Lokayukta to stay on after Advani appeal
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde on Saturday withdrew his resignation after persuasion from BJP leader LK Advani, a day after rejecting all possibilities of doing so.
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde on Saturday withdrew his resignation after persuasion from BJP leader LK Advani, a day after rejecting all possibilities of doing so.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari, who met Hegde at his residence in Bangalore, said that he had requested Advani to speak to the Lokayukta on the phone and talk him round.
Justice Hegde told reporters: “I equate him (Advani) with my father and I can’t disappoint him.”
The former Supreme Court judge said that Advani had assured him that the state government would consider his demands, including the one to give the Lokayukta the powers to initiate action against erring officials and appointing a deputy Lokayukta .
Justice Hegde denied that he had set any time frame for the state government to accept his demands, but said “if it doesn’t, you know what is going to happen. The door is always open … anyone can walk in or out.”
On June 23, Justice Hegde had resigned with effect from August 31, accusing the state government of being indifferent towards the office of the Lokayukta and revoking suspensions of allegedly corrupt officials.
Welcoming Justice Hedge’s move, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said the BJP-ruled Karnataka government would not allow illegal mining and had no intention of protecting wrongdoers.
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