Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 9: At last there is good news in the anti- corruption bureau of the state when it was decided to recommend justice N Ananda's name for the post of Upalokayukta. A committee headed by chief minister Siddaramaiah unanimously selected the retired high court judge's name on Tuesday, December 8.

Siddaramaiah later revealed that out of the three names furnished by the acting chief justice of the high court justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee, justice Ananda's name was chosen. The proposal will be sent soon to Governor Vajubhai Vala for his approval.

The chief minister Siddaramaiah, legislative assembly speaker Kagodu Thimmappa, legislative council chairman D H Shankaramurthy, and leader of the opposition in the assembly Jagadish Shettar were present in the meeting.

Justice Mukherjee and leader of the opposition in the council, K S Eshwarappa, who were also the members of the committee, could not attend the meeting.

It was said that the committee contacted Eshwarappa over phone to convey the decision and he too gave his consent.

Shettar said that that the members had unanimously chosen Justice Ananda because of his impeccable record. The other two names recommended by the chief justice were - justices K L Manjunath and Ajit Gunjal. Manjunath’s name was rejected by the committee. “We selected the best. Both justices are equally good, but we had to pick only one name.” Shettar added.

Justice Ananda is of Kolar origin. He started practicing law from 1977. He served in Bengaluru additional sessions court from 1987 to 1989. Then he served as district judge in Hassan, Chitraduraga and Mangaluru. He was appointed as high court registrar in 2003. From 2008 to till his retirement in 2015, he served as high court judge.