Big relief for public servants-Punjab Vidhan Sabha passes Vigilance Commission Repeal Bill 2022
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
In the ongoing Punjab Vidhan Sabha has pass the repealing of The Punjab State Vigilance Commission Repeal Bill 2022.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann himself presented the repealing of The Punjab State Vigilance Commission Repeal Bill 2022.
The commission has been set up under the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Bill, 2020, passed by the Vidhan Sabha, to check corruption among public servants and bring in more transparency.
“The Punjab State Vigilance Commission Ordinance, 2020 proposes to set up a commission as an independent body to exercise more effective superintendence over the functioning of the vigilance bureau and all departments of the state government, in order to provide clean, fair and transparent administration,” a government statement issued had said.
Former Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Mehtab Singh Gill, took over as Punjab State Chief Vigilance Commissioner in April 2021
Big relief for public servants-Punjab Vidhan Sabha passes Vigilance Commission Repeal Bill 2022. Meanwhile, an Advocate at Punjab and Haryana High Court, Hemant Kumar, says that the law for constituting Punjab State Vigilance Commission (PSVC) has been enacted by the State Assembly not once by twice during the past 16 years, firstly during Oct, 2006 and then in Nov, 2020 and interestingly both during the tenure of Captain Amarinder Singh led Congress dispensation in the State.
The PSVC Act, 2006, which was enacted during the tenure of 12th Punjab Vidhan Sabha as Punjab Act No. 20 of 2006 was got repealed immediately after constitution of 13th Punjab Vidhan Sabha in Mar, 2007 after Parkash Singh Badal led SAD-BJP Government assumed reins of power in the State. Before abolition of then PSVC, however in Oct, 2006 a former Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Amar Dutt (Retired) was appointed as State Chief Vigilance Commissioner (SCVC) and who was administered Oath by then Punjab Governor, General SF Rodrigues (Retd). Although as per then PSVC Act, 2006, the tenure of
State Chief Vigilance Commissioner (SCVC) was for a period of six years or 65 years of age, whichever is earlier. But since PSCC Act, 2006 itself was got repealed by Badal Government from State Assembly, hence tenure of Justice Amar Dutt (Retd) as SCVC also abruptly came to a end with the abolition of PSVC. His tenure otherwise was till Aug, 2009.
Be that as it may, Hemant asserts that the prevalent PSVC Act, 2020 was got enacted by Captain Amarinder Singh led second Cong dispensation in the State during the tenure of 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha in Nov, 2020. Thereafter, in March, 2021 a former Judge and also Acting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, , Justice Mehtab Singh Gill (Retired) was appointed as SCVC. He was administered Oath by then Punjab Governor, VPS Badnore on April 7, 2021. As per PSVC Act, 2020, the tenure of SCVC is for a period of five years. There is no age bar. Hence Justice Gill (Rtd) current tenure is otherwise till Apr, 2026.
September 30,2022
