Karnataka to get Lokayukta soon, says CM

BANGALORE: The appointment of Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta will be initiated soon, after consulting legal experts, said chief minister Jagadish Shettar on Saturday. Welcoming the Supreme Court verdict in the Upa Lokayukta case, the CM claimed that the SC order vindicated his government's stand that the chief minister has the final authority in deciding Lokayukta appointments. "There were reports in the media that this verdict had put the government in a quandary . But in fact, the verdict has supplemented the stand of the state government that the CM has the final authority in such selection process," Shettar said here. "We had filed a special leave petition against the HC verdict saying the CM is the final authority. That has been upheld. We welcome that." Will take advice from advocates, says Shettar In the light of the Cauvery Monitoring Committee's recent order on the vexed water row, chief minister Jagadish Shettar on Saturday said steps would be taken in consultation with advocates representing the state. "We have made all efforts to protect the state's interests on the issue, before the Cauvery River Authority headed by the Prime Minister, the Supreme Court and the Cauvery Monitoring Committee. The CMC order is before us. We will take further steps in consultation with our advocates ," he said   TNN