Orders formation of new sub-committee to select awardee

Bengaluru; The High Court (HC) of Karnataka has quashed the Kannada Sahitya Academy Award conferred on M.D. Gogeri (now late), noted scholar from Ayodhyanagara in Hubballi city, Dharwad district, for the year 2013 under Lalitha Prabandha (Harate Mathu Vinoda Sahitya Seri) category.

The Court, in its order dated June 2, 2022, while allowing the writ petition filed by Bharadwaja K. Anandatheertha, writer from Kanive village in Somwarpet taluk, Kodagu district, who sought quashing of the entire process of selection of Novel/Book for the year 2013 by the Kannada Sahitya Academy, directed the Academy to reconstitute the Sub-Committee in accordance with the Academy bye-laws to assess the books of Bharadwaja Anandatheertha and as well as M.D. Gogeri, which scored equal marks, and to recommend for awarding book prize for the year 2013.

The Academy should complete the proceedings as directed by the HC within two months from the date of the order (June 2, 2022), the HC ruling stated.

As per the petitioner (Bharadwaja K. Anandatheertha), he had submitted his book by name ‘Kautukavallada Kshanagalu’ when Sahithya Academy had invited books under the ‘Book Prize Yojane’ from writers for selection to the book award. ‘Mahamate Mallamma Mathu Ithare Prabhandagalu’ of Gogeri too was in the selection list.

In the selection process, Bharadwaja and Gogeri scored equal marks (56). According to the Academy bye-law, when two writers score equal marks, the same shall be placed before a Committee of three members headed by the Chairman. The said Committee shall evaluate and select the book. A person whose book is recommended by the Sub-Committee would be presented the Sahitya Academy Award.

However, the petition contended that without there being any proceedings of the Sub-Committee headed by the Chairman and S.K. Koppa and Meti Mudiappa, who are Members of the Sahitya Academy, Gogeri was selected for the Sahitya Academy Award for the year 2013.

Since no proceedings had taken place, as required by the bye-law of the Academy, the petition argued that Gogeri would not be entitled for award by the Sahitya Academy and wanted the Academy to re-constitute the Committee and take a decision afresh.

Noting that the Sub-Committee has not recorded any proceedings and according to the records produced by the respondents as to whether the Sub-Committee had met before awarding prize to the book of Gogeri, the High Court stated that even though the Sub-Committee may not record its opinion, it should have at least drawn the proceedings for having conducted the meeting. In the absence of drawing up of proceedings, it is to be held that the Sub-Committee had not met before selecting the book of  Gogeri for the award.

In the above circumstances, awarding prize to the book of Gogeri  under the category Lalitha Prabandha requires to be set aside, the Court observed and directed the Academy to constitute a new Sub-Committee and examine the books submitted by Bharadwaja and Gogeri.

While advocate K.B. Muralidhar represented the petitioner, Additional Government Advocate A.R. Sharadamba argued on behalf of the respondents.