from daijiworld's special correspondent from Bangalore

Bangalore, Jul 5: A frantic hunt had been on for a worthy successor to Justice Venkatachala who has retired as the state Lokayukta a few days ago.

Two prominent names are reportedly under government's serious consideration - those of Justice Nitte Santosh Hegde and Justice V S Malimath, both retired Supreme Court judges.

Justice Santosh Hegde (retired)

However, Justice Hegde is said to be holding an edge over the other contender. As erstwhile advocate general of the state (1984-88), Justice Hegde has had the record of having successfully put up the state's case on various issues with the union government as well as in the Supreme Court.

He was appointed the Additional Solicitor General of India in November, 1989 and held that post till December, 1990.  In January, 1999 he was elevated to the post of Judge of the Supreme Court of India. He retired as Judge of the Supreme Court of India on June 16, 2005 and was appointed as chairperson , Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal on June 27, 2005.

Justice Hegde hails from the illustrious Nitte Hegde family of Karkala taluk of Udupi district and is son of the late Justice Kowdoor Sadananda Hegde, one-time Supreme Court judge and later speaker of the Lok Sabha during Morarji Desai's prime ministership.

Justice Hegde Sr had resigned as Supreme Court judge in protest against supersession of a few senior judges including himself during the tenure of the late prime minister Indira Gandhi, while appointing the Chief Justice of India in mid-1970's.

In the coalition equations in present Karnataka, the BJP side also favours Justice Santosh Hegde, since, after the split of the Janata Party in 1980, when the BJP was formed, Justice Sadananda Hegde had sided with the latter. He served as the national vice president of the BJP for some years.

Nitte Vinaya Hegde of the Nitte Education Trust and Capt Prasanna Hegde of Lamina Group are equally well known brothers of Justice Hegde.