news details |
|
|
| Secret whistle blowers all set to face heat as GAD issues 'extraordinary' circular | | 'No action on anonymous complaints' | | Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Aug 20: At a time when more and more emphasis is being laid on the protection of whistle blowers across the country the General Administration Department (GAD) of Jammu and Kashmir has issued a circular that is going to provide an escape route to the corrupt officers and officials of the state.
Some 20 days back the GAD issued the circular according to which the heads of the departments and autonomous bodies have been asked not to entertain the complaints where the complainants have not disclosed their identity. The circular is all set to provide respite to the Government officials who have been trapped in corruption cases.
Mohammad Ashraf Bukhari, Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department issued circular 29-GAD (Vig) of 2014 on 31-07-2014 with respect to the disposal of anonymous/pseudonymous complaints pending in the different Government departments and autonomous bodies.
"No action is required to be taken on anonymous complaints, irrespective of the nature of allegations and such complaints need to be simply filed. Complaints containing vague allegations could also be filed without verification of identity of the complainant," reads the circular sent to almost the entire bureaucracy of the state.
The circular further reads, "If a complaint contains verifiable allegations, the administrative department may take cognizance of such complaint with the approval of the competent authority to be designated by the department. In such cases the complaint will be first sent to the complainant for owning/disowning, as the case may be."
The circular says that if no response is received from the complainant within 15 days of sending the complaint, a reminder will be sent. After waiting for 15 days after sending the reminder, still nothing is heard, the said complaint may be filed as pseudonymous by the department/autonomous body.
It has been observed that some complainants don't give their name and other particulars in certain complaints as they fear for their life. The circular issued by the GAD is all set to put the lives of such complainants at risk since they would have to reveal their identity whatever the case may be. If the complainant gets eliminated after filing this complaint there is nobody who could take action against the attacker.
"The Government is duty bound to protect the people who expose the various frauds and scams in the state while they keep their identity secret. The recent circular has virtually negated all the good work done in this regard and on date there is no protection for the people who act as whistle blowers in exposing the corrupt practices," said official sources while sharing their views with Early Times.
Sources said that with the issuance of this circular not many people would come forward with complaints regarding to corruption and other bad practices going on in the system. They said the corrupt would rule at will with nobody making them accountable more so in a corrupt state like Jammu and Kashmir.
The GAD in its circular has said that it is following the guidelines set out by the Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel & Training) with respect to handling of complaints in ministries/departments vide their O.M. No. 104/76/2011-AVD.I dated October 18, 2013. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
