Vishwanatha Shetty is consensus candidate for Lokayukta post

High Court of Karnataka judge P. Vishwanatha Shetty (retd) has emerged as the consensus candidate for the post of Karnataka Lokayukta, a position that has been vacant for over a year.

Mr. Shetty’s name was finalised on Monday at a high-level committee meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Besides Mr. Shetty (73), the names of N.K. Patil and Anand Byrareddy

figured during the discussion. Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka Subhro Kamal Mukherjee had conveyed his consent for all three names.

The Lokayukta post has been vacant since December 8, 2015 after Y. Bhaskar Rao resigned following the alleged involvement of his son, Ashwin Y., in an extortion racket.