Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

The High Court of Karnataka overturned the Governor's suspension of Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar, chairperson of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC). The court ruled the suspension illegal, as the Governor had acted without consulting the State Cabinet. Sahukar argued the Governor had no authority to suspend the chairperson until the President referred the case to the Supreme Court for an inquiry under Article 317(1) of the Constitution.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches across 21 locations in Karnataka and Ahmedabad, targeting irregularities in the hiring of Veterinary Officers. This included the KPSC office in Bengaluru, Sahukar's residence, Shanta Hosmani, a KPSC member, suspected middlemen, selected candidates, and Edutest Solutions Private Limited, the firm responsible for digital exam paper evaluation.

School closures in Bengaluru followed a flu outbreak, with Clarence High School halting in-person classes from August 14-18. Over 500 students and 21 staff members fell ill, leading to an online class transition. School administrator Commodore Prem Reuben reported 20% of the 2,500 students were absent due to fever, cold, cough, and body aches.

Health and Family Welfare Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde clarified that two staff members tested positive for H1N1 but were recovering, with no child infections confirmed. The Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) expressed disappointment over the planned October 2026 commencement of white-topping work on the ORR, preferring to prioritize Metro completion.

ORRCA members urged officials to focus on Metro projects before initiating new ORR work, citing delays and poor infrastructure infrastructure, which weakened confidence in the government's execution capabilities.

Congress representative Mankal Vaidya secured a unanimous election as Deputy Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on August 18. Representing the Bhatkal constituency, Vaidya, previously unopposed in 2023, was endorsed by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Cooperation Minister Laxman Savadi.