Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE CONTROVERSIAL APPOINTMENT GOVERNOR'S DOUBLE STANDARDS IN APPOINTMENT

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE CONTROVERSIAL APPOINTMENT GOVERNOR'S DOUBLE STANDARDS IN APPOINTMENT 

 The Governor HR Bharadwaj had sprung a surprise by appointing Justice Chandrashekaraiah as the second Upa Lokayukta. He also administered the oath within hours of his appointment. It is to be recalled that Chandrashekaraiah had also procured a big site in Judicial Department Employees Housing Society, though ineligible. All these months, the Governor refused to clear the appointment of former Chief Justice of Kerala High Court Bannurmath as the Lokayukta, precisely on this ‘site’ issue, despite the government’s insistence on Bannurmath’s name. One wonders how the Governor cleared the name of Chandrashekaraiah who is also accused of the same charge as that of Bannurmath? 

 After the resignation of Shivraj Patil as the Lokayukta over the Site controversy, the government proposed the name of former Chief Justice of Kerala High Court Bannurmath to the post. But, Bannurmath too was embroiled in the same ‘Judicial’ site controversy. He was charged with procuring a big site from the Judicial Department Employees HCS. Further, the site that was allotted to him was reserved for civic Amenities and Bannurmath had built a mansion on this big plot. 

 As soon as the controversy broke out, the Governor refused to clear Bannurmath’s name on the pretext that his continuation may also be affected due to the site scam. There were however, other reasons too for the governor to refuse the name of Bannurmath. It is alleged that Bannurmath is the personal choice of former Chief Minister Yeddyurappa who wants an ‘accommodative’ Lokayukta who can relieve him from the Lokayukta cases he is facing. 

 But the Governor refused to clear Bannurmath’s name and the Government too stood adamant on Bannurmath’s choice. The tussle between the Government and the Governor resulted in the Lokayukta institution being headless for the last five months. 

 And now, people are surprised with the sudden appointment of Former Judge of the High Court Chandrashekaraiah as the second Upa Lokayukta. It is said that the Government sent the name of Chandrashekaraiah to the Governor for appointment as the second Upa Lokayukta and the Governor cleared the name immediately. Interestingly, he was also administered the oath of office by the Governor within hours of his appointment. 

 Of course, Chandrashekaraiah’s appointment has surprised people as he too is involved in the Judicial Layout controversy. He has also obtained a big site from the society while he was functioning as judge of the High Court. One wonders how the governor signed the appointment without going into the ‘site’ controversy of Chandrashekaraiah. The same Governor has refused to clear the name of Bannurmath to the Lokayukta post on the same ‘site’ issue. When this is the hard reality, one expects the Governor to have thoroughly vetted the proposal of the government to appoint Chandrashekaraiah to the Upa Lokayukta post. 

 Chandrashekaraiah was the judge of the High Court from 1995 to 2004. He was made the President of the State Consumer Forum in 2004 by the then Dharam Singh led Congress – JD(S) government and worked in the post till 2009. 

 With regard to the appointment of Upa Lokayukta, it is the Governor who has to answer the double standards he has followed in the case of Bannurmath and Chandrashekaraiah. While he refused to clear Bannurmath’s name on the pretext of site issue, he has not cared to follow the same rule in case of Chandrashekaraiah. And now the Governor who held an impromptu press conference after swearing, Chandrashekaraiah, stated that there are other valid reasons for him, apart from the ‘site’ issue, to reject Bannurmath’s name. But he has refused to make public the “other reasons”! The public have every right to know the other reasons of the Governor for his actions. It is required that the Governor reveals the other reasons or else one can come to their own conclusions about the Governor’s double standards. 

And that is all.