Karnataka Govt Pulls Up IAS Officers, Orders Timely Replies To MLAs’ Question After Assembly Row

Last Updated:March 17, 2026, 10:34 IST

Out of 245 questions, only 90 have been answered so far. Siddaramaiah said this has caused inconvenience to members of the legislature and has undermined the rights of MLAs.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh have pulled up IAS officers and set a deadline for officials to send replies to questions raised by MLAs, warning that delays have caused “great embarrassment" to the government.

Out of 245 questions, only 90 have been answered so far. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said this has caused inconvenience to members of the legislature and has undermined the rights of MLAs and the dignity of the House.

Earlier, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh issued show-cause notices to seven senior IAS officers, including an Additional Chief Secretary, over the same issue.

Her letter said that from the 1st to the 9th session of the 16th Legislative Assembly (2023–2026), a large number of questions remained unanswered. On March 16 alone, out of 245 questions, only 90 were answered.

The letter stated that delays in sending replies caused inconvenience in the House, embarrassed the government and undermined the rights of MLAs and the dignity of the House. It added that the Speaker had expressed strong dissatisfaction.

Departmental secretaries have been asked to explain the delays immediately. If replies are still not sent, concerned ministers must write separately to MLAs explaining the reason and giving a timeline.

Speaker walkout from Assembly triggers action

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly saw unprecedented scenes when Speaker U. T. Khader walked out, citing failure to respond to MLAs’ questions.

His protest led to immediate administrative action, with delays seen as undermining the dignity of the House.

Over 600 questions pending

Sources said that between 2023 and 2026, nearly 600 questions raised by MLAs remain pending.

Department-wise data shows gaps:

Revenue: 91 questions, 20 answered

Public Works: 37 questions, 16 answered

Minority Welfare, Haj and Wakf: 21 questions, 4 answered

Transport: 25 questions, 11 answered

Housing: 31 questions, 4 answered

Animal Husbandry and Fisheries: 35 questions, 31 answered

Horticulture and Sericulture: 5 questions, 4 answered

Who are the IAS officers served notices

Show-cause notices were issued to:

Rajendra Kumar Kataria, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue)

Amalan Aditya Biswas, Principal Secretary (Public Works)

R Girish, Secretary (Horticulture)

N V Prasad, Executive Director (Transport)

Mohan Raj K P, Secretary (Housing)

Shamla Iqbal, Secretary (Minority Welfare)

R Vinoth Priya, Secretary (Animal Husbandry)

Speaker warns of action

Speaking to CNN News18 later, Khader said he had warned the government several times before taking the step. “I had already warned them several times. I said I will not take the session forward," he said.

He added that a meeting with the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, ministers and officials led to directions to fix the delays and prevent recurrence.

“If anything is delayed again, action will be taken against the secretaries," he said, adding that the Chief Minister assured corrective steps.

Khader said the Chief Minister had also assured him that the government would ensure such lapses do not recur.

“They will ensure this does not happen again. The Chief Secretary will take action against any delays. The ministers will verify the replies and make sure the answers are given correctly and on time," he said.

BJP calls it ‘murder of democracy’

The Bharatiya Janata Party criticised the situation, calling it a “murder of democracy".

Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said the issue had been raised repeatedly and welcomed the Speaker’s decision.

He alleged negligence among officials, claiming some had not attended office for months while continuing to draw salaries, and called for strict action including suspension.

After the House reconvened, Home Minister G Parameshwara said the government had taken the issue seriously.

He said notices would be issued and action, including suspension, could be considered if delays continue.

The government said corrective measures have been initiated and assured that such incidents will not recur.

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