Hostel beneficiary selection challenged

BANGALORE: The High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the State Government and Sagar MLA Belur Gopalakrishna in connection with a petition challenging the selection of beneficiary students for backward community (BCM) hostels in Sagar taluk.A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Vikramjit Sen and Justice A S Bopanna ordered the notices following a PIL filed by one H Danappa, a resident of Sorab taluk, challenging the selection process to seven BCM hostels in Sagar.The petitioner had sought the court to quash the selection process.He had stated in his submission that Gopalakrishna, being a selection committee chairman, had discriminated in the selection process and the meritorious students had been ignored.Stating that students from neighbouring taluks of Sorab, Hosanagar and Shikaripura and from lower income groups (LIGs) were ignored in the selection process, the petitioner had contended that students from Sagar and the followers of the MLA were given priority over others.