Lokayukta: Government sticks to Justice Nayak's name

The state government seems to be persisting with the name of Justice S R Nayak for the post of Lokayukta though the Governor had rejected the choice twice.

Replying to an RTI application filed by an NGO, the government refused to part with details about the proceedings of the consultation process stating the process is still on.

Governor Vajubhai Vala had twice rejected the name of Justice Nayak, the present chairperson of Karnataka Law Commission, following complaints about illegal allotment of sites.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had sent the name of Justice Nayak February 2016 and again in May 2016 after Justice Y Bhaskar Rao resigned from the post of Lokayukta on December 8, 2015.

Sources in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) told DH that after the governor rejected Justice Nayak’s name in May 2016,  the file has remained at the chief minister’s office.

Meanwhile, Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath, an NGO, has written to Chief Justice of India T S Thakur to intervene and direct the government to consider some other name for the post. “We have filed a petition to Justice Thakur to take up the issue on suo-motu basis,’’ the NGO said.

The NGO says it has documents to show that the consultative process on the appointment of Karnataka Lokayukta was not followed.

In the last consultation meeting on February 19, 2016, the chief minister did not disclose the withdrawal of consent by Justice Vikramajit Sen in January 2016. Whereas, four out of six members in the same meeting had again suggested the name of Justice Sen. “This shows the intent of the government,” co-president of JSP Adarsh R Iyer said.