Finalise complaints against officials within 3 months: CVC to ministries

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has written to all Union ministries and departments under them to finalise complaints against government officers within three months so that vigilance clearances are not held up indefinitely.

The apex body, in a communication sent on Monday, said it had observed from proposals received by the commission for vigilance clearances that complaints against employees often stay on their vigilance profiles without any further movement.

“This has led to a situation where the vigilance clearance is being delayed or denied for no fault of the employee,” the CVC order said. It asked the ministries and departments to take such complaints against employees to their “logical conclusion” within three months of the date of receipt of the complaint.

“Logical conclusion here implies that the decision shall be taken by the organisation to either file the complaint, or register a vigilance case for further investigation, or register a nonvigilance administrative action case for further investigation,” the CVC order said.

“As a pilot, to begin with, the backlog complaints received till December 31, 2020 shall be disposed of according to the guidelines issued in this circular and compliance reported by May 31, 2021,” the order added.

At the end of the third month from the date of receipt of a complaint, and after deciding the course of action, a copy of the complaint shall be made available to the employee concerned within 15 days through speed post, it said. If the name of the employee is not explicitly mentioned, a copy of the complaint will be made available to the staff concerned at the stage of registration of a vigilance or non-vigilance case, the order further said.

Subsequently, if a decision has been made to take up the matter as a vigilance case, the organisation concerned shall send its inquiry report to the commission or Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) seeking advice within three months of registration of such a case, it added.

Lauding the directive, former ONGC chairman R S Sharma said: “These investigations drag on for months, sometimes years and at the time of empanelment of an officer, these are brought out to deny promotion or other due benefits. Delay in completing these investigations leads to harassment. The CVC directive is appreciable. It is in the interest of natural justice.”

As a pilot, to begin with, the backlog complaints received till December 31, 2020 shall be disposed of by May 21, 2021