Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday moved the Punjab State Vigilance Commission (Repeal) Bill, 2022, which was passed unanimously.
The Chief Minister stated in a resolution that the main function of the Punjab State Vigilance Commission is to investigate or cause investigations into complaints alleging commission of offences by a public servant under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. He also stated that the Commission has the authority to supervise and control the operation of the Vigilance Bureau and the police establishment in relation to corruption cases.Bhagwant Mann said that the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Act 2020, which was supposed to be enacted along the lines of the Central Vigilance Commission Act 2003, suffers from serious deviations.
The Chief Minister said that the Vigilance Commission constituted under this Act is, therefore, not serving any useful objectives except being a burden on the State exchequer. He said that as there are multiple agencies in the state that deal with the same set of stakeholders, including a full-fledged Vigilance Department. Therefore, Bhagwant Mann said that to avoid overlapping, contradictory findings, resultant delays, and gaps in communication, it has become necessary to repeal the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Act 2020 (Punjab Act No. 20 of 2020).
The state government has enacted the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Repeal Act, 2022, by repealing the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Act, 2020 (Punjab Act No. 20 of 2020). He said that the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Act had come into force on November 13, 2020. Bhagwant Mann said the Punjab State Vigilance Commission set up under this Act has not achieved the desired objectives. He said that this decision had been taken in the larger public interest of the state’s residents.
