Manifest Pedagogy
The issue related to transparency, accountability and autonomy have been a lot in news this year, specifically those related to institutions like CBI, RBI, CIC, ECI. Institutions of all kinds is a highly relevant topic this year.
In news
Increasing role of CVC
Placing it in the syllabus
Indian Polity – Statutory bodies
Static dimensions
- Functions of CVC
- Working of CVC
Current dimensions
- The increasing role of CVC in recent times
Content
What is CVC?
- The Central Vigilance Commission(CVC) is the main agency for preventing corruption in the Central government.
- It was set up by the Government in February 1964 on the recommendations of the Committee on Prevention of Corruption, headed by Shri K. Santhanam, to advise and guide Central Government agencies in the field of vigilance.
- In 2004, the CVC has been designated as the agency to receive and act on complaints or disclosure on any allegation of corruption or misuse of office from whistleblowers under the “Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers’ Resolution” (PIDPI), which is popularly known as “Whistle Blowers” Resolution. The Commission is also empowered as the only designated agency to take action against complainants making motivated or vexatious complaints.
- CVC is conceived to be the apex vigilance institution, free of control from any executive authority, monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government and advising various authorities in Central Government organizations in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work.
Functions
The functions of the CVC are:
- To inquire or cause an investigation to be conducted on a reference made by the Central government wherein it is alleged that a public servant being an employee of the Central government or its authorities, has committed an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
- To inquire or cause an inquiry or investigation to be conducted into any complaint against any official belonging to the below mentioned category of officials wherein it is alleged that he has committed an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988:
- Members of all-India services serving in the Union and Group ‘A’ officers of the Central government; and
- Specified level of officers of the authorities of the Central government.
- To exercise superintendence over the functioning of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (CBI) and give it directions insofar as it relates to the investigation of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
- To review the progress of investigations conducted by the Delhi Special Police Establishment into offences alleged to have been committed under the prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
- To review the progress of applications pending with the competent authorities for sanction of prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
- To tender advise to the Central government and its authorities on such matters as are referred to it by them.
- To exercise superintendence over the vigilance administration in the ministries of the Central government or its authorities.
- To undertake or cause an inquiry into complaints received under the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers’ Resolution and recommend appropriate action.
- The Central Government is required to consult the CVC in making rules and regulations governing the vigilance and disciplinary matters relating to the members of Central Services and All-India Services.
- The Commission has been empowered to conduct a preliminary inquiry into complaints referred by Lokpal in respect of officers and officials of Groups A, B, C & D, for which a Directorate of Inquiry for making a preliminary inquiry is to be set up in the Commission. The preliminary inquiry reports in such matters referred by Lokpal in respect of Group A and B officers are required to be sent to the Lokpal by the Commission.
Further, as per mandate, the Commission is to cause further investigation into such Lokpal references in respect of Group C and D officials and decide on further course of action against them.
Different kinds of Audits done by them
The increasing role of CVC in recent times
- Recently CVC examined the the audit reports of state-run banks and insurance companies to check incidents of fraud and suggest corrective measures.
- In October 2018, the CVC completed a first-of-its-kind analysis of top 100 banking frauds, including those in the jewellery and aviation sectors, and shared its findings with the RBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) among others.
