Punjab Assembly passes bill to repeal Vigilance Commission

Chandigarh, Mar 21 (UNI) Amidst unruly scenes and slogan shouting by Opposition Congress members, the Punjab Assembly today passed by voice vote the Punjab State Vigilance Commission (Repeal) Act 2007, which seeks to re-establish the supremacy of the Vigilance Bureau.

The new Act seeks to repeal the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Act 2006, which was enacted by the previous Congress government last year. This Act had led to the formation of Vigilance Commission, that had complete jurisdiction over the Bureau.

While introducing the bill to repeal the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Act 2006, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal contended the main function of establishing the Commission was to inquire into allegations of offences by public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Commission was formed to exercise superintendence over the functioning of the Vigilance Bureau and police establishment, in cases related to corruption, he said.

'' However when there is a full fledged vigilance department (Bureau) in existence with the Chief Secretary as its Administrative head to discharge the functions, there was no need to set up a Commission'', he said. The Commission was established for personel interests and not for the general public, he added.

Referring to the guidelines of the Union Government, Mr Badal said the Chief Vigilance Commissioner to head the Commission was to be appointed by a three member team, consisting of the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. However, in place of the Leader of the Opposition, the previous Congress government chose to appoint the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha and in place of the CVC, it prefered the Chief Secretary, he said while pointing out it was the Congress led government at the Centre which had sent the guidelines.

Listing out another flaw, Mr Badal said that as per the guidelines, the Chief Vigilance Commissioner was to be appointed for a period of four years, but the previous government extended the term to six years. '' This clearly shows the self interest motive of the pervious government'', he added.

The state Vigilance Commission was only to exercise superintendence over the Vigilance Bureau, but instead ''it began controlling the Bureau'', he claimed.

MORE UNI