Vikramjit Sen, Cyriac Joseph or Subray Rama Nayak? Crucial meet on January 4

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has convened a meeting of the high power committee to discuss the appointment of new Lokayukta here on January 4 amid speculation that either former Supreme Court judges Justice Vikramjit Sen, Justice Cyriac Joseph or former chief justice of Chhattisgarh high court Justice Subray Rama Nayak could make it to as head of the anti-graft institution.

Besides Mr Siddaramaiah, chief justice of the Karnataka High Court, presiding officers of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly, leaders of Opposition in both Houses, and law and parliamentary affairs minister T B Jayachandra constitute the committee to select the new Lokayukta. This committee would send a list of probable candidates to Governor Vajubhai Vala for the approval at the end of their meeting.

Official sources said while Justice Nayak hails from Karnataka and has been serving as chairman of the State Human Rights Commission, Justice Sen and Justice Joseph had served as chief justices of the high court prior to their elevation to the apex court.

Meanwhile, leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Jagadish Shettar, confirmed to Deccan Chronicle that he received an intimation regarding the meeting on January 4, and therefore would participate in it He said his party had no plans to recommend any names for the top post, but would discuss names proposed by the government. “We will go through all details and take a call,” he added.

While the state government has been advocating strengthening of the institution, on the other hand it has plans to introduce the Lokpal system in Karnataka. Once Lokpal comes into existence, the institution of Lokayukta would become redundant. But the government seems to be in a great hurry as it does not want the institution to remain headless for a long time. Besides, people of Karnataka have reposed faith in this institution thanks to efforts made by former Lokayukta, Justice Venkatachalaiah and Justice Santosh Hegde, to rid the administration of corruption. Under provisions of the amended Karnataka Lokayukta Act, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, retired chief justice of high courts or retired judge of the high court who has completed ten years of service would be eligible to be appointed the Lokayukta. Earlier, only retired judges of the apex court or retired chief justice was considered to occupy the top post.