CVC8217;s plan for transparency has no takers

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 2: It was meant to introduce transparency in the functioning of bureaucracy. If the Central Vigilance Commissioner CVC...

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 2: It was meant to introduce transparency in the functioning of bureaucracy. If the Central Vigilance Commissioner CVC N Vittal could have his way, one would be able to download details of the wealth of any bureaucrat from his CVC8217;s website.

But with no legal obligation on them, no bureaucrat, except for Vittal himself, has declared details of their property on the site. Vittal8217;s declaration include two immovable properties owned by him 8212; a three-bed room house in Ahmedabad and a two-bed room house in Gandhinagar. 8220;If all officials do it, that would certainly improve transparency and lead to a corruption-free society,8221; Vittal told The Indian Express.

The CVC8217;s site is updated regularly and is significant for the abundance of names from the IAS, Customs, New Delhi Municipal Council NDMC and the IPS. The list has swelled to 500-odd names. It was last updated on September 23 when several NDMC officials were put on the dock.

Some of the officials mentioned in the updated list are NDMC8217;s Chief Engineer, V P Chetal against whom the CVC put a 8220;removal from service8221; advice. Chetal was subsequently removed from his high post.

However, in the case of several other officials, despite the CVC8217;s 8220;advise8221;, punishment is still to be imposed with the website stating 8220;information awaited.8221; For example, in the case of the Chief Architect NDMC, V P Gupta, despite the CVC advising 8220;major penalty8221; in January 1999 action has not been taken.

In the case of the 17 NDMC officials listed, information is awaited for 16 officials. It is the same for all other government departments with senior officials such as R S Sethi, former joint secretary MHA, Beck Julius, former secretary, against whom the CVC advised prosecution but has to to be content with information awaited.

In a rare instance in the case of the Bofors accused then defence secretary, S K Bhatnagar against whom the CVC had ordered prosecution in 1997, the advise has actually been followed by 8220;grant of sanction of prosecution8221; in May 1999.

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Vittal however, feels that the site has been a great success and introduced some accountability in the bureaucracy. After, his colleague, Vigilance Commissioner V S Mathur intervened, the original site was amended since several bureaucrats objected to the fact that the site also featured persons against whom 8220;first stage advise8221; had been initiated. In its current shape, the site only features names of officials against whom final orders have been passed by the CVC.