Working to fill Anti-Corruption Branch posts: Delhi govt to HC

The city government today informed the Delhi High Court that it will fill all vacant posts in Anti-Corruption Branch and was in talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs on the issue.

The statement was made before a bench headed by Justice Pradeep Nandrajog which was hearing a PIL seeking direction to the Centre, Delhi government and the Commissioner of Police to recruit personnel in the city government's ACB.

The bench recorded the statement and disposed of the petition which relied on RTI replies to claim that in October 2013, 62 positions were lying vacant in ACB.

The petition said the posts lying vacant are: one for DCP, six ACPs, 18 inspectors, 22 sub-inspectors, one stenographer, 12 constables and two drivers.

The petition filed by advocate Gaurav Bansal also relied upon a media report and said that due to shortage of staff, ACB has been sending complaints received by it to the Chief Vigilance Officer who in turn never inform them about the action taken.

"It is also important to mention here that as per the said article the petitioner has also learnt that in the year 2013 around 1004 complaints were against the officials of MCD, 547 against the officials of Delhi Police, 139 against the officials of Delhi Development Authority etc," it said.

"Owing to the deputationist-dependent character of recruitment of officers in the Anti-Corruption Branch, the ACB is facing the chronic and current shortage of manpower and deficiencies in skilled manpower and is unable or/and disabled from discharging its statutory obligations in a regular manner," the petition said.

The Delhi HC had sought directions to the governments to also form a cadre to fill the posts in ACB.