New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel has slammed the government over non-implementation of Lokpal and Whistleblowers Protection Acts and asked it to take necessary action for their quick operationalisation. “The Committee expresses its strong displeasure over non-implementation of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 and the Whistleblowers’ Protection Act,” Parliamentary Standing Committee on personnel, public grievances, law and justice said in its report tabled in Parliament today.
It is “unfortunate” that the Ministry of Personnel has not taken any steps to amend the Whistleblowers Protection Act. “The Committee recommends that the Ministry should take necessary action for quick operationalisation of both the Acts,” said the panel, headed by Congress MP E M Sudarsana Natchiappan, report.
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, which provides for establishment of a Lokpal for the Union and Lokayuktas for the states to inquire into corruption charges against public functionaries, came into force from January 1, last year. The Centre had recommended certain changes in its through an amendment Bill which was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 8. The Bill is presently under examination of the same committee (Natchiappan).
The Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2011, which provides a mechanism for protecting the identity of whistleblowers– a term given to people who expose corruption–became a law in May last year.
The Whistleblowers’ Act has not been implemented yet as the government is working on some of its provisions with a view to strengthening the safeguards against disclosures which may prejudicially affect the sovereignty, integrity of the country and security of the state. The panel has also asked government to check acute staff crunch in the CBI fearing the vacancy may “adversely impact” the quality of investigation done by the agency.
