Mysuru: Cornered by religious institutions and pontiffs of mutts, chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced the withdrawal of a legislation to take over mutts and temples in trouble.

The CM said that the government will withdraw the bill to amend the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act during the budget session of the legislature, likely to be convened by end of January.

The government had introduced the bill to take over troubled mutts and temples in the Belagavi assembly session, leading to protests by the BJP.

Siddaramaiah said it was the JD(S)-BJP coalition government in 2007 that had proposed an amendment to the bill, following a petition in the Supreme Court. The issue was discussed in the cabinet, which decided to withdraw it, he added.

On the government’s move to appoint former legislative council chairman V R Sudarshan as head of the Karnataka Public Services Commission, Siddaramaiah said it wasn’t a wrong decision. “Why shouldn’t a politician be appointed as KPSC chief ? There is precedence from previous governments,” the CM said, adding the government won’t change its nominee for the post.

The governor has to approve Sudarshan’s nomination.