Bill to protect whistleblowers soon
Proposed Legislation Put On Fast Track, May Come Up In Budget Session
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOINEW/navigator.asp?Daily=TOIBG&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI
New Delhi: Intending to bring a legislation to protect whistleblowers in the
forthcoming Budget session of Parliament, the government has set up an
empowered group of ministers (EGoM), headed by defence minister A K Antony, to
put the process of framing the relevant Bill on fast track.
Minister of state for personnel and public grievance Prithviraj Chavan on
Friday said the EGoM would examine and finalise all relevant issues to be
incorporated in the proposed Bill. “The Public Interest Disclosure and
Protection of Informers Bill may be tabled in the later part of the Budget
session,” he said, hinting that the legislation would broadly be in tune with
the whistleblowers resolution passed five years ago.
The resolution was passed by way of an office order in 2004 in response to the
Supreme Court directive in the engineer Satyendra Dubey case. Dubey had blown
the whistle on irregularities in the execution of contracts awarded by National
Highways Authority of India in Bihar and paid with his life since there was no
mechanism in place to protect those who made complaints against corruption in
government departments.
The resolution had empowered the CVC to deal with corruption complaints,
protect informers’ identities and direct agencies like CBI to initiate suitable
action.
Asked about other Bills, Chavan said there was no immediate plan to introduce
the Lok Pal Bill, aimed at probing corruption in high places including that of
the office of PM, as there was no political consensus. “A decision has to be
taken at political level. But there is no political consensus. Without
political consensus, the Bill cannot be passed in Parliament,” he said.
Chavan said the government was working on Civil Services Performance Standards
and Accountability Bill and was planning to introduce it in Parliament as soon
as it is finalised. “An inter-ministerial group has been constituted.
Discussions are going on,” he said.
On amendment to Right to Information Act, he said government was working on the
amendment but it would take some time before its introduction in Parliament.
“We feel that there is a need to amend the RTI Act on two counts — its further
strengthening and removing legal lacuna,” he said.
Asked to elaborate, Chavan said internal debate within the government was going
on whether some departments and judiciary, which were exempted from the purview
of the RTI Act, should be brought under it.
The minister also said the government was framing a law — Nuclear Liability
Bill — that provides for a cap of Rs 2,500 crore by way of damages in case of
nuclear accident and under which government will facilitate compensation
through Nuclear Power Corporation of India.
“The law is to give guarantee of compensation in case of a tragedy like the
1984 Bhopal gas disaster,” he said, adding the proposed law has no link with
the Indo-US nuclear deal but it was needed as India gave commitment to the
international community in this effect.
IN THE WORKS
Civil Services Performance Standards and Accountability Bill could be
introduced in Parliament soon
Amendments to RTI Act to — judiciary and some exempted departments could be
brought under purview
Nuclear Liability Bill that provides for a cap of Rs 2,500 crore by way of
damages in case of nuclear accident. Will guarantee compensation in case of a
tragedy like Bhopal gas disaster
Lok Pal Bill, 1996 had been introduced in Parliament several times, but still
awaits approval of both Houses of Parliament
