Babhalgaon
—  village  —
Babhalgaon Location of Babhalgaon in Maharashtra and India
Coordinates	18°14′N 76°49′E / 18.24°N 76.82°E / 18.24; 76.82Coordinates: 18°14′N 76°49′E / 18.24°N 76.82°E / 18.24; 76.82
Country	India
State	Maharashtra
District(s)	Latur
Population	6,600 (2001[update])
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Codes • Pincode • 413 XXX • Telephone • +02382 • Vehicle • MH24

Babhalgaon is a village in Latur subdivision of Latur district in the state of Maharashtra, India.

Demographics[link]

As of 2001^[update] India census,^[1] Babhalgaon had a population of 6600. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Babhalgaon has an average literacy rate of 74%, lower than the stage average of 78.5%; with 80% of the males and 68% of females literate. 17% of the population is under 6 years of age.

References[link]

Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh
Minister of Science and Technology
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 July 2011
President	Pratibha Patil
Prime Minister	Manmohan Singh
Preceded by	Pawan Kumar Bansal
Minister of Earth Sciences
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 July 2011
Preceded by	Pawan Kumar Bansal
Mumbai Cricket Association
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 July 2011
Preceded by	Sharad Pawar
Minister of Rural Development
In office 19 January 2011 – 12 July 2011
Preceded by	C. P. Joshi
Succeeded by	Jairam Ramesh
Minister of Panchayati Raj
In office 19 January 2011 – 12 July 2011
Preceded by	C. P. Joshi
Succeeded by	Kishore Chandra Deo
Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
In office 28 May 2009 – 19 January 2011
Preceded by	Santosh Mohan Dev
Succeeded by	Praful Patel
Chief Minister of Maharashtra
In office 7 September 2004 – 5 December 2008
Preceded by	Sushil Kumar Shinde
Succeeded by	Ashok Chavan
Chief Minister of Maharashtra
In office 18 October 1999 – 16 January 2003
Preceded by	Narayan Rane
Succeeded by	Sushil Kumar Shinde
Personal details
Born	(1945-05-26) 26 May 1945 (age 67) India
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse(s)	Vaishali Deshmukh
Children	3
Occupation	Lawyer
Religion	Hinduism

Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh (born May 26, 1945), popularly known as Vilasrao is the current Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences. He has previously held the posts of Minister of Rural Development and Minister of Panchayati Raj, Government of India and Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of India.^[1] He is member of Rajya Sabha representing Maharashtra. He was also a two-time Chief Minister of Maharashtra, from 1999 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2008. He is a member of the Indian National Congress and originally belongs to Latur district in the Marathwada region of the state of Maharashtra.

Early life and family[link]

Deshmukh was born on May 26, 1945 in Babhalgaon in the Latur district. He graduated with a degree in Science (B.Sc.) and Arts (B.A.) from M.E.S Abasaheb Garware College, (Pune University) and went on to study law (L.L.B.) from the ILS Law College (Pune University).^[2] He started social activities in his early youth with particular interest in drought relief work. He was elected as the Director of the Osmanabad district Central Cooperative Bank and also of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank in 1979.^[2]

His wife is Vaishali Deshmukh, and he has three sons from her, Amit Deshmukh who is a MLA of Latur city, Ritesh and Dheeraj.^[2] His son Ritesh Deshmukh is an actor in Bollywood movies.^[3]

He has one younger brother Diliprao Deshmukh, who is a MLC and served as Minister of Relief, Rehabilitation, Sports, Youth Welfare and Protocol. in the Maharashtra Government.^[4]

Political career[link]

Deshmukh entered active politics and became member of the Babhalgaon Village Panchayat from 1974 to 1979 and its Sarpanch (village chief) from 1974 to 1976. He was a member of Osmanabad Zilla Parishad and Deputy Chairman of Latur Taluka Panchayat Samiti (Latur District Panchayat Committee) from 1974 to 1980.^[2]

As a President of Osmanabad District Youth Congress from 1975 to 1978, he worked for the implementation of Five Point Programme of the Youth Congress. He organised the youth in Osmanabad district and became President of District wing of the Indian National Congress.^[2]

