'Former SHRC members eligible for Lokayukta post'

Karnataka State Law Commission Chairperson and former chief of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) S R Nayak said that the State government has not yet approached him for the post of Lokayukta.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, he said that there was no rule rendering former SHRC members or chairpersons ineligible for the post.

“Both Justice Bhagwati and the recent Kerala High Court rulings have clarified this matter,” he said.

Justices M N Venkatachalaiah, Shivraj Patil and Bhaskar Rao, have either served as chairpersons or members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)and have been appointed as the Lokayukta, he said.

Nayak also said that the Law Commission, which has already submitted 41 reports to the government, had also drafted the State Lokpal Bill. The State government had asked the commission to prepare the bill, and hence, amendments were made to the existing Lokayukta Act and a fresh bill has been submitted.

He said that as per the provisions, the government cannot direct the Commission to frame legislations in a certain way. It however need not implement the recommendations made by the Commission, he added.