No need for advice on non-corruption cases: CVC to ministries

The Central Vigilance Commission has done away with a 50-year-old practice and asked ministries to decide on their own cases where corruption angle is ruled out against senior babus.
The relaxation in the rule is aimed at speeding up the probe in cases involving allegations of "administrative lapse".
"If the allegations, on inquiry, do not indicate prima facie vigilance angle or corruption and relate to purely non-vigilance or administrative lapse, the case would be decided by the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) and the disciplinary authority concerned of the public servant at the level of ministry, department or organisation concerned," the CVC said in an order.

In all such matters, no reference would be required to be made to the Commission seeking its first stage advice, it said.
However, in case there is a difference of opinion between the CVO, who act as distant arm of the CVC, and the disciplinary authority as to the presence of vigilance angle would continue to be referred to the Commission, the order said.
The new norms are applicable for non-corruption cases against IAS, IPS, IFS, Group A officers of the central government, and the level and categories of officers of Central Public Sector Undertakings, public sector banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, societies and other local authorities.

The revised consultation procedure would not apply to the complaints received by the Commission and referred for investigation and report to the CVO of the ministry or concerned department, the CVC said.

The CVC is being consulted at two stages in vigilance cases or disciplinary proceedings-- first advice is obtained on the investigation reports and the second advice is obtained before a final decision is taken at the conclusion of the proceedings.
"The CVC has been consulted for its first stage advice by ministries since its inception in 1964. It is after 50 years that such a practise has been stopped and ministries have been told to decide non-corruption cases on their own," a senior CVC official said.

In order to ensure compliance of the new order in letter and spirit, the CVC may depute its officers to conduct surprise vigilance audit of any organisation, he said.