Calling it a big victory for India's constitution, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday welcomed the apex court order setting a three-month deadline for the government to sanction an application seeking prosecution of a public servant for corruption.
"I am happy today by the fact that I visualise that it is possible to win war against corruption. The thorniest issue of sanction (to prosecute a corrupt official) has been simplified by the court order," Swamy told reporters.
He said the sanction was a big hurdle as the prime minister did not reply for 16 months to his application seeking sanction for prosecution of former telecom minister A. Raja for alleged involvement in the 2G scam.
Explaining about the court order, Swamy said: "The delay won't be accepted beyond three months as the government has to decide on sanction and if they want to consult the attorney general, then one month more. So maximum within four months it has to be decide, else it will be treated as deemed sanction."
He urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to immediately bring an ordinance amending Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which seeks a sanction from the government or chief ministers in states to approve the prosecution of a public servant.
"The apex order has made certain observations empowering the citizen to go to court seeking any inquiry against any complaint without any sanction, besides suggesting an introduction of an amendment in parliament by which it will be deemed sanction if the government delays it by four months," he said.
Targeting Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Communications Minister Kapil Sibal over their comments on how he could approach the prime minister directly, Swamy said: "The court order clearly says that any private person can approach the PM, therefore Sibal and Salman would need to go back to law college and learn the law again."