Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday expressed helplessness over the hassles in appointing Lokayukta. In a major setback to the state government over the appointment of Lokayukta, Governor Vajubhai R Vala has sent back the recommendation of the selection committee opting Justice Vishwanath Shetty for Lokayukta post.
It may be recalled the Governor wrote a letter to the state government while sending back the nomination of Justice Vishwanath Shetty for the post of Lokayukta. The Governor not only sought an explanation for the allegations against Justice Vishwanath Shetty but also advised the government to reconsider its recommendation.
Speaking with media persons after inaugurating hybrid projection system at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium here, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that he was yet to receive the letter from the Governor. “I have no information on the letter written by the Governor rejecting the committee recommendation of Justice Vishwanath Shetty for Lokayukta post. I will look into it as soon as I receive it,’’ the chief minister said.
When asked about Governor rejecting the selection committee’s recommendation every time, the chief minister said: “What to do? It is happening.’’ He said the government would take a decision on what to do in future after receiving the letter from the Governor.
According to reliable sources, the Governor’s reluctance comes in the wake of complaints against Justice Shetty of getting a site allotted in the Judicial Layout by allegedly furnishing false information. Social activist S R Hiremath had raised the issue and also submitted a memorandum to the governor requesting him to reject the state government’s recommendation. Hiremath has also alleged that Shetty had appeared for mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy before the Supreme Court. Reddy was indicted by the Karnataka Lokayukta in the illegal mining case.
Earlier too, the governor had refused to give his assent for the state government’s recommendation of Justice S R Nayak for the Lokayukta’s post. The post of Lokayukta has remained headless since the ignominious exit of former Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao in December 2015.
