Assam Government: State Vigilance Commission in limbo

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State government's stand of 'zero tolerance to corruption' and its 'almost defunct State Vigilance Commission' are quite out of sync. It is in quite contrast to many States that have been fighting corruption with vibrant vigilance commissions.

Various inquiries and investigations against corrupt practices by a section of employees go on in the State. To keep tabs on such investigations, the role of the State Vigilance Commissioner is indispensable. According to the Assam State Vigilance Commission Act, 2010, the State should have a Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) and two vigilance commissioners (VCs). However, in sheer deviation from this rule, the Assam government has been making do without any CVC since March this year when former CVC HN Cariae superannuated. The posts of VCs, on the other hand, have long been lying vacant.

With no CVC or VCs, the Office of the State Vigilance Commission has been left in limbo. The situation has come to such a pass that funds needed to meet the day-to-day necessities of the office are also a scarce as there is no authority to make them happen in the right way.

The Assam State Vigilance Commission Act was enacted in 2010 to inquire or cause to inquiries into alleged offences to have been committed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1998 by certain categories of public servants of the State government.

Inquiries and investigations are conducted in the State by the CID, vigilance, Chief Minister's Vigilance Cell, Anti-corruption etc. Under the Act, the CVC is vested with the power to monitor if investigations or inquiries by such investigating agencies are right on tract. Sometimes, it so happens that an investigating agency has to wait for months or years for prosecution sanctions from the relevant departments after completion of its inquiry against public servants. Delay in prosecution sanctions, as often as not, delays action against corrupt officials. However, the CVC has the power to monitor such issues and iron out the problems of investigators. It can also direct the police and other vigilance establishments, besides reviewing the investigations conducted by them so as to ensure fair investigations.

A pertinent question here is – what has led the State government not to appoint any CVC for the past seven months? Why hasn't it appointed any VCs for such a long time?

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