BENGALURU: Justice BS Patil, an ex-judge of the Karnataka HC and serving Upa Lokayukta, was appointed as the Karnataka Lokayukta on Tuesday. Justice Patil resigned from the post of Upa Lokayukta after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot 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 SC or retired chief justice of HC or retired judge of HC with a minimum of 10 years’ experience can be appointed as Lokayukta, as per the amendment made to the Karnataka Lokayukta Act in 2015. Born on June 1, 1956 at Padekanur village of Muddebihal Taluk in Bijapur district, Justice Patil enrolled as an advocate in 1980.