He was Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 1995 winning 1980, 1985 and 1990 elections.^[5] During this period, as the Minister of State and the Cabinet Minister, Deshmukh handled departments such as Home, General Administration, Cooperation, Public Works, Transport, Legislative Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development Fisheries, Industry, Rural Development, Education, Technical Education, Sports and Youth Welfare,

He has been a minister in various governments in Maharashtra from 1982 to 1995 holding portfolios of revenue, cooperation, agriculture, home, industries and education.^[2]

He lost the elections in 1995 with a margin of 35,000. He was re-elected to the State Legislature from Latur Constituency in the elections held in September 1999 with a strong comeback winning with a margin of nearly 91,000 in two successive election, the highest in Maharashtra. He took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on October 18, 1999. He was Chief Minister till 17 January 2003, but had to step down in January 2003 and make way for Sushilkumar Shinde, a prominent Dalit member of Congress, following factionalism in the state unit of the party.

He was re-elected to the State Legislative Assembly from Latur Constituency in the Elections held in October 2004.^[5]

He took oath of Chief Ministership for the second time on November 1, 2004.^[6][7]

In the aftermath of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, he took the moral responsibility and offered to resign, which was then accepted by the party.^[8][9]

He subsequently entered the Rajya Sabha and was appointed to the Council of Ministers as Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 28 May 2009.^[10]

He was appointed as Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises on 19 January 2011 cabinet reshuffle.^[11] Later on he was appointed Minister of Rural Development.

He was appointed as Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences on July 12, 2011

Educational activities[link]

Deshmukh founded the Manjra Charitable Trust which runs a number of colleges in Latur & Mumbai. Some of them are Manajara Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital Latur, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology at Versova, Andheri in Mumbai^[12] and Sushiladevi Deshmukh Vidyalaya at Airoli, Navi Mumbai. His interests include reading, classical music, volleyball and table tennis.^[2]

Vilasrao Deshmukh- Subhash Ghai land deal[link]

On 9 February 2012, the Bombay High Court has ordered filmmaker Subhash Ghai to return to Maharashtra government 20-acres allotted for his film institute. The court indicted the former chief minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh for "misusing his official position" as chief minister by showing "undue favours" to Ghai. The Bombay high court on Thursday said Vilasrao Deshmukh misused his position to allot 20 acres at Film City, Goregaon, to film producer Subhash Ghai for just Rs 3 crore a decade ago. The Mumbai collector said the market value of the plot, where Ghai's institute Whistling Woods stands, was Rs 66.21 crore in 2000. The court cancelled the land allotment and directed Ghai to immediately return 14.5 acres. The remaining land will be taken back in 2014. In quashing the agreement, the judges were particularly harsh on Deshmukh, who is now the cabinet minister in Central Government. "The role played by Respondent 7 (Deshmukh) in the entire transaction is deprecable. As highest functionary of state executive, (he) must be held to be aware of the legal provisions regarding public property," they said. "(Deshmukh) has clearly misused his official position as CM and it is certainly not acceptable that a chief minister will personally sign an agreement as a witness, though such agreement is completely illegal and does not have any support or authority even in the form of a resolution," they said. The land was allotted to Ghai at a price of Rs 3 crore during Deshmukh's tenure as CM. The judges said the Mumbai collector's report valued the land at Rs 45.56 crore as of January 1, 1995. Even if it were to be given at a concessional rate of 10.75% of the market value per year, the amount would be Rs 2.34 crore every year. By January 2000, the market value, according to the Mumbai collector, shot up to Rs 66.21 crore and the rent, after applying the concessional rate, would be Rs 7.11 crore, said the judges. ^[13]

On 4 April 2012, the supreme court of India has ordered Mr. Subhash Ghai to return the 21 acres allotted to his film academy, Whistling Woods, in Film City, Goregaon, which was given to him in 2000 by then chief minister of Maharashtra Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh. The Supreme Court has agreed with the Bombay High Court's decision in February 2012, that said Mr Ghai would have to return 14.5 acres that are currently vacant at his academy immediately to the government. Another 5.5 acres that are in use are to be given back in 2014 so that students currently enrolled can complete their courses without any disruptions. Mr Ghai had appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court's ruling.

