Commission System Existed Before, Continues Now’: Satish Jarkiholi on Contractor Allegations

Bengaluru Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Thursday stirred debate by stating that the commission system in government works has existed in the past, continues now, and is likely to persist in the future.

Responding to allegations by contractors regarding payment of commissions, the minister said the focus should be on finding solutions rather than trading accusations.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Jarkiholi said, “Commission existed earlier, it exists now, and it may exist in the future. It is not easy to completely eliminate it. What we need to do is control it.”

He advised those making allegations to approach constitutional authorities. “There is a Chief Minister and there is the Lokayukta. If there are specific complaints, they should be brought to their notice. At the same time, we must examine why so many dues have piled up,” he said.

The minister blamed the previous BJP government for awarding tenders without adequate budgetary backing. “During the BJP’s tenure, tenders were issued without sufficient budget support.

If that had not been done, we would not be facing this situation now. The works have been completed, but payments require time. That is the mistake of the previous government,” he alleged.

Jarkiholi said departments such as irrigation and public works are facing substantial pending bills. “We cannot abruptly stop ongoing works. Contractors naturally bid where they feel comfortable.

In our department alone, there were pending dues of ₹12,000 crore. We have cleared ₹3,000 crore, and ₹9,000 crore remains. We are working to balance it within our available budget,” he explained.

He clarified that no new works have been approved beyond financial capacity. “We are only balancing existing commitments. The Finance Department questions whether approvals were taken. It cannot be termed as an administrative lapse by officials. The root cause lies in earlier decisions,” he added.

Responding to remarks made by Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, Jarkiholi said internal matters should be clarified by those concerned but asserted that the party high command remains strong and stable.

On the issue of MLAs’ foreign visits, he remarked that such tours have been happening for years. “Some go to Dubai, some to Europe. They travel with their own money. Can we control that? There will always be teams within a party, but we will resolve issues internally,” he said.

Regarding leadership transition speculation, Jarkiholi said, “We are also waiting like you. When the time comes, we will see.”

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