Bangalore, Sep 20 (IANS): The Karnataka government Tuesday began the process of selecting a new ombudsman after Governor H.R. Bhardwaj accepted the resignation of Lokayukta Shivaraj V. Patil, who quit after a row over his buying a housing plot.

"We have started the process of selecting a new Lokayukta as the governor has accepted Patil's resignation. We will take a decision soon," Karnataka Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda told reporters at Raj Bhavan after calling on Bhardwaj.

Gowda, however, declined to comment on Patil's resignation or on the controversy under which the ombudsman resigned late Monday.

Earlier in the day, Bhardwaj accepted Patil's resignation and directed the state government to recommend the name of a former judge to be appointed as the next head of the anti-graft institution that was set up in 1986, making Karnataka the first state to do so.

"The governor accepted the resignation of Shivaraj V. Patil as Lokayukta of Karnataka with effect from Sep 20," a communique from Raj Bhavan said.

The ombudsman is appointed by the governor on the advice of the chief minister in consultation with the Karnataka High Court chief justice, the state legislative assembly speaker, legislative council chairman and leaders of opposition in both the assembly and council.