^{[14] [15]}

Supreme Court imposed Rs 10 lakhs fine on Maharashtra government[link]

On 14 December 2010, the Supreme Court imposed a staggering Rs 10 lakhs fine on Maharashtra government on a complaint that the then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh influenced police against registering an FIR against his brother. A bench of justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly chided Deskmukh saying, "The (former) Chief Minister should not have interfered with the criminal justice system." The apex court passed the order while dismissing the Maharashtra government's appeal challenging imposition of Rs 25,000 as fine on it earlier by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on a petition by Buldhana district's farmers alleging that the police refused to register a criminal case against Deshmukh's brother Dilip Kumar under the Money Lending Act. It was alleged that Deshmukh's personal secretary Amba Das had called up the then district superintendent of police (SP) to inform that the chief minister did not want any FIR to be registered in the case. Accordingly, the SP asked his subordinates not to register any FIR but reportedly recorded the same in its file. Aggrieved by the refusal of the police to register an FIR, the victims approached the Bombay High Court which, apart from ordering registration of an FIR, also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the state. ^[16]

Justice Ganguly slams Vilasrao Deshmukh[link]

Justice Ganguly, in Mumbai to address lawyer-activists, called Deshmukh's shift by the UPA government from heavy industries to rural development during the recent reshuffle a "shameless act". He further added "It is sad and shocking to see how the government allows and appreciates such ministers. Not only that, (it) also gives them a cabinet post. It is not a dignified act, I would call it a shameless act." ^[17]

Taj Controversy[link]

Vilasrao Deshmukh found himself in controversy after he visited the Hotel Taj after 26/11 attack in 2008, with actor son Riteish and filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma. Opposition Leader of BJP Sudhir Mungattiwar criticized him saying "He has misused his position when he took Ram Gopal Varma to the Taj (Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel) after the terror attack." ^[18]

Probe against Deshmukh for shielding MLA from farmers[link]

On 28 March 2012, the metropolitan magistrate's court has directed the Marine Drive police station to investigate allegations that Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh shielded a congress MLA from complaints by poor farmers in Buldhana district of Marathwada. The incident in question took place in May 2006 when Deshmukh was the chief minister of Maharashtra. Farmers from Vidarbha, led by one Sarangdharsingh Chavan, filed complaints against MLA Dilip Kumar Sananda and his family for torturing them to recover the loan amount and charging an interest of 10% per month.

As many as 34 complaints were registered against the MLA and his family till June 28, 2006. However, the petitioners alleged that Deshmukh's interference ensured that no subsequent cases were registered by the police, forcing the distressed farmers to move the high court.

The high court held that Deshmukh acted in violation of the law by asking the district collector of Buldhana and Khamgaon police station not to register cases against MLA Sananda and his family members.

The state government appealed against the verdict in the Supreme Court. The apex court, however, dismissed the government's appeal and instead, increased the fine levied on the Maharashtra government from Rs25,000 per head to Rs10 lakh.

In its December 2010 order, the division bench of justices G S Singhavi and AK Ganguly condemned Deshmukh's actions in no uncertain terms and made some hard-hitting observations. The court termed the erstwhile chief minister's actions as “condemnable”, as he acted beyond “all legal norms” for “political consideration” despite the Vidharbha region having a dubious distinction of witnessing the largest number of farmer suicides.

“The chief minister's instructions are so incongruous and anachronistic, being in defiance of all logic and reason, that our conscience is deeply disturbed. We condemn the same in no uncertain terms,” the bench had said.

“The message conveyed in this case is extremely shocking and it shocks the conscience of this Court about the manner in which the Constitutional functionaries behaved in the state of Maharashtra,” the bench had said.

