In an important move aimed at ensuring adequate disciplinary action against top bureaucrats, particular in corruption cases, the government has asked the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to constitute a panel of eminent former bureaucrats with impeccable integrity and credentials who can be inquiry officer (IO) in such cases.
Highly-placed sources in the department of personnel and training (DoPT) said this was primarily on account of two reasons — one the government was facing a shortage of senior officers to preside over cases involving top bureaucrats, particularly joint secretary and above and, secondly, majority of the officers were hesitant initiating action against a serving senior bureaucrat.
In fact, sources added, even the group of ministers, headed by Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, constituted to look into the issue of fast tracking all cases of corruption against public servants, had also recommended a similar proposal.
The DoPT has formally informed the CVC after getting consent from the Prime Minister’s Office.
CVC officials said the anti-corruption watchdog has already initiated the process and they were in touch with some senior retired officials who have been known for clean image to be members of this prestigious panel.
“This is a great initiative by the government as due to a host of reasons serving officers are extremely reluctant to be IO against a top bureaucrat in corruption cases. So either they delay the matter for years together or on some pretext move out of the case. But now things will change,’’ a senior DoPT official remarked.
The DoPT officials also clarified that this new panel will deal exclusively with high-profile and important cases of corruption cases against serving officer.
“In all probability, the panel will deal with officers of the rank of joint secretary and above. But the modalities will be worked out between the CVC and DoPT once the panel is constituted,’’ an official added.
In remaining corruption cases, involving junior and middle-level officers, the ministries and government departments will continue to have a panel comprising officials from within the ministry or department.