Volunteer Credits: Sioux authored this piece

We recently received a question: “Hey! How is your citizen’s initiative going? I have a revenue officer on tape asking for a bribe of ₹2,000. How do I lodge a complaint against them?”

Here’s our response:

Resist the Bribe – It Often Gets Your Work Done

Government officers often choose to process requests quickly for those who resist, rather than push for a bribe; for every person who resists a bribe, a thousand pay without question. Simply asking politely, ‘Are you asking me for a bribe?’ is often enough to make them reconsider.

File a complaint with Lokayukta Police

The Lokayukta is an independent authority that investigates complaints against government officials and institutions to ensure accountability and fairness.

The Karnataka Lokayukta operates under two key laws:

• The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 – Used for complaints involving corruption, such as when an officer demands a bribe to process your work.
• The Karnataka Lokayukta Act, 1984 – Covers cases of maladministration, favoritism, nepotism, or lack of integrity in duty.

Since a bribe was demanded in this case, you should file a complaint with the Lokayukta police. Here are a few pointers:

• Mode of filing:
  • Filing in person is a simple process, and the Lokayukta team in Bangalore is particularly cooperative. here is a complete list of Lokayukta Head & Branch offices, along with their contact details.
  • You can also submit your complaint by post, but we recommend doing it in person to ensure any necessary corrections or additions can be made without delays.
  • Currently, there is no option to file a complaint online.
• Format: There is no prescribed format for submitting a complaint. Just provide a written statement.
• No fees: Filing a complaint is completely free.
• Again, Government officers named in a complaint often complete pending work quickly once they become aware of it, even if the complaint itself takes time to process.