Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar has been at the centre of a series of recruitment scams involving manipulation of examinations and misuse of authority. Sahukar was first suspended by Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot in July 2026 over allegations linked to the recruitment of his daughters. The Governor also recommended that the matter be referred to the Supreme Court under Article 317(1) of the Constitution for an inquiry.
He challenged the suspension in the Karnataka High Court, arguing that the Governor’s action was legally invalid because the process contemplated under Article 317 had not yet begun. The High Court later quashed the July suspension on constitutional grounds and directed his reinstatement, while restricting him from taking decisions on the KPSC action concerning his daughters.
Meanwhile, Sahukar became a key accused in a separate investigation into irregularities in the recruitment of 400 veterinary officers. The CID revealed that the examination paper was leaked and that selected candidates had received unfair access to the paper. The Karnataka High Court rejected Sahukar’s anticipatory bail plea on 7th September after the CID presented findings about his links with a middleman accused of facilitating the paper leak.
Daughter’s job and the income certificate controversy
One major case involves the recruitment of Sahukar’s 28-year-old daughter, Suma Sahukar, to the post of industrial extension officer in the state industries and commerce department under the OBC quota, using a fake income certificate.
She had applied for a Group C industrial extension officer post under the 3B category. During document verification, questions were raised over an income and caste certificate that reportedly showed the family’s annual income as only ₹40,000.
The figure came under scrutiny because Sahukar was a KPSC member and later became its chairman, drawing a monthly salary running into lakhs of rupees. The police case disclosed that the income certificate was used to claim reservation benefits. A revenue inspector accused of issuing the certificate was recently denied anticipatory bail by a Bengaluru court. According to the prosecution, the certificate showed an annual family income of ₹40,000 against Sahukar’s monthly salary of about ₹3.60 lakh.
The Governor’s July order also revealed that Sahukar failed to disclose a conflict of interest when his daughters participated in the recruitment process. The order cited a 2002 Karnataka government order that bars children of a Public Service Commission chairman from availing themselves of reservation benefits under the state’s backwards classes quota.
Sahukar has denied the allegations through his legal challenge. His counsel argued that the Governor’s suspension was premature and constitutionally invalid.
How the ruling Congress party ignored red flags and shielded Sahukar
Although these grave charges and systemic issues came into the open prominently in recent years, complaints and internal warnings against Sahukar had been piling up ever since the Congress party assumed power in Karnataka in the year 2023. Whistleblower bureaucrats and administrative officers flagged systemic corruption, arbitrary file withholding, and blatant departures from recruitment rules, yet the ruling Congress government consistently ignored these red flags and shielded the embattled chairman.
When the Congress party came to power, and Siddaramaiah took charge as chief minister in May 2023, Sahukar quickly engaged in a fierce power struggle with Vikas Suralkar, an IAS officer who had served as KPSC secretary since July 2022. Suralkar had initiated transparency measures, including official social media accounts and more recruitment details on the website. A KPSC official who witnessed the standoff noted, “The chairman and his supporters among the members strongly resisted these measures. Things came to a head in 2023 when Sahukar started withholding approval on files and bypassing the secretary in holding meetings.”
After Sahukar complained against the secretary, Suralkar submitted a report flagging systemic loopholes, warning that “departures from the rules” had resulted in “misuse of authority by the Chairperson and injustice to meritorious candidates.” The Congress government removed Suralkar as KPSC secretary the very next day. His successor, IAS officer Latha Kumari, faced similar resistance when she refused to approve a controversial legal cell appointment in December 2023. Sahukar and other members boycotted meetings and stalled over 2,000 government jobs. When Kumari wrote to the Governor seeking action against Sahukar for “misuse of authority,” she wrote that officials worked under pressure and fear, hesitant to flag proposals they considered legally impermissible.
Instead of backing the bureaucrat, sources revealed Kumari was told during a meeting with a top Karnataka official on 6th February, 2024, to either withdraw her letter or go on leave. She was placed on “paid leave” the next day, and the KPSC swiftly approved Sahukar’s preferred candidate.
Veterinary recruitment scam adds to the controversy
The controversy later widened with allegations surrounding the recruitment of 400 veterinary officers. An FIR registered in July named Sahukar, former KPSC members and officials, along with 29 selected candidates. The allegations included question-paper leaks, OMR-sheet tampering, nepotism and the leaking of candidates’ personal information.
The Karnataka government transferred the investigation to the CID. The CID investigation has since revealed that Sahukar and his son were in frequent contact through encrypted calls with a middleman accused of facilitating the paper leak. Investigators have also informed that candidates were provided leaked papers and that large sums of money were collected from candidates. These remain allegations under investigation.
