Karnataka: Lokayukta challenges 2016 govt order; questions if state govt has powers

The Siddaramaiah government brought in an executive order in 2016 stripping lokayukta of its power to investigate corruption cases and filing FIR. It created an anti corruption bureau which reported to the government. Now in a reply to the court, Karnataka Lokayukta Vishwanath Shetty has called the move regressive and questioned if the state government even had the power to pass such a notification and dilute Lokayukta's power. The lokayukta is an anti-corruption authority constituted at the state level. It investigates allegations of corruption and mal-administration against public servants and is tasked with speedy redressal of public grievances.