Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj and the state government are holding their positions over the appointment of a new judge as the Karnataka Lokayukta,leading to a fresh confrontation between the two. Despite the Governors rejection of the governments candidate,former Kerala High Court chief justice S R Bannurmath,the state government is insisting on its choice even as Bhardwaj on Monday reiterated that the government must find someone else and a Supreme Court judge if possible. The choice of Justice Bannurmath,who belongs to the Lingayat community and is seen as the preferred choice of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa,who is facing corruption charges,was vetoed on technical grounds last week by the Governor who is the appointing authority for the Lokayukta. CM D V Sadananda Gowda,who seemed inclined to obey the Governors directives while Yeddyurappa was in prison last week,changed track following Yeddyurappas release on bail,insisting that the government would not back down from its choice. Justice Bannurmath is our choice. I have written to the Governor requesting him to immediately appoint Justice Bannurmath as the Lokayukta, Gowda said. The Governor contradicted this saying,I have told them to find out more names and to give me a Supreme Court judge if possible. The choice of Justice Bannurmath as the Lokayukta has not been vetted by the Leaders of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court,the Governor reiterated.
