Karnataka proposes new Lokayukta, NGO protests

The position has been vacant since December 2015, when Justice Y Bhaskar Rao, a former Karnataka Chief Justice, resigned amid allegations of corruption.

The selection of Justice Shetty has, however, kicked up a new controversy with an NGO writing to the Karnataka Governor against clearing the appointment until issues of alleged conflict of interest and property holdings of the judge in contravention of the law are resolved.

The founder of NGO Samaj Parivartan Samudaya, social activist S R Hiremath, on Tuesday wrote to Governor Vajubhai Vala against the appointment, alleging that the judge violated rules while acquiring a government property despite already holding a property. Since Justice Shetty is the owner of a property in a housing cooperative, he would not be able to adjudicate on a pending investigation into illegalities in housing cooperatives, the NGO has stated.

According to Hiremath, Justice Shetty is also in a position of conflict of interest since he has appeared in the Supreme Court as an advocate for former BJP minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, whose disproportionate assets are being probed by the Lokayukta Police, and similarly Congress minister D K Shivakumar.

“At a time when the anti-corruption ombudsman is facing serious crisis with major loss of public confidence, it is imperative that the government applies its mind and recommends names without any blemishes,’’ the letter to the Governor said.

In 2011, Justice Shivaraj Patil, a former SC judge, quit the position of Karnataka Lokayukta, barely a month after he took over, following reports that his family owned multiple properties in violation of state rules.