Introduction:

The Karnataka High Court has imposed a hefty cost of Rs. 5 lakhs on the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) for its unlawful allocation of a reserved MD Radio Diagnosis seat. The court ruled in favor of Dr. Rajini C K, an in-service doctor, who challenged the wrongful allotment to Dr. Sunil Kumar H B. This case sheds light on the importance of transparency in the seat allocation process, particularly in prestigious fields like medical education.

Arguments:

Dr. Rajini, working in the Health and Family Welfare Department, filed a plea against the KEA, alleging the improper allotment of the MD Radio Diagnosis seat reserved for in-service candidates from her department. The KEA defended its actions, claiming no malpractice or irregularities. However, the court scrutinized the allotment process, emphasizing the need for fairness and transparency. It noted discrepancies in the allocation to a candidate who withdrew from counseling, raising questions about the integrity of the process.

Court’s Judgement:

The division bench of Justice P S Dinesh Kumar and T G Shivashankare Gowda found the KEA’s conduct unacceptable and imposed a Rs. 5 lakhs fine. The court set aside the illegal seat allotment to Dr. Sunil Kumar and directed the KEA to allocate the seat rightfully to Dr. Rajini. Out of the imposed cost, Rs. 2.5 lakhs is awarded to the petitioner, while the remaining sum goes to the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority. The court emphasized its commitment to the rule of law, emphasizing the intolerability of any illegal acts, especially by a state instrumentality.