BANGALORE: The deadlock between the state government and Governor H R Bhardwaj over the appointment of the Lokayukta seems to continue with the former firmly sticking to its choice of former Kerala High Court Chief Justice S R Bannurmath for the post.“The ball is now in the Governor’s court. It is up to him to take a decision,” Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda told both Houses of Legislature on Wednesday, making it clear that there will be no rethinking on his part on the issue.Intervening in a preliminary submission by the JD(S) on its adjournment notice to discuss the delay in the appointment of Lokayukta, Gowda flatly refused to take the blame for the delay.“My government should not be blamed for the delay. We have already recommended a name to the Governor. He (Bhardwaj) should take a decision,” Gowda added.He also refuted charges of not following proper procedures while recommending Justice Bannurmath’s name. “We have followed whatever procedures the previous governments had followed. There was no lapse whatsoever on the part of my government,” he claimed.On charges against Justice Bannurmath, Gowda said he had been reading about them only in the media. “I have not come across any documentary evidence to prove charges against the judge,” he said.On his part, the Governor told reporters on the sidelines of a function that if the government suggests a name which is accepted by the people and the press, he would not take even a minute to ratify it.Stating that he was not in a hurry to address the issue as he despised bothering the CM when the Assembly session was underway, the Governor, however, said Gowda was “responding well to appoint a spotless judge as the new Lokayukta”.
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