Last year, a private complaint was filed by one Abdul Malik Chaudhary who sought to issue process and also sought criminal proceedings against Deshmukh and the MLA. Chaudhary's lawyer, Ashish Giri, said that the court has directed the Marine Drive police to file a report after inquiry by June 11. ^{[19] [20]}

CAG Report 2012[link]

According to the 2012 Comptroller's and Auditor General's (CAG) Report, Vilasrao Deshmukh, as Chief Minister in 2005, allotted a 23,840 square metre plot of land in Mumbai to a trust held by his family: The Manjra Charitable Trust. The market value of the land was worth Rs. 30 crore, but it was allotted at one-fifth the price, Rs. 6.56 crore. And while the land was given for a dental college, and the construction should have begun within two years as per the law, nothing has been built on the plot until four years after, indicating motivations for a land grab. The CAG report says: "Our scrutiny of land records revealed that the collector while allotting land did not mention the basic condition regarding completion of entire work within the period of two years so as to commence educational activity. It was also revealed that the chief minister had approved the application of Manjara trust for allotment of land in preference to three other applications without assigning any reason for this preferential allotment." ^{[21] [22]}

Adarsh Scam[link]

An affidavit filed in the Bombay high court, on 27 April 2012 alleges that Vilasrao Deshmukh might be owning two flats through proxies in the scam-tainted Adarsh Housing Society in Mumbai. The affidavit was filed by social activist Pravin Wategaonkar, one of the petitioners who have sought action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against politicians and bureaucrats in the Adarsh case through a PIL. "It was noticed in the CAG audit that in most cases decisions that were taken resulted in undue favour to the Society. Many of the officials who were involved in such decisions were direct beneficiaries. Either they or their relatives already were, or later became, members of the Society," it says, quoting the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report. According to the affidavit, Deshmukh, during his tenure as Maharashtra chief minister, recommended three persons—Uttam Ghakare, Amol Karbhari and Kiran Bhadange—for membership in the Adarsh Society, and they were allotted flats in the high-rise. It alleges that Karbhari and Bhadange, who hold adjacent flats 1503 and 1504, appear to be proxies for Deshmukh. "Both these people have received finances totalling Rs. 104.5 lakh from former Congress MLC and chief promoter of the Society Kanhaiyalal Gidwani (an accused in Adarsh case) and the company Apeksha Impex, reportedly owned by the Gidwanis themselves," the affidavit claims. Further, it alleges, allotment of flats to the persons recommended by Deshmukh appears to be a quid-pro-quo for the clearances given to the Society in his capacity as chief minister and minister-in-charge of the Urban Development. Deshmukh recently was rebuked by the high court and later by the Supreme Court in the Whistling Woods land allotment case. ^[23]

Notes[link]

