Bengaluru: The controversy surrounding the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment process has intensified with the registration of an FIR against Suma S. Sahukar, daughter of KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar, for allegedly submitting false income and caste certificates while applying for the post of Industrial Extension Officer in the Department of Industries and Commerce.
The FIR was registered at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station based on a complaint lodged by KPSC Assistant Secretary B.N. Shobha. The complaint alleges that Suma furnished incorrect information regarding her family’s annual income to claim reservation benefits under Category 3B, thereby suppressing material facts during the recruitment process.
According to the complaint, Suma mentioned her father as Shivashankarappa Sahukar in her application and supporting documents. During scrutiny, officials found that she is the daughter of the serving KPSC Chairman. The complaint further states that the income certificate submitted by the candidate declared her family’s annual income as only ₹40,000 for the purpose of obtaining a 3B reservation certificate.
However, the complaint points out that Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar was appointed as a member of the Karnataka Public Service Commission on September 3, 2019, drawing a monthly basic salary of ₹2,05,100 along with other allowances. He was subsequently appointed Chairman of the Commission on April 5, 2021, with a monthly basic salary of ₹2,25,000 besides admissible allowances.
The complaint also states that the Chairman had recently submitted details of his movable and immovable assets to the Governor, which allegedly indicate ownership of assets significantly higher than what would correspond to the income declared in the certificate submitted by his daughter.
Officials have alleged that the income details furnished in the application were prima facie false and inconsistent with the financial status of the family. The complaint notes that under the Karnataka Government Order dated September 14, 2018, the creamy layer income ceiling applicable to backward class categories, including 3B, was enhanced from ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh per annum. Given the salary and assets of the candidate’s father, the declaration of an annual family income of ₹40,000 has raised serious questions regarding the authenticity of the documents.
The Assistant Secretary has sought criminal action against Suma, alleging that she submitted non-genuine income and caste certificates and made false declarations in the application by concealing material facts to obtain reservation benefits during the recruitment process. The FIR marks a significant development in the controversy that has engulfed the KPSC in recent weeks, with allegations of irregularities and favouritism dominating public discourse.
Meanwhile, the legal battle involving KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar continues in the Karnataka High Court. Earlier, members of the Commission had passed a resolution demanding his resignation, alleging abuse of official position and nepotism in facilitating his daughter’s appointment to a government post.
Challenging the resolution, Shivashankarappa approached the High Court. Justice Suraj Govindaraj, hearing the writ petition, granted an interim stay on the resolution adopted during the Commission’s meeting held on June 19, 2026. The court also issued notices to the Commission members who participated in the meeting and adjourned the matter for further hearing to August 11.
