Observing orally that a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) might be viewed as failing in their duty if they don’t approach the Chief Minister for an issue of public interest before moving the court, the High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday asked the government to take appropriate action for publishing contact details of nodal officers of health and municipal authorities on a single website in the interest of citizens.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice K.N. Phaneendra made these observations while disposing of a PIL petition filed by K. Govindaraj, an MLC.

The petitioner-MLC had complained that the Chief Secretary and other authorities had failed to act upon his representation to publish contact details of nodal officers health/municipal authorities, etc., on a single website in district/taluk/ward wise in English and Kannada to help citizens during Covid-19 pandemic.

“You are an MLC. Why have you not gone to the Chief Minister if the Chief Secretary had not considered your representation? As an MLC you might be failing in your duty if you don’t approach the Chief Minister before moving the court. You are not as helpless as ordinary citizens,” the bench observed orally during the hearing.

Finally, the bench disposed of the petition while observing that publishing all contact details on a website will enable the citizens to communicate with the authorities concerned during distress and gave two weeks to the government to take appropriate action.