Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa today said he is "carefully" examining a petition by the Opposition to allow a motion in the House to initiate the process for removal of Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao, who is in the eye of a storm over an alleged extortion racket in his office linked to his son.
As the House met for the day, BJP and JDS members raised the issue, to which Speaker Kagodu Thimappa responded saying, "for the first time such a petition has come. Will have to look into it and decide on it with caution. We will have to face the brunt if we take any wrong decision."
Thimappa said he is examining the matter and will also discuss it in the Business Advisory Committee meeting soon.
Asking the members not to be in a hurry, he said, "We will have to take steps within the framework of the Constitution, also keeping the future in mind."
Raising the pitch, BJP and JDS on Saturday presented a petition signed by 57 MLAs to Thimappa, requesting him to allow a motion for the removal of Rao.
Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri (BJP) raised the issue today reminding the Chair about the petition, saying "delay in acting on this issue will give a wrong message to the public; hence the decision has to be taken on this soon."
Several ruling Congress members objected to this, stating that the Chair has clearly expressed its opinion on the issue. Thimmappa said... "I'm carefully examining things, there should be no errors in the decision the House takes."
Intervening, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said there are a lot of issues linked to this case and hence it should be allowed to be discussed, claiming he has some information pertaining to the matter.
Another JD(S) leader Y S V Datta questioned government, asking whether it has no power to act and initiate inquiry.
Opposition parties have demanded a CBI inquiry, which the government has rejected stating that it cannot by itself do so as the Lokayukta is an autonomous body.
Lokayukta was rocked by the alleged scandal recently after its Superintendent of Police Sonia Narang blew the lid off with a letter to its Registrar about the complaint she received from a person, who alleged that someone from the Lokayukta office demanded Rs 1 crore in bribe to avoid a raid.
Rao, a former High Court Chief Justice, has rejected allegations that his son was involved in the racket and said he would resign if the charge was proved correct.
Government has handed over the case to Criminal Investigation Department on the request of the Lokayukta.
