JOIN USJustice Santosh Hedge has done a great service by speaking the truth while announcing his decision to prematurely quit as Karnataka Lokayukta. While sharing his helplessness, he has exposed the institution of Lokayukta as it has existed for the last 24 years as weak and powerless and cannot effectively discharge its function of fighting corruption and mal-administration in the government. Here was someone who wanted to drive the institution for the purpose for which it was created but found to his dismay that he cannot. The vested interests at every level of government have been so deeply entrenched that they would rather allow a Lokayukta like Justice Hegde to leave in frustration than dig their own graves by heeding to his pleas to strengthen the institution.
Probably, we would never have known the truth had Justice Hegde not gone public with his charge sheet against the government of the day. The political governments that preceded the present one headed by B S Yeddyurappa — and certainly, the bureaucracy — beneficiaries of a powerless Lokayukta. Otherwise, abuse of power would not have progressively worsened over the years. In the face of Justice Hegde’s plain-speaking, citizenry has urged him to take back his resignation and fight from within. While one understands the sentiments behind such pleas, it is not really the way forward. At best Justice Hegde could have continued for another year. The civil society, on the other hand, must exert pressure on the government to address the issues that Justice Hegde has raised to strengthen the Lokayukta institution so that it is empowered enough to become an instrument of promoting good governance. It is important to amend the Lokayukta Act to ensure that the top posts of Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta never remain vacant. As Justice Hegde has pointed out, the Upa Lokayukta post has been vacant for over six months because of which it been unable to address over 9,000 pending public grievances. The Lokayukta must also have powers to initiate probe against erring officials suo motu and, most importantly, the power to prosecute thereafter.
Justice Hegde’s resignation has put the incumbent BJP government in poor light. The government has an opportunity to redeem itself in public eyes. But that can happen only if it demonstrates enough courage and sincerity by addressing the substantive issues that the outgoing Lokayukta has raised to empower the institution. No purpose would be served by indulging in a blame-game.