Anti-corruption crusaders and former Lokayuktas of the State have welcomed the High Court order setting aside the Government Order (GO) on formation of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). They have also advised the State government against challenging the order and demanded that the Karnataka Lokayukta be immediately strengthened restoring ACB powers to the Lokayukta.
Former Lokayukta P. Vishwanath Shetty, who as Lokayukta submitted an affidavit supporting a bunch of PILs challenging the ACB, welcomed the High Court order and said the State government was virtually left with no option but to implement the order and restore powers to the Lokayukta.
S.R. Hiremath of Samaj Parivartan Samudaya, one of the petitioners before the High Court of Karnataka challenging the ACB, said the order was a vindication of the will of the people. "We hope the State government doesn't go challenging the order in the Supreme Court at the cost of public exchequer. We have seen how the High Court recently showed to the government and people of the State what ACB is up to. I hope the government humbly accepts the order and implements it immediately," he said.
