Panel seeks roadmap from CBI on vacancies

New Delhi, Dec. 19: A parliamentary panel has sought views of the Central Bureau of Investigation on the need to amend existing laws or bring out a new legislation in order to clearly define its mandate and vest more power to it.

Highlighting over 1,000 vacant posts in the federal probe agency, it asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prepare a roadmap as to how and by when it plans to fill up such a large number of vacancies.

In a report, the panel also hoped that the government provides adequate funds to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) for strengthening surveillance capabilities and for setting up a centralised surveillance database.

Agreeing with CBI’s view that withdrawal of general consent by states impedes its investigation, the panel in its earlier report had recommended to the government to assess if there is a need to amend the existing laws or bring out a new law altogether in order to clearly define the mandate of CBI and vest more powers in it.

It was informed that state governments have withdrawn general consent under section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act to CBI for conducting investigation in the state (not being a Union Territory or railway area) and they are now giving the requisite consent case by case basis.

The committee is concerned to note that CBI has not submitted its views as to whether there is a need to amend the existing laws or bring out a new legislation altogether in order to clearly define the mandate of CBI and vest more powers in it. —