Principal District and Sessions Judge of Raichur Mallikarjuna Gowda has been transferred as District Judge, OOD, presiding officer of the Karnataka State Transport Appellate Tribunal, Bengaluru, according to an order issued by T.G. Shivashankare Gowda, Registrar General of the High Court of Karnataka, on Friday.
In the order, it has been instructed that Mr. Mallikarjun Gowda should be relieved immediately from the present post and that he should take charge of his new post on February 28 on the retirement of S.H. Renukadevi, who is serving as District Judge, OOD, presiding officer of the tribunal.
Mr. Mallikarjun Gowda landed in a controversy after reportedly instructing that a portrait of B.R. Ambedkar be removed during the Republic Day celebrations in Raichur. Several organisations held protests in various districts terming it an insult to the Father of the Indian Constitution and sought action against the judge.
