New lokayukta in 10 days, says CM

The process of appointing the next lokayukta will commence on Monday. It  will be completed in 10 days, said Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda here on Sunday.

Speaking to mediapersons during his visit to the city to launch various projects, Gowda said the lokayukta would be appointed after consulting the High Court chief justice, the council chairperson, the Speaker and leaders of Opposition in both Houses.

He said he was hurt by the criticisms by the Opposition that the government was delaying the appointment of lokayukta, thereby weakening the institution.

Gowda said he would speak to Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Vikramjith Sen, who has raised objections to the appointment of Upa Lokayukta Justice Chandrashekaraiah. The government had not breached any law in appointing Justice Chandrashekaraiah Upa Lokayukta. As the government had followed the due procedures and had even consulted the chief justice, it would not be responsible for the objections raised.

Gowda said that as the allegations levelled against Chandrashekaraiah “are not serious in nature,” it would not be possible to recall him through impeachment.

According to sources, the government wants to tread cautiously while choosing the next lokayukta. It wants to select a clean and non-controversial person for the post to avoid any further controversy or embarrassment.

Hitherto, the government was looking for only a Kannada-speaking person for the ombudsman’s post. But it is now said to be open to non-Kannada speaking person.
Justice B N Srikrishna, Justice Cyriac Joseph, Justice Nauvdip Kumar Sodhi and Justice K H N Kuranga are some of the probable names being considered. Both Justice Srikrishna and Justice Kuranga are from Karnataka, sources said.

 The State Cabinet will be expanded after presenting the Budget, the chief minister said. Now, Gowda has 16 portfolios, including that of finance. “The 16 portfolios are not a burden. I will convene a meeting of all the 16 department officials on Monday. The officials have been asked to give details of progress every week.”

A lot of reforms have been brought into the health department.