Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S. Suresh Kumar on Saturday said the appointment of the former High Court judge, Chandrashekaraiah, as Upalokayukta was appropriate and there was no question of the Government recalling him.
Speaking to presspersons in Hassan, Mr. Suresh Kumar said that there was no provision in the Karnataka Lokayukta Act for recalling the Upalokayukta. As per the Act, his removal was only through the proceedings of impeachment in the legislature.
Stating that he would not react to the letter of Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen to the Chief Minister, Mr. Suresh Kumar said that the Government did consult the Chief Justice and others as per the Lokayukta Act. The Governor had also conveyed to the Government that only the legislature could take further action in this regard.
“The Government can neither cancel the appointment nor recall him. As per the Act, the Upalokayukta can be removed only through the process of impeachment,” he said.
Inquiry
Reacting to a question on the necessity of an inquiry into the three former Ministers' embroiled in the porn scandal, Mr. Suresh Kumar said that the Speaker had taken a decision as it had become an issue in the public domain through the media. “The act did not come to the Speaker's notice in the House. He has formed a panel of inquiry to ascertain the facts,” he said.
He added that the inquiry was necessary as the former Ministers gave their version of the incident that was different from what the media had reported.
‘An embarrassment'
Later, speaking to the media in Alur, the Minister admitted that the incident had embarrassed the Bharatiya Janata Party Government.
