Decide on proposals to prosecute govt servants in 3 months: HC

The Bombay High Court today directed the Maharashtra government to decide on proposals for sanction to prosecute public servants accused of corruption, within three months of receiving them.
A division bench of justices P V Hardas and Revati Dere was hearing a PIL filed by Prakash Sheth seeking direction to the government to decide proposals within a short time-frame.
Assistant public prosecutor Aruna Kamat-Pai informed the court that out of 196 proposals, 189 were disposed of. Out of the seven remaining proposals, forensic reports in two cases are awaited.
The bench then directed the government to decide on the five proposals within six weeks.

The court was earlier informed that a Government Resolution dated February 1 said all proposals would have to be decided within three months.
The bench today directed the government to strictly implement the GR.
According to the petition, authorities abuse the lacunae in the Prevention of Corruption Act which makes it mandatory to obtain a prior sanction from appropriate authority to prosecute government officials accused of corruption.
"The Supreme Court had recently passed an order that sanction proposals have to be decided within three months. This order should be implemented so that corrupt officials and public servants do not benefit," the petition claims.