DEST Practice 5

The Central Vigilance Commission is the apex vigilance institution of the Government of India, established in 1964 on the recommendations of the Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption and accorded statutory status through the Central Vigilance Commission Act of 2003. The Commission is an independent body that is not subject to the control of any ministry or department and exercises superintendence over the vigilance administration of the Government of India. It consists of a Central Vigilance Commissioner as its head and up to two Vigilance Commissioners, all of whom are appointed by the President on the advice of a committee comprising the Prime Minister as Chairperson, the Home Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People, ensuring that the appointments process incorporates institutional checks to safeguard the independence and credibility of the Commission. The Central Vigilance Commission performs a twin institutional role of advising central government organisations on vigilance matters including the initiation of prosecution proceedings, imposition of major penalties, and other aspects of disciplinary proceedings against public servants, and exercising superintendence over the Central Bureau of Investigation insofar as it relates to the investigation of offences alleged to have been committed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The Commission reviews the progress of investigations and ensures that cases are disposed of expeditiously without compromising the quality and completeness of the inquiry. A distinctive and important aspect of the CVC's mandate is its emphasis on preventive vigilance as the primary tool for reducing corruption, which involves identifying systemic weaknesses in government procedures and processes that create opportunities for corrupt practices and recommending remedial measures to address them at the root cause rather than merely punishing individuals after misconduct has occurred. The Commission regularly issues circulars, advisories, and guidelines to ministries and departments on matters such as the proper use of discretion by public servants, compliance with tendering procedures in government procurement, the rotation of officials serving in sensitive positions, the proper recording of decisions and justifications in file notings, and the maintenance of conflict of interest standards. Systemic improvements such as the computerisation of applications and records, the adoption of e-procurement platforms for government tenders, the introduction of online service delivery mechanisms that eliminate personal interaction with officers, and the deployment of online grievance tracking systems are actively promoted by the Commission as structural reforms that reduce opportunities for corruption by removing the discretion and information asymmetry on which corrupt transactions depend. The CVC also exercises oversight over the Chief Vigilance Officers posted in each central government organisation, ministry, and public sector enterprise, who serve as the primary interface between the Commission and the respective organisation in implementing the vigilance framework. Chief Vigilance Officers maintain vigilance registers, conduct periodic surprise inspections, examine complaints received against officials, and ensure that disciplinary proceedings are initiated and completed in a timely manner. Banks and financial institutions operating under the Union government are required to consult the Commission before issuing charge sheets to officials of a specified seniority level or above, and before taking final decisions on disciplinary proceedings involving bank officials charged with serious misconduct. The Commission's annual report, presented to each House of Parliament and made available to the public, provides a comprehensive and statistically detailed picture of vigilance activities across the central government including the number of complaints received, cases taken up for investigation, major penalty proceedings initiated and concluded, officials convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and systemic improvements recommended and implemented during the year, serving as an important instrument of public accountability and transparency.