Team Anna member and former Supreme Court Judge Santosh N Hegde on Sunday said Bihar had overtaken Karnataka in “efficiency”, and promised to help draft a Lokayukta act for free if the Nitish Kumar government requests him to do so.
Speaking to PTI, Justice Hegde, who retired as Karnataka Lokayukta last month, scotched reports by a section of the press that the Bihar Chief Minister had approached him in this regard.
But he added: “If a request comes from him (Nitish Kumar), I will do it for free“.
Justice Hegde, whose report as Lokayukta on illegal mining forced an indicted B S Yeddyurappa give up the Chief Minister’s post, however, stressed that neither was he “seeking” to extend help on his own, nor “canvassing” for such an opportunity.
Responding to questions, he praised the Nitish Kumar Government, saying “fantastic changes have been brought about which are perceptible in many areas. Today, it has out-beaten us (Karnataka) in efficiency; Karnataka is far below....”
Justice Hegde also lauded Bihar’s initiatives to set up special tribunals for speedy trial of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Right to Service Act to provide time-bound public services.