Justice Chandrashekaraiah’s appointment as the second Upa Lok Ayukta has been questioned by Justice MF Saldanha, also a former judge of the Karnataka high court.
Justice Chandrashekaraiah’s appointment as the second Upa Lok Ayukta has been questioned by Justice MF Saldanha, also a former judge of the Karnataka high court.
In a letter written to governor HR Bhardwaj, Justice Saldanha said the highest standard must be maintained to uphold the institution of the Lok Ayukta.
DNAhas a copy of the letter written by Saldanha to the governor.
Justice Saldanha pointed out that Chandrashekaraiah did not hold a clean record, and named the controversies that the latter was involved in — including the infamous Mysore Roost Resort scandal. Saldanha requested the governor to choose a person with a clean track record for the post of Lok Ayukta.
Chandrashekaraiah was appointed the second Upa Lok Ayukta on January 21, while the state government and governor Bhardwaj were already engaged in a bitter battle over the appointment of Lok Ayukta. The governor has thrice rejected the state government’s recommendation to appoint former Kerala high court Chief Justice SR Bannurmath as Lok Ayukta of Karnataka.
The second Upa Lok Ayukta’s post had been lying vacant since October, when Justice R Gururajan resigned citing family and health issues.
Summarising the controversies in which Justice Chandrashekaraiah was involved, Saldanha alleged that the former was involved in the Roost Resort sex scandal. Saldanha also cited a case where Chandrashekaraiah was beaten up with slippers by a schoolmaster, who accused the judge of siding with the accused.
Justice Saldanha said: “The post of Upa Lok Ayukta is very important and sensitive. The appointee must inspire total confidence and if there is even a slight blemish in his track record, it would disqualify the candidate.” He further pointed out that citizens should be informed about the name that has been recommended and be given enough time to post their objections, if any, to the government.
“But in the case of Chandrashekaraiah, no one was aware that his name was recommended and he was sworn in before any material could have been placed before the appointing authority. Such degree of speed can be damaging,” Justice Saldanha said.
Speaking to DNA, Justice Saldanha said: “The crucial appointment of Lok Ayukta is yet to be done. Let the person appointed have a clean and clear track record. Let not the mistakes made in the appointment for Upa Lok Ayukta be repeated. The Upa Lok Ayukta appointment was made in a hushed manner.”
DNA, in a series of reports, had pointed out that judges of the Karnataka high court and Supreme Court were allotted sites by the Karnataka State Judicial Employees House Building Co-operative Society, in violation of by-laws.
Justice Chandrashekaraiah was also allotted a site when he was the judge of the high court.
On this issue, Justice MF Saldanha said: “A member of the higher judiciary is a constitutional functionary and cannot claim to be a judicial employee. He cannot avail a site meant for an employee and it is bad. This position was held by the 1995 division bench of the Karnataka high court.” When DNA contacted Chandrashekaraiah, he hit out at Saldanha and refused to comment on the letter.
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