Bengaluru, May 18 (DHNS): Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said he would again recommend the name of Justice S R Nayak for the post of Lokayukta and send it to Governor Vajubai Vala. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a programme at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Siddaramaiah said it not was just the file pertaining to Justice Nayak’s appointment, the Governor had also returned other files without giving his assent. The government will give suitable replies to his queries and send the files back to him, he said.

At Victoria Hospital 

Governor Vala recently returned an ordinance bill on the setting up a university for rural development and panchayat raj.

Sources in the government said the Governor had returned the ordinance bill, suggesting that an in-depth debate was necessary for setting up the university. He has asked the government to table the bill in the next session of the state legislature, instead of taking the ordinance route.

The university will impart training and education in subjects related rural development and panchayat raj. The bill was passed in the Legislative Assembly in the previous session. But the Upper House is yet to debate it. The Governor had also recently returned another ordinance bill pertaining to providing reservation to SCs/STs in government contracts. When reporters drew his attention to allegations about Excise Minister Manohar Tahsildar’s son taking bribe for transferring forest officers, the chief minister said if there was any evidence to prove the charges, then action would be initiated. An inquiry will be ordered if there are documents to support the charges, he said.

When his comments were sought to state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa’s remarks that the Congress government was not functioning effectively, Siddaramaiah said such comments should not be taken seriously because Yeddyurappa was always finding fault with others.

Zameer praises Siddu

Chamarajpet JD(S) MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan, who shared the dais with Siddaramaiah on the occasion, praised the chief minister.

The MLA said he had been the Chamarajpet MLA for the past decade. The previous chief ministers have attended various functions held at Victoria Hospital, but none had spent more than 30 minutes there.

But Siddaramaiah stayed here for two hours and interacted with the doctors. “I have not seen such a chief minister,” he said. Siddaramaiah said Zameer had good qualities. “He has been our man despite being with the JD(S),” he said.