New Delhi, Aug 06: Amidst procedural wrangle, the Rajya Sabha today began discussion on a bill conferring statutory status on the central vigilance commission to probe offences committed by central public servants and corporations, societies and local authorities controlled by the Union Government. The Central Vigilance Commission Bill, 2003, earlier passed by the Lok Sabha, provides for the appointment of a Central Vigilance Commissioner and not more than four Vigilance Commissioners. Moving the bill for consideration and passage, Minister of State for Home Harin Pathak said the bill stipulates that the head of the commission would be appointed by a three-member panel comprising the prime minister, the Home Minister and the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha. Pathak said the bill provides for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to obtain prior approval of the government before conducting any inquiry into an offence committed by officers of the rank of a joint secretary or above in any government department or PSU.

Initiating a discussion on the bill, Ashwini Kumar (Congress) felt there was a perception that level of corruption among bureaucracy was high and that the country reeled under unacceptable levels of corruption.
Bureau Report