Dinesh Kumar to assume charge on May 4

Mysore/Mysuru: The Karnataka High Court has drawn curtains on the transfer episode that unfurled at Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) concerning two officers — the present MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh and G.T. Dinesh Kumar who was briefly transferred to  MUDA as Commissioner but was eventually transferred again from the post.

The HC has now ordered Dinesh Kumar to take charge as MUDA Commissioner on May 4, after Natesh completes his two-year term at MUDA. On May 4, 2020, Dr. Natesh took charge of MUDA from outgoing Commissioner P.S. Kantharaju. His two-year term will end on May 3.

He was transferred from the post in June 2021. But just a day after his transfer, the Government issued a fresh order asking him to continue in the post. He held the post until Jan. 10, 2022 when again he was transferred without any posting.

Meanwhile, the State Government transferred Dinesh, who was serving as the Administrative Officer of Malaprabha Catchment Area Development Authority in Belagavi, as MUDA Commissioner. He took charge as MUDA Commissioner on Jan. 17.

Dinesh Kumar’s appointment as the new MUDA Commissioner came within minutes of Dr. Natesh taking over as MUDA Commissioner for the third time on Jan. 14 after he (Dr. Natesh) succeeded in getting a stay order from Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) against Jan. 10 transfer order. Meanwhile, the State Government asked Mysuru City Corporation  (MCC) Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy to take additional charge as MUDA Commissioner.

Dr. Natesh had petitioned the KAT as the Government had transferred him before he completed his two-year term and the KAT ruled in his favour. But Dr. Natesh could not take over MUDA administration as he was posted to be the Managing Director of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC).

Following the KAT ruling, on Feb. 1, 2022, Natesh was back in the post of MUDA Commissioner and Dinesh became an officer to serve MUDA only for over 15 days. Later, a miffed Dinesh Kumar approached the Karnataka High Court with a writ petition against his premature transfer.

Hearing the arguments and counter arguments, the twin bench of the Court, comprising Justice Shivashankar Amarannavar and Justice Narendra, ordered on Mar. 21 that Dinesh Kumar must take over as MUDA Commissioner on May 4 after Dr. Natesh completes his two-year term.