The High Court of Karnataka on Friday imposed a cost of ₹5 lakh on the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) for “blocking” a MD-Radio Diagnosis seat in the name of a meritorious in-service candidate, who had already withdrawn from counselling, and moving it to mop-up round and allotting it to an ineligible candidate.
“The KEA is an instrumentality of the State government. Any illegal act by anyone much less an instrumentality of the State cannot be tolerated... Candidates desirous of obtaining seats for the undergraduation and postgraduation courses repose immense trust with the KEA. Therefore, the KEA is bound to practice a fair and transparent method...,” the court observed.
A division bench comprising Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar and Justice T.G. Shivashankare Gowda passed the order while allowing a petition filed by Rajani C.K., an in-service doctor of the Department of Health and Family Welfare working at Primary Health Centre, Anegola, K.R. Pet taluk in Mandya district.
She had applied for PG medical seat under in-serve quota of H&FW in 2023 through PG-NEET; and had entered MD-Radio Diagnosis course in M.R. Medical College, Kalaburagi, as it was among seats reserved for in-service candidates.
She claimed that she had chosen MS-Obstetrics and Gynaecology seat in a college in Bengaluru as an impression given by the KEA that MD-Radio Diagnosis was already filled. However, she later came to know that MD-Radio Diagnosis seat at M.R. Medical College was not offered in the second round though it was available.
On analysing the KEA’s seat allotment records, the Bench said that MD-Radio Diagnosis seat was incorrectly shown as allotted to a candidate, who was withdrawn from counselling more than 15 days ago. However, the KEA had offered this seat in the mop-up round in which a candidate not belonging to H&FM category was allowed to chose this seat.
While directing the KEA to allot her the MD-Radio Diagnosis seat at M.R. Medical College, the court asked the authority to pay 50% of the ₹5 lakh cost to the petitioner and pay the remaining amount to the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority.
