After much debate over appointing a chief for the Lokayukta in Karnataka, the Governor, Vajubhai Vala has given his assent for appointing Justice Vishwanath Shetty to head the anti-corruption body.
Talking to media persons on Thursday, CM Siddaramaiah said, “The Governor’s approval has come through and Vishwanath Shetty will be Karnataka’s Lokayukta Chief.”
The state's advocate-general forwarded the file, which clarified the points raised by the Governor. The government sent its recommendation back to the Governor on Wednesday morning after which he gave his nod, media reports said.
Responding to the decision, activist Hiremath said that the Supreme Court guidelines were not followed while appointing Shetty as the new chief.
“The selection committee should look into this matter again. The people of Karnataka are tired of the rampant corruption in the state. Their only hope is that there is a body like the Lokayukta to check corruption. Now, by appointing a corrupt person as its chief, the organisation is being contaminated,” said Hiremath.
On January 17, the Governor had rejected Shetty’s nomination and had asked the state government to look into the merits and demerits of appointing him as the Lokayukta head.
According to media reports, the Governor - who has previously rejected the name of Justice SR Nayak twice in 2016 - observed that the government should choose someone with an impeccable track record for the post.
This came after activist SR Hiremath of the Samaja Parivartana Samudaya had written a letter to the Governor raising several questions about Shetty owning illegal property in Bengaluru.
Shetty was recommended to the government by a committee headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, which included Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court S K Mukherjee, Speaker K B Koliwad, Legislative Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy, leaders of the Opposition in the two houses of legislature Jagadish Shettar and K S Eshwarappa as its members.
The post has been vacant since December 2015.