Bengaluru: Former Karnataka High Court (HC) Judge, Justice Bhimanagouda Sanganagouda Patil (B.S. Patil) took charge as the new Lokayukta of the State this morning at Raj Bhavan here.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Leader of the Opposition Siddharamaiah and others.
Serving Upa Lokayukta, Patil was appointed as Karnataka Lokayukta yesterday. Justice Patil resigned from the post of Upa Lokayukta after the Governor issued the notification appointing him as the head of the corruption watchdog.
He is perhaps the first Judge to be appointed as the Lokayukta while serving as Upa Lokayukta.
A retired Judge of the Supreme Court or retired Chief Justice of High Court or retired Judge of High Court with a minimum of 10 years’ experience can be appointed as Lokayukta, as per the amendment made to the Karnataka Lokayukta Act in 2015.
According to the appointment notification issued on the orders of the Governor, Chief Minister had Bommai recommended that Justice Patil be appointed as the Lokayukta.
It said, “this recommendation was made after consulting the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, the Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council, the Speaker, Karnataka Legislative Assembly and the Leaders of Opposition in both the Houses of the State Legislature.”
The post of the head of anti-corruption ombudsman in the State had been vacant after Justice P. Vishwanath Shetty had stepped down as Karnataka Lokayukta in January, after five years of service.
Born on June 1, 1956 at Padekanur village of Muddebihal taluk in Bijapur district, Justice Patil enrolled as an advocate on Sept.5, 1980 and has practiced at trial courts and the High Court as well. He was appointed as a Permanent Judge of Karnataka HC on Oct. 21, 2004.
This post was published on June 15, 2022 6:40 pm