SHANTARAM NAIK, M. P Room No. 126,
Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi 09868181344 09422439990 6th February, 2014 *KEY POINTS OF PRESS CONFERENCE HELD ON 6TH FEB 2014 ON "THE PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION (AMMENDMENT) BILL 2013" AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE NEW DELHI BY MR. SHANTARAM NAIK, MP & CHAIRMAN OF DEPARTMENT RELATED STANDING COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENT ON PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES LAW & JUSTICE.* *Commercial Organisations will now be covered under Corruption Law.* *Press Note* Mr. Shantaram Naik, MP & Chairman of Standing Committee of Parliament on Personnel Public Grievances Law & Justice, said that the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 proposes to bring commercial organizations within the ambit of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. In a statement issued today, Mr. Naik said that the Committee has presented its Report today to both Houses of Parliament which endorses the provisions of the Bill holding the person in charge of the commercial organizations responsible for the act of their employees or agents who indulge in acts of corruption unless the commercial organization substantiates that adequate procedure preventing their employees to indulge in corrupt practices was in place. The person associated with the company who is directly involved in the corrupt practices, however, would be prosecuted and punished. Replying to a pointed question whether Media is covered by the Amendment, Mr. Naik said all the commercial organisations are covered under the Amendment Bill. Mr. Naik briefed media that after enacting the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act,2013, the Government is keen to pass as many as six anti corruption Bills in addition to the present Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill. Those Bills are:- 1. The Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of goods and Services and Redressal of Their Grievances Bill, 2011 (pending in Lok Sabha). 2. The Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, 2011 (pending in Rajya Sabha). 3. The Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, 2012 (pending in Rajya Sabha). 4. The Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Officials and Officials of Public International Organisations Bill, 2011 (pending in Lok Sabha). 5. The Public Procurement Bill, 2012 (pending in Lok Sabha). 6. The Electronic Delivery of Service Bill, 2011 (pending in Lok Sabha). A separate chapter from the Criminal Law Amendment (Ordinance), 1944 has been inserted in the Bill for forfeiture and confiscation of property amassed by corrupt public servants. The inability of the corrupt servant to explain the lawful source of income of disproportionate asset is itself a ground to prosecute the public servant in the case of corruption, Mr Naik added. Mr. Naik explained that in addition to bribe takers, bribe givers as well as intermediaries (brokers) would be now punished with imprisonment and fine. Bribe giving which was an offence implicitly in the the PC Act would become an offence explicitly, Mr. Naik added. It was pointed out by some witnesses who appeared before the Committee that , sometimes, bribe is paid, out of compulsion. The Committee is of the view that those who are forced to pay bribe are duty bound to report the matter to appropriate authority to contain corruption. Mr. Naik explained that no one is free to give bribe and then take shelter that he/she is compelled to pay bribe. Mr. Naik added that the Right of Citizen for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services, Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011 would put liability on the public servant to deliver services within stipulated time mentioned in Citizen Charters failing which officer concerned could be punishable with fine up to rupees fifty thousand. Mr. Naik added that the enactment of that law would reduce corruptions to considerable level. The punishment for repeated offence of corruption by p has been enhanced in the Bill from two years to three years extendable to ten years of imprisonment with fine. The Committee has recommended that the minimum punishment in the case of habitual offence should be increased to five years in order to synchronise with the provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013, Mr. Naik added. The Committee has endorsed extending sanction of prosecution by appropriate Government to retired Government servant for the bonafide omission or commission while in office, Mr. Naik added. The Committee has recommended for expeditious trial within stipulated time, of corruption cases in order to meet the ends of justice. *RELEASED THROUGH THE * *OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN* *NEW DELHI* Caption of the Photograph: Mr. Shantaram Naik, M.P and Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, addressing a Press Conference in Parliament House, New Delhi on Thursday. Also seen in the photograph are Mr. Alok Chatterjee, J.S and Mr. K.P Singh, Director.
