Justice Sodhi frontrunner for Lokayukta

BANGALORE: Karnataka government has begun the process of selecting a new anti-corruption watchdog with governor H R Bhardwaj on Tuesday formally accepting the resignation of Lokayukta Shivaraj V Patil.
Justice Patil resigned on Monday, after 47 days in office, following allegations of owning multiple sites in violation of government rules. "The governor has accepted the resignation of Justice Shivaraj Patil," a Raj Bhavan communique said.
Before accepting Justice Patil’s resignation, the governor had summoned chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda and asked him to recommend the name of a former judge to be appointed as the next Lokayukta. "We have started the process of selecting a new Lokayukta as the governor accepted Patil’s resignation. We will take a decision soon, ‘’ Sadananda Gowda told reporters after a brief meeting with the governor on Tuesday.
Later in the day, Gowda said a new Lokayukta will be appointed after the Koppal bypoll. He, however, declined to comment on Patil’s resignation or on the controversy under which he resigned. "It is his decision and we need to accept it," he said.
The state government is not left with much choice to select the new Lokayukta, especially after the manner in which Justice Patil exited from the office. CM office sources said that as of now, the government was considering former Karnataka high court chief justice N K Sodhi. He served as chief justice during 2004-05. Justice Sodhi is currently the presiding officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal.
If Sodhi refuses to accept the offer, the government might appoint Justice R V Ravindran. He is due to retire in mid-October and till then the government may keep the post vacant and allow the two Upa-Lokayuktas to oversee.
Former high court chief justice S R Bannurmath will be another choice.
The governor appoints the ombudsman on the advice of the chief minister in consultation with the Karnataka HC Chief Justice, the state legislative assembly speaker, legislative council chairman and leaders of opposition in both the assembly and council.