BANGALORE: Unmoved by Raj Bhavan’s decision to return the file on the appointment of former Kerala Chief Justice S R Bannurmath as next Lokayukta, the state government has said that it has “valuable defence” both on the procedure of selection as well as the choice of the candidate.Reacting to Governor H R Bhardwaj’s reported decision to officially return the file to the government, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar said that the government would pursue the name of Bannurmath for the job. “We have not thought about any alternative names (for the post of Lokayukta). Still the government feels that we should pursue the matter with the Governor.”Meanwhile, sources in the government said that Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has promised Bharadwaj that he will discuss the issue with him soon after his return from Delhi.Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parmeshwar has asked the government to reconsider appointment of Bannurmath in view of Governor’s decision to return the file. “They should follow due procedure and choose a person of high integrity to head the anti-corruption institute,” Parmeshwar said.On Bannurmath, the Congress leader said, “A person of the calibre of Bannurmath should have declined the job soon after the Governor refused to appoint him. He must refrain from accepting the post now to avoid further embarrassment.”Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council S Motamma appreciated the Governor’s stand to return the file and urged the government not to consider the Lokayukta appointment as a prestige issue.“Let the government convene a meeting of the committee to shortlist a panel of names for the Lokayukta instead of rallying behind a single person,” she said.
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