Speaker admits petition on removal of Upalokayukta

The Assembly on Friday admitted a petition by the Congress seeking to move a motion for the removal of Upalokayukta (II) Justice Subash B Adi, despite a stiff opposition from the BJP.

Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa admitted the motion moved by Congress MLA Tanveer Sait amid slogan-shouting and protests by the BJP members, while the JD(S) remained neutral.

The Assembly has already admitted a petition seeking to move a motion for the removal of Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao following complaints of corruption in the anti-graft watchdog.

The Lokayukta and the Upalokayukta will be divested of their administrative powers and duties after the Speaker writes to Chief Justice (CJ) of Karnataka High Court Subhro Kamal Mukherjee, urging him to look into the charges and submit a report.

Once this is done, the anti-corruption ombudsman will become a headless institution. The post of Upalokayukta (I) is at present vacant. As per the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, the CJ will set up a three-member panel to probe the charges mentioned in the petitions and will have three months time to submit the report. 

Governor Vajubhai Vala has already rejected the State government’s recommendation to appoint Justice K L Manjunath as Upalokayukta (I).

The Congress has charged Justice Adi with overstepping his jurisdiction and closing a case involving a government medical officer, Dr Sheela, who, according to the Congress, is a relative of BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar.

The BJP, however, has refuted the charges against Justice Adi and accused the government of conspiring to close down the Lokayukta institution.  BJP leader Suresh Kumar said the Speaker refused to disclose charges against Upalokayukta (II) despite submitting a request in writing.

“As a member of the Assembly, it is my right to know the reasons cited by the ruling party for seeking the removal of Justice Adi. But it has been denied to me. This clearly shows that the government is purposefully targeting the Upalokayukta. It is undemocratic,” said Kumar.