[6] In 1966, a report by the Administrative Reforms Commission recommended the setting up of Lokpal at the federal level and Lokayukta in the states, for the redressal of citizen's grievances.
The Lokayukta Ordinance Act 1979, was exercised by D. Devaraj Urs, then Chief Minister of Karnataka, and the first Lokayukta to be appointed was then retired Chief Justice of Rajasthan High court, Justice C. Honniah.
The same institution was abolished when R. Gundu Rao became the chief minister of Karnataka, after the demise of D. Devaraj Urs.
[10] As per the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, 1984, a person appointed the Lokayukta (the institution and its head bearing the same names), who either held the office of a Judge of the Supreme Court of India or that of the Chief Justice of a High Court of India.
The powers now remain to giving directions to the ACB to investigate a case that the former finds sufficient evidence for, under section 15(3) of the Lokayukta Act, 1984.
Also, the Lokayukta remains an independent body while the ACB reports to the Chief Secretary of the State.
[21] Santosh Hegde took charge in August 2006 before resigning from the position in June 2010 owing to political interference from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.
He resigned the next month after a controversy broke out over allotment of housing sites in 1994 for his wife and him allegedly in violation of the Bangalore city by-laws, maintaining his innocence.