong in setting up of the SIT. The police have already conducted their investigation well. The ED has also intervened. But the issue is that they are choosing the officers. I do not know how they can interfere with that. The choice of officers should have been left to the discretion of the government and the concerned authorities,' he said.

Shivakumar further argued that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had already conducted a substantive probe and that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also stepped in. In his view, the High Court could appropriately monitor a report submitted by the CID — but directing that the investigation be carried out by particular officers is a different matter entirely.

The Separation-of-Powers Concern

The Chief Minister acknowledged historical precedents of judiciary-monitored investigations but questioned the specific practice of naming officers. 'If the CID had not conducted a proper investigation, they could have done it. Let the High Court monitor the report submitted by the CID. But directing that the investigation should be done by certain officers has raised a wider discussion about the authority of the government,' Shivakumar said.

Notably, the Chief Minister revealed he had been fielding calls from Delhi and other locations seeking clarification on the court's direction. 'I am receiving calls from Delhi and other places asking how this can happen. We are verifying it legally,' he said, signalling that the issue has drawn national attention beyond Karnataka.

Government's Next Steps on KPSC

Shivakumar reiterated that the government was examining all legal options available to it in response to the court's direction. He also repeated his earlier position that the administration was exploring whether the KPSC itself could be dissolved or structurally reformed through a legally valid process. 'We are also very serious. I am talking to people about how KPSC can be shut down legally,' he said.

This comes amid sustained scrutiny of the KPSC over alleged irregularities in its recruitment process, a controversy that has dogged the Karnataka administration and drawn repeated court interventions. The government's latest pushback against the High Court's officer-selection move sets the stage for what could become a significant constitutional standoff between the executive and the judiciary in the state.

What Happens Next

The Karnataka government is expected to pursue legal avenues to challenge or clarify the High Court's direction regarding officer appointments. Industry observers and constitutional law experts are watching the case closely, as its outcome could set a precedent for the extent to which courts can direct the composition of investigative teams in similar matters across India.