1. ^ "Department of Heavy Industry". Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. http://dhi.nic.in/. Retrieved 6 February 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Shri. Vilasrao Dagadoji Deshmukh". Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. http://dhi.nic.in/min-biodata.pdf. Retrieved 6 February 2010. 
3. ^ "Ritesh Deshmukh Biography". apunkachoice.com. http://www.apunkachoice.com//names/rit/ritesh_deshmukh/cid_609/biography/. Retrieved 6 February 2010. 
4. ^ "Dilip Deshmukh takes oath as Cabinet Minister". webindia123.com. 1 March 2009. http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20090301/1188874.html. Retrieved 6 February 2010. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Election result Analysis 1978-2004". Election Commission of India. http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/electionanalysis/AE/S13/partycomp206.htm. Retrieved 27 January 2010. 
6. ^ "Wheel has taken full circle for Vilasrao Deshmukh". Rediff.com. 30 October 2004. http://www.rediff.com/election/2004/oct/29maha1.htm. Retrieved 6 February 2010. 
7. ^ "Deshmukh sworn in Chief Minister of Maharashtra". The Hindu. 2 November 2004. http://www.hindu.com/2004/11/02/stories/2004110209660100.htm. Retrieved 6 February 2010. 
8. ^ . Hindustan Times. 5 December 2008. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Chavan-to-be-new-Maharashtra-CM/Article1-356150.aspx. Retrieved 30 October 2010. 
9. ^ "Mumbai: the aftermath". World Press. 5 December 2008. http://inside.org.au/mumbai-the-aftermath/. Retrieved 30 October 2010. 
10. ^ "Big comeback: Deshmukh in Union Cabinet". CNN-IBN. 28 May 2009. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/big-comeback-deshmukh-in-union-cabinet/93527-37.html. Retrieved 6 February 2010. 
11. ^ "Vilasrao Deshmukh's promotion in Union Cabinet". CNN-IBN. 19 January 2011. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/maha-cm-gets-rural-development-ministry/140962-37.html. Retrieved 19 January 2011. 
12. ^ "MANJARA Charitable Trust". Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Mumbai. http://mctrgit.ac.in/aboutus.php. Retrieved 6 February 2010. 
13. ^ "Bombay HC slams Vilasrao Deshmukh- Subhash Ghai land deal - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-10/mumbai/31045559_1_land-allotment-joint-venture-cultural-development-corporation. Retrieved 2012-04-05. 
14. ^ "Supreme Court orders Subhash Ghai to return land, slams Vilasrao Deshmukh". Movies.ndtv.com. http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?ID=ENTEN20120198613&keyword=bollywood&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&nid=193699. Retrieved 2012-04-05. 
15. ^ "Supreme Court orders Subhash Ghai to return land, slams Vilasrao Deshmukh". Ndtv.com. http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/supreme-court-orders-subhash-ghai-to-return-land-slams-vilasrao-deshmukh-193700. Retrieved 2012-04-05. 
16. ^ "SC fines Maharastra Govt Rs 10 lakhs for shielding ex-CM's brother". Sify.com. 2010-12-14. http://www.sify.com/news/sc-fines-maharastra-govt-rs-10-lakhs-for-shielding-ex-cm-s-brother-news-national-kmomObefbcb.html. Retrieved 2012-04-05. 
17. ^ "Vilasrao's cabinet post a shameless act: SC judge - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-07/india/28366079_1_sc-judge-moneylender-rural-development. Retrieved 2012-04-05. 
18. ^ "BJP demands Vilasrao Deshmukh's resignation - Politics - Politics News - ibnlive". Ibnlive.in.com. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bjp-demands-vilasrao-deshmukhs-resignation/229475-37-64.html. Retrieved 2012-04-05. 
19. ^ "Probe against Deshmukh for shielding MLA from farmers". Hindustan Times. 2012-03-29. http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/Probe-against-Deshmukh-for-shielding-MLA-from-farmers/Article1-832360.aspx. Retrieved 2012-04-05. 
20. ^ "Vilasrao Deshmukh faces inquiry for shielding 'friend' Dilip Sananda : West News - India Today". Indiatoday.intoday.in. 2012-03-29. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/vilasrao-deshmukh-inquiry-congress-mla-dilip-sananda/1/179823.html. Retrieved 2012-04-05. 
21. ^ http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-04-06/news/31300068_1_land-allotment-cag-report-manjara
22. ^ http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/chaos-in-maharashtra-assembly-after-cag-report-on-land-grab-indicts-ministers-198593
23. ^ http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/Deshmukh-might-be-owning-flats-in-Adarsh-through-proxies/Article1-846652.aspx

Narayan Singh Dharam Singh (Kannada: ನಾರಾಯಣ್ ಸಿಂಗ್ ಧರಮ್ ಸಿಂಗ್, Born December 25, 1936), was the 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka, India. He is a Member of Parliament representing Bidar in the 15th Lok Sabha.

Early life & family[link]

Dharam Singh was born in Nelogi village of Jevargi taluk in Gulbarga District. He hails from the microscopic (Gola) Rajput community.^[1] He obtained his MA and LLB degrees from Osmania University, Hyderabad. He practised as an advocate before entering politics. He is married to Smt.Prabhavati Dharamsingh. He has two sons Vijaysingh and Dr.Ajaysingh and a daughter Priyadarshini.

Political career[link]

Dharam Singh began his long innings in politics as an Independent Corporator in the Gulbarga City Municipal Council. In the late 1960s, he joined the Indian National Congress and has remained a staunch loyalist since then, without deserting the party even when it passed through its worst times at different stages. He did not follow in the footsteps of his mentor former Chief minister Devaraj Urs when he broke away from the Congress and floated his own outfit, nor when his close friend and another former Chief minister S. Bangarappa resigned from the party.

