Par panel upset over govt's 'vague' reply on draft bill for CBI autonomy

New Delhi: A parliamentary committee has asked the government to provide details on the status of the draft bill for the autonomy of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In its 76th report, presented in the parliament on December 21, the committee on assurances expressed its displeasure over what it termed as an evasive and vague implementation report given by the ministry of personnel on the issue of the status of the draft bill on the autonomy of the CBI.

“The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Ministry should furnish a revised Implementation Report giving the details and status of the draft bill for the autonomy of CBI and liquidate the assurance at the earliest,” said the report.

The parliamentary panel report says the ministry of parliamentary affairs forwarded an Implementation Report furnished by the ministry of personnel. The Implementation Report provided details about the amendments made in the provisions of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act of 1946, under which the CBI functions.

“(The) Ministry had mentioned that Section 4A of the DSPE Act, 1946 was amended to provide for the constitution of a Selection Committee comprising of the Hon'ble Prime Minister as Chairperson and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, the Chief Justice of India or Judge of the Supreme Court nominated by him as Members for appointment of the Director of CBI.

“Also, a new section, namely section 4BA was inserted providing for a Directorate of Prosecution to be headed by a Director of Prosecution.

“Section 4C of the DSPE Act was also amended, providing for the appointment of the officers at the level of Superintendent of Police and above, except Director, CBI, after the recommendation of a Committee consisting of the CVC as the Chairperson and the Vigilance Commissioners, Secretary MHA and Secretary DOP&T as Members, in consultation with the Director of CBI,” said the report quoting the Implementation Report furnished by the ministry of personnel on the issue.

But the committee on assurance said the Implementation Report was treated as part-fulfilment of the assurance as it only gave information about the amendment to Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, which was made in 2014.

“The Ministry had been seeking extensions of time on the ground that the draft bill for the autonomy of CBI had been sent to the Department related Committee and was also being considered by the Inter-Ministerial Group. But, the Implementation Report was silent on the issue of whether the draft bill for the autonomy of CBI had been finalised or not,” said the assurance panel report.

The panel expressed its displeasure that the ministry had side-tracked the core issue related to the assurance by furnishing an evasive and vague Implementation Report.