Justice Nayak again recommended as Lokayukta

 The state government has again recommended the name of Karnataka Law Commission Chairman Justice S R Nayak for the post of Lokayukta.

 Earlier this month, Governor Vajubhai Vala had sent back the file recommending Justice Nayak’s name for the post of the anti-corruption ombudsman asking the government to reconsider its decision.

However, the Siddaramaiah government has stuck to its stand and has replied to the governor stating that Justice Nayak be appointed as Lokayukta, sources said.

 In its reply, the government has stated that Justice Nayak is a Kannadiga and knowl-
edge of Kannada would help for holding the position of Lokayukta who has to interact with the local population extensively, the sources said.

Earlier, the government had recommended the name of Justice Nayak despite four of a six-member committee constituted to select the lokayukta opposing his name.
 Besides the chief minister Siddaramaiah, the Lokayukta selection committee comprised the Chief Justice of the High Court S K Mukherjee, Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa, Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy, leaders of the Opposition in both Houses,
Jagadish Shettar and K  S Eshwarappa.

 Siddaramaiah and Thimm- appa had favoured Justice Nayak. But Justice Mukherjee (through his letter), Shankaramurthy, Shettar and  Eshwarappa favoured former Supreme Court judge Justice Vikramjit Sen. Yet, the government had recommended the name of Justice Nayak.

 Justice Sen is not from Karnataka and hence the government is now playing the Kannadiga card in support of its recommendation, sources said.