Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, May 3 : The jurisdiction of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has been extended to the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and all the vigilance cases in J&K will now fall directly under the purview of CVC, for which the DoPT (Department of Personnel & Training) is the nodal Department/Ministry.
This was disclosed here today by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also In-Charge DoPT, after receiving an update about the current status of the implementation of CVC provisions in J&K, from the newly appointed Central Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari, an IAS officer of 1978 batch, who has taken up his current assignment after relinquishing charge as Secretary to the President of India.
Pertinent to mention that following the abrogation of Article 370 and later reorganisation as Union Territory, the DoPT has already extended the jurisdiction of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and Central Information Commission (CIC) to J&K. As per the J&K Reorganisation (Removal of difficulties) Order 2019, all Central Laws have been extended to the newly created Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, and subsequently the order dated 31-3-2020 (MHA) has repealed the State Vigilance Commission Act 2011 with respect to J&K.
Dr Jitendra Singh further elaborated that the Centre’s Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) 1988 amended in 2018 also stands extended to the UT of J&K while the erstwhile State of J&K was having its own Anti-corruption Law. He said, the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, which was amended in 2018 through an Amendment of Parliament moved by him on behalf of DoPT, is now fully applicable to J&K.
The Prevention of Corruption Act, now applicable to J&K, said Dr Jitendra Singh, will ensure more effective disposal of corruption cases and in a more time bound manner. He further informed that the Amendment brought about in the Act in 2018 has introduced several significant new provisions as per which in J&K also, now the bribe – giver will be equally liable to be prosecuted as the bribe – taker. This will deter the bribe-giver and also check the tendency to lodge motivated complaints of bribe taking, he added.
In addition, Dr Jitendra Singh said, all the corruption cases will be decided and disposed of in a time bound manner so that no case is allowed to drag on unduly or indefinitely.
Dr Jitendra Singh expressed the hope that extension of CVC jurisdiction to J&K will mark the beginning of a new work culture based on accountability, fair-play and regard for time-lines.
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