BANGALORE: After a three-month-long war of words with the BJP government, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj today "formally" rejected its recommendation on appointing former Kerala High Court Chief Justice S R Bannurmath as Lokayukta.
A Raj Bhavan communique said "the Governor of Karnataka, having considered the proposal received from the Government through the Chief Secretary, regarding appointment of Justice S.R.Bannurmath as Karnataka Lokayukta and having taken into consideration the contents of subsequent correspondence between the Governor and Chief Minister, has formally rejected the advice tendered by the Chief Minister in this regard".
The file has been returned to the Government, it said. Meanwhile, Bannurmath, who was under media glare in the midst of the stand-off on his appointment as Lokayukta, today wrote to the Chief Minister not to pursue his recommendation with the Governor.
Bannurmath will address the media tomorrow. The post of Lokayukta has remained vacant since September 19 after Justice (Rtd) Shivaraj Patil quit in the wake of allegations of getting land allotment violating rules.