Journalism of Courage
The government today introduced the Grievance Redressal Bill in the Lok Sabha,under which every public authority would publish a citizens charter detailing the services it renders and the time within which it will provide the same.
Again,if the GRO,on going through the citizens complaint,finds prima facie evidence of corruption against a public official,he can hand over the evidence and institute a complaint against the latter under the Prevention of Corruption Act,1988.
All this would be done within a stipulated time frame of 30 days from receiving the complaint. An appellate system is also in place both statewise and centrewise. At the centre,the top appellate body is the Central Public Grievance Redressal Commission with a similar counterpart in every state. The commissions directions will have the sanctity of a decree or order of a court of law,and in the process,the Bill seeks to completely bar the civil courts of the land.
These traditional courts have no jurisdiction or role in the Bill,whatsoever. This is despite the fact that a sitting Supreme Court judge nominated by the Chief Justice of India is a mandatory member in the Selection Committee for Central Public Grievance Redressal Commissioners. A sitting HC judge is among the three-member selection committee at the state level.
Clause 48 says: This clause provides for bar of jurisidiction of court. It provides that no civil court shall have jurisidiction to settle,decide or deal with any question or to determine any matter which is by or under the proposed legislation required to be settled,decided or dealt with or to be determined by the GRO or the designated authority or the State Public Grievance Redressal Commission or the Central Public Redressal Commission.
The final appellate body in the state are the Lokayuktas and in the Centre,the Lokpal. The only available defence a public official can take is that he acted in good faith. With these provisions,the Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill,2011,is meant to revive a dormant and ineffective Public Service Delivery.