He even gave up the Gulbarga Lok Sabha seat of which he was the Member of Parliament to accommodate C.M. Stephen, the then Union Minister in the Indira Gandhi Cabinet in 1980.^[2]

Dharam Singh emerged as one of the front-ranking leaders of North Karnataka region, winning from the backward Jewargi Assembly constituency for eight consecutive terms.^[1] A sober political leader by all standards, he earned the sobriquet "Ajatha Shatru" (A man without enemies).^[3]

Endowed with vast political and at least two decades of administrative experience, Singh has been one of the top leaders of the Congress in Karnataka. He has served as a minister under various Chief ministers such as Devaraj Urs, R. Gundu Rao, S. Bangarappa, M. Veerappa Moily and S. M. Krishna, and has deftly managed diverse portfolios such as Home, Excise, Social Welfare, Urban Development and Revenue

As KPCC President, Singh played a key role in reviving the flagging fortunes of the Congress in Karnataka during the late 1990's. At that time, the Congress' national leadership was headed by Sitaram Kesri, for whom Singh was said to be a favorite.

He lost out to his senior colleague S.M.Krishna in the race to the Chief Minister's post in 1999. Unlike his close friend and colleague Mallikarjun Kharge, Singh did not even throw his hat into the race. He had then, said "If everyone elects me unanimously, I will take up the post. I don't want to engage in competition". Without showing any signs of disappointment, He joined the Krishna ministry and handled the Public Works Department portfolio.

When the 2004 state elections resulted in a hung assembly with no party getting enough seats to form a government, the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) parties decided to come together and form a coalition government to keep the communal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power. Known for his adaptability and friendly nature, Dharam Singh was the unanimous choice of both parties to head the government^[4]. He was sworn in as Chief Ministeron May 28th, 2004^[5]. He was the second leader from Gulbarga to become Chief minister after the late Veerendra Patil. For almost 20 months, he led the fragile coalition through many ups and downs. He was criticised for not being assertive and for allowing the JD(S), which was the junior partner in the coalition to call the shots in the government^[6]. He left office on February 3, 2006 after the collapse of the Coalition government formed by the Congress (I) due to a defection in the JD(S) engineered by H.D. Kumaraswamy, who succeeded him as Chief minister leading a new coalition with the BJP^[7].

During the tenure of H.D. Kumaraswamy, he was the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly^[8]. However, In the 2008 state elections he was defeated by a political lightweight - Doddappagouda Patil Naribol of the BJP by a slim margin of 52 votes^[9].

In Loksabha elections held in May 2009, he contested from Bidar Lok Sabha constituency and emerged victorious against his former colleague Gurupadappa Nagamarpalli of the BJP by a margin of 39,619 votes.^[10]

Positions held[link]

• 1960: Councillor, Gulbarga City Municipal Council
• 1972-2008: Member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly
• Member of State Backward Classes Commission.
• Minister for Urban Development, Karnataka.
• Minister for Home & Excise, Karnataka.
• Minister for Revenue and Social Welfare, Karnataka.
• KPCC President
• 1999-2004: Minister for Public works, Karnataka.
• 2004-2006: Chief Minister of Karnataka
• 2006-2007: Leader of Opposition, Karnataka Legislative Assembly
• 2009 onwards: Member Of Parliament

Criticism and controversy[link]

The Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Nitte Santosh Hegde in 2008 has found Dharam Singh and 11 other officials guilty of causing a loss to the State exchequer owing to irregularities in the mining sector. The Lokayukta report indicted him for causing a loss of Rs. 23.22 crore. According to the report, Dharam Singh is at fault for allowing illegal mining in “patta” lands.^[11] The Lokayukta had also asked for the amount caused as loss to be recovered from Dharam Singh.^[12]

See also[link]

• List of Chief Ministers of Karnataka

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

• Karnataka CM's Profile
• Dharam Singh Watch