Karnataka Lokayukta Santhosh Hegde resigns with effect from August 31.
Like his predecessor, Justice MN Venkatachaliah, Justice Hegde has been pressing for more authority including suo moto power to investigate corrupt officers.
Successive state governments have promised to empower Lokayukta, but unified opposition from state bureaucrats and politicians has stalled any move to make the anti-corruption institution more effective.
Justice Hegde has conducted more than 100 successful raids and caught several officers with disproportionate assets. But due to the government’s reluctance to prosecute, only a small percentage of them have been convicted.
Justice Hegde was appointed as Karnataka Lokayukta on 3 August 2006 for a term of five years and has 14 months to go.
