🏛️ Karnataka Administration

1. Historical Background of Administration

• Mysore Wodeyars (1399–1950): Monarchy under princely state.
• British Period (1799–1947): After Tipu Sultan’s fall, Mysore came under subsidiary alliance; restored to Wodeyars in 1881.
• Diwans of Mysore:
  • Sir M. Visvesvaraya (1912–1918) → Modernizer, planned economy, KRS dam.
  • Sir Mirza Ismail (1926–1941) → Promoted industries, dams, Mysore Soap Factory.
• Post-Independence: Mysore became a Part-B state in 1950.
• States Reorganisation Act (1956): Karnataka formed by merging Kannada-speaking areas.
• Renaming: State of Mysore → Karnataka in 1973.

2. State Government (Executive)

• Governor:
  • Constitutional head, appointed by President of India.
  • Powers: Summons legislature, assent to bills, appoints CM.
• Chief Minister (CM):
  • Real executive head, leader of ruling party.
  • Current CM (2025): 
• Council of Ministers:
  • Cabinet ministers, ministers of state, deputy ministers.
  • Responsible to Legislative Assembly.

3. Legislature (Law-Making Body)

• Type: Bicameral legislature (one of the few in India).
• Legislative Assembly (Vidhana Sabha):
  • Lower House.
  • 224 directly elected members + 1 Anglo-Indian (nominated, if required).
  • Tenure: 5 years.
• Legislative Council (Vidhana Parishad):
  • Upper House (permanent body, like Rajya Sabha).
  • 75 members (partly elected, partly nominated).
  • Teachers, graduates, MLAs, local bodies all elect members.
• Presiding Officers: Speaker (Assembly), Chairman (Council).
• Seat of Legislature: Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru (built 1956).

4. Judiciary in Karnataka

• High Court of Karnataka:
  • Established in 1884 (then called Mysore High Court).
  • Location: Bengaluru (Principal Bench).
  • Additional Benches: Dharwad, Kalaburagi.
  • Chief Justice → Appointed by President of India.
• Subordinate Judiciary:
  • District Courts, Taluk Courts, Gram Nyayalayas.
• Karnataka Lokayukta:
  • Anti-corruption ombudsman (est. 1986).
  • Investigates corruption & maladministration in govt.

5. Local Self-Government (Panchayat Raj System)

• Karnataka → First state in India to implement the 3-tier Panchayat Raj system (1983, Ramakrishna Hegde govt).
• Three-tier Structure:
  1. Zilla Panchayat (District level).
  2. Taluk Panchayat (Taluk level).
  3. Gram Panchayat (Village level).
• Powers: Rural development, sanitation, water supply, roads, health, education.
• Urban Local Bodies:
  • City Corporations (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike – BBMP).
  • Municipal Councils.
  • Town Panchayats.

6. Civil Services in Karnataka

• State Public Service Commission (KPSC):
  • Established in 1951 under Article 315 of Constitution.
  • Conducts exams for state services → KAS, PDO, FDA/SDA, PSI, Teachers.
  • HQ: Bengaluru.
• State Civil Services Cadres:
  • Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS).
  • Karnataka Police Service (DySP, PSI).
  • Karnataka Accounts & Treasury Service.
  • Karnataka Revenue Service.
• Recruitment: Through KPSC competitive exams.

7. Administrative Divisions

• Districts (2025): 31 (latest).
• Largest district: Belagavi (~13,400 sq km).
• Smallest district: Bengaluru Urban.
• Divisions: 4 (Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi).
• Administrative officers:
  • District Commissioner (IAS officer) → head of district.
  • Superintendent of Police (IPS officer) → law & order.
  • Zilla Panchayat CEO → rural development.

8. Karnataka Lokayukta & Anti-Corruption

• Est. 1986 – one of India’s most powerful Lokayuktas.
• Investigates corruption cases in govt departments.
• Karnataka also has Upa-Lokayukta.
• Famous case: Lokayukta investigation into illegal mining (2011).

9. Karnataka State Symbols (Administrative Importance)

• State Emblem: Gandaberunda (two-headed mythological bird).
• State Animal: Indian Elephant.
• State Bird: Indian Roller (Blue Jay).
• State Tree: Sandalwood.
• State Flower: Lotus.
• State Song: Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate (Kuvempu).

