No’ to Bannurmath, yes to Upa Lok Ayukta. Why so, Mr Governor?

It says much about the times we live in that the institution of Lok Ayukta in Karnataka has been bedevilled with controversies ever since Justice Santosh Hegde retired. Now, to make matters worse, even the office of Upa Lok Ayukta has inherited the problem.

On Sunday, as governor HR Bhardwaj slammed the doors on considering Justice SR Bannurmath for the post of Lok Ayukta, tongues were wagging over the appointment of Justice Chandrashekaraiah as the second Upa Lok Ayukta. Speaking to reporters after administering the oath of office to retired high court judge Chandrashekaraiah, Bhardwaj said there was no question of reconsidering his decision on Justice Bannurmath. But the stand has once again raised questions on the eligible standards for the posts of Lok Ayukta and Upa Lok Ayukta.

Former Lok Ayukta justice Shivaraj Patil was forced to quit last September for owning a site illegally in the Judicial Layout. The state government’s repeated efforts to get the governor’s assent for appointing Justice SR Bannurmath as Patil’s successor has been stonewalled amidst reports that he, too, owns illegal sites in violation of the Housing Co-operative Societies Act.

Now the sudden appointment of Justice Chandrashekaraiah, who also owns a prime site in Judicial Layout, while already owning a house in Banashankari-II stage has eroded the credibility of the governor’s stand on selecting persons for the posts of Lok Ayukta and Upa Lok Ayukta.

If the standards have been lowered with an argument that the post of Upa Lok Ayukta was below the rank of Lok Ayukta, it is a reflection of compromises being forced on a system which is unfortunately finding it almost impossible to choose a judge with an impeccable record of competence and honesty. To put it in the words of governor Bhardwaj himself, “someone with the stature of Justice Santosh Hegde”.