No government work to be executed on oral instructions: Karnataka CM

Commission headed by retired High Court judge to review tenders worth over ₹50 crore

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has instructed officers of the Departments of Urban Development and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj not to take up any work on oral instructions.

Speaking to mediapersons in Shivamogga on April 20, Mr. Bommai said he had instructed officers not to take up any work on oral instructions. “If anybody does work on oral orders, the engineers and officers concerned will be held responsible. In the case of rural local bodies, Panchayat Development Officers and Executive Officers of taluk panchayats will be responsible,” he said.

This direction would come into effect immediately. The officers should take orders in writing before starting any work. “I have given this instruction to bring in a system in the execution of works. I know earlier, particularly in rural local bodies, works were taken up on oral instructions,” the CM said.

Recently, BJP MLA K.S. Eshwarappa resigned as RDPR Minister following allegations of corruption by a civil contractor Santosh Patil who claimed to have taken up civil works in Belagavi district on the oral instructions of the Minister. The contractor ended his life citing non-payment of his bills.

The government would constitute a high-level commission, headed by a retired High Court judge, to look into the tender process of every work worth more than ₹50 crore. The commission would include a financial expert and a technical expert.

“Irregularities in the execution of any work start with preparing the estimation and finalising the tender conditions. Sometimes the conditions are set to suit select people. Departments cannot go for the tender process without getting clearance from the commission,” the CM said.

The commission would verify if the estimates were prepared as per the Schedule of Rates (SR) and also check if the conditions were set as per the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act.