Bengaluru, Oct. 1 -- The Karnataka Lokayukta, an anti-corruption watchdog set up four decades ago to clean up public administration, is grappling with a crisis of credibility as thousands of cases pile up and sanctions for prosecution languish for years in government offices.

New data released by the Lokayukta shows that 214 requests seeking permission to prosecute government officials on corruption charges remain pending across departments.

According to the data, more than half of these -- 108 -- were filed this year through August, suggesting that the backlog is accelerating. Sixty-three proposals date to 2024, 23 to 2023, and nine to 2022. At least three proposals submitted in 2018 are still awaiting clearance.Those older cases invol...