Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Nov 14: The Rajyotsava awards function, which had been postponed to November 15 in the past in the guise of bypoll code violation, stands cancelled for the second time. The function may be now held by month end, sources say.

The government had said earlier that it had decided to postpone the Rajyotsava awards function because of the bypoll on November 3, although the election commission said that code of conduct does not affect awards function. It was said that the government had postponed the function on account tussle between the coalition partners and pressure exerted by several quarters over selection of people for Rajyotsava awards.

It is said that because of the pulls and pressures, the government has been finding it impossible to limit the number of Rajyotsava awards to 63 as per the directions of the state high court. The tussle, it is learnt, continues, and as such the government, on Tuesday, cancelled the booking it had done for Raveendra Kalakshetra here for the function on November 15. The Kannada and culture department says that they have been asked to wait till further instructions as the function could not be held on November 15 on account of non-availability of the chief minister and also as the list of awardees has not yet been finalized.

Already the government as well as its Kannada and culture department faces the risk of being tried for contempt of court having violated the rules and regulations drawn up by the state high court for Rajyotsava awards. The high court had said that applications should be received between September 1 and 30, and the list of the advisory committee should be prepared between October 1 and 15. The committee headed by the chief minister should finalize the list by October 25 and awards should be presented on November1, the high court had stipulated. The government did not pay heed to any of these deadlines. Now it even violated the deadline for handing over the awards. The officials feel that if the awards list is prepared and awards function is held at least by the end of this month, the government can save loss of face.