10. Exam-Friendly One-Liners

• First CM of Karnataka: K. C. Reddy (1947–1952).
• Longest-serving CM: D. Devaraj Urs (known for land reforms).
• Current Governor (2025): [Check latest].
• First woman CM: None yet in Karnataka.
• First woman Governor: V. S. Ramadevi (1999–2002).
• First Lokayukta of Karnataka: Justice C. Honniah (1986).
• First state to adopt Panchayat Raj: Karnataka (1983).
• KPSC First Chairman: H. B. Gundappa Gowda.
• KPSC HQ: Bengaluru.
• Vidhana Soudha: Built in 1956, Neo-Dravidian style, seat of legislature.
• Suvarna Soudha: In Belagavi, built in 2012, 2nd legislature building.

📘 Karnataka Administration – Detailed & Comprehensive Quick Reference

1. Constitutional & Administrative Structure

• Union–State Relations
  • Division of powers (7th Schedule), Centre–State relations (legislative, administrative, financial).
  • Role of Governor in Karnataka, controversies.
  • President’s Rule in Karnataka (case studies).
• State Legislature
  • Bicameral system: Legislative Assembly (Vidhana Sabha) & Legislative Council (Vidhana Parishad).
  • Composition, powers, functions, legislative procedure.
• Executive
  • Governor, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers – appointment, powers, role.
  • Karnataka Cabinet Committees.
• Judiciary
  • Karnataka High Court, subordinate judiciary, Lokayukta & Upa-Lokayukta.
  • Tribunals in Karnataka (e.g., Administrative Tribunal).

2. State Governance & Institutions

• State Secretariat & Directorates
  • Organisation of Secretariat, Chief Secretary, roles of Principal Secretaries.
• District Administration
  • Role of Deputy Commissioner (Collector), Police Superintendent, Zilla Panchayat CEO.
  • Revenue administration, law & order, elections.
• Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)
  • BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), Corporations, Municipal Councils.
  • 74th Amendment: powers, finances, issues.
• Rural Local Bodies (PRIs)
  • 73rd Amendment: Gram Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, Zilla Panchayat.
  • Decentralisation in Karnataka – Panchayat Raj Act, Sakala scheme, Gram Sabhas.

3. Public Administration in Karnataka

• Civil Services
  • Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS), recruitment, training, functions.
  • Roles of IAS, IPS, IFS in state administration.
• Law & Order / Police System
  • Karnataka Police hierarchy, reforms, community policing, cybercrime units.
• Administrative Reforms
  • Committees on administrative reforms in Karnataka.
  • e-Governance initiatives: Bhoomi (land records), Sakala (time-bound services), Seva Sindhu.

4. Financial Administration

• State Budget & Finances
  • Preparation, presentation, execution of Karnataka state budget.
  • Revenue sources: tax & non-tax, grants from Centre, GST impact.
• State Finance Commission – structure, role in resource distribution.
• Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) & Karnataka Audit.

5. Accountability & Transparency

• Lokayukta & Anti-Corruption
  • Karnataka Lokayukta Act, powers, notable cases.
• RTI Act implementation in Karnataka.
• Citizen charters, Sakala Act (time-bound delivery of services).
• Social Audit in schemes.

6. Welfare & Development Administration

• Flagship Schemes in Karnataka
  • Anna Bhagya (food security), Ksheera Bhagya (school milk scheme), Vidyasiri, Krishi Bhagya, Yuva Nidhi, Gruha Jyoti, Gruha Lakshmi.
• Sectoral Administration
  • Agriculture, irrigation, health, education, rural development, women & child welfare.
• Urban Development – Smart City projects, Namma Metro, urban housing.

7. Planning & Policy in Karnataka

• State Planning Board – functions, role in five-year plans, district planning.
• NITI Aayog’s role in state planning.
• Vision documents (e.g., Karnataka Vision 2025).

8. Issues & Challenges

• Centre–State tensions (e.g., Cauvery water dispute).
• Regional imbalance in development (Hyderabad-Karnataka vs Coastal vs Bengaluru region).
• Corruption & administrative inefficiency.
• Urbanisation pressures (traffic, waste, infrastructure in Bengaluru).
• Communal tensions, law & order challenges.

9. Current Affairs in Karnataka Administration

• Recent governance reforms.
• Latest budget & welfare schemes.
• High Court/SC judgments affecting state administration.
• Major political developments.

✅ How to Prepare Karnataka Administration for KAS

1. Start with Polity basics (Laxmikanth for Constitution, then apply Karnataka examples).
2. Use Karnataka Gazetteer, Economic Survey of Karnataka, State Budget highlights for current schemes & stats.
3. Follow Deccan Herald, The Hindu (Bangalore edition), Prajavani for latest state news.
4. Make short notes on:
   • State executive, legislature, judiciary
   • PRIs & urban bodies (with case studies)
   • Flagship schemes & reforms
   • Important challenges (water disputes, corruption, urbanisation).
5. Practice answer writing – link theory (Constitution / Polity) with Karnataka examples.