Peeved at “malicious allegations” levelled against him, former Kerala high court chief justice SR Bannurtmath on Tuesday asked the Karnataka government not to consider him for the office of lokayukta.
After justice Shivaraj Patil resigned on the allegation that he had been allotted plots
in violation of the rules, the state government proposed justice Bannurtmath’s name for the post. But Bharadwaj refused to appoint him, stating that he wished to keep the lokayukta above controversy.
Justice Bannurmath is facing allegations on two counts: first, he has been allotted a plot in a housing society formed for just employees of the high court, and second, he has received this allotment though he supposedly has another property in Bangalore.
The judge, however, has denied he has any other property. “The allotment of sites for high court judges in Bangalore was challenged in the high court and a divisional bench upheld the allotment,” he said.
CM DV Sandananda Gowda said: “Justice Bannurtmath has requested me not to consider his name for lokayukta, the government will find another suitable name for the post.”