Punjab cabinet approves draft bill for Vigilance Commission

Chandigarh, Sep 6 (UNI) Clipping the wings of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), the state Council of Ministers today approved a draft bill for constituting the Punjab Vigilance Commission.

The draft bill will be placed in the coming Vidhan Sabha session in mid-September for its passage, as an Act, the state cabinet decided in its meeting presided over by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh here today.

The VB would be functioning directly under the proposed Vigilance Commission when it comes into existence.

The state government had on August 25 issued a notification to constitute such a Commission and allowed the IPS officers to be appointed to the Commission.

The state's Chief Vigilance Commissioner, as per the draft legislation, could be the person who had worked in the rank or pay scale of Secretary to the Union Government or the state Chief Secretary. Besides, a high court judge or an IPS officer of the rank of DGP also qualify for the post.

This has brought to an end the three-month power-struggle between the IAS and IPS cadres of the state over controlling the vigilance department.

The bureau will be allowed to proceed independently in cases against employees and officials. However, it will have to seek prior permission to proceed against officials who are in Group A category and above.

This will mean that IAS, IPS, PCS and several senior engineers and doctors would be covered under the category. The Commission would direct the VB in these cases.

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