EC & CAG needs to check corruption
Election Commission or the Comptroller and Auditor General, must investigate corruption in high places with accountability only to the law and the courts.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: A truly independent and professional national law enforcement agency, with status on par with the Election Commission or the Comptroller and Auditor General, must investigate corruption in high places with accountability only to the law and the courts, a committee set by the Union home ministry has proposed.
According to the report submitted here on Wednesday by the N R Madhava Menon committee on national policy on criminal justice, the CBI was not independent enough and lacked the jurisdiction, resources or personnel required for investigation and prosecution of corruption cases involving national security or likely to compromise the standing of constitutional institutions.
“Therefore, the need for an independent national law enforcement agency with the necessary authority and resources to investigate corruption in high places...with accountability only to the law and the courts,” the panel recommended.
Committee chairman Menon said the proposed law enforcement agency should have the freedom to investigate cases across the nation and a budget not dependent on executive fiat.
Not only this, he added, the agency must be headed by a collegial body of three officers appointed for a fixed term through a transparent, independent process that inspires public confidence, and have a permanent officials.
According to the report submitted here on Wednesday by the N R Madhava Menon committee on national policy on criminal justice, the CBI was not independent enough and lacked the jurisdiction, resources or personnel required for investigation and prosecution of corruption cases involving national security or likely to compromise the standing of constitutional institutions.
“Therefore, the need for an independent national law enforcement agency with the necessary authority and resources to investigate corruption in high places...with accountability only to the law and the courts,” the panel recommended.
Committee chairman Menon said the proposed law enforcement agency should have the freedom to investigate cases across the nation and a budget not dependent on executive fiat.
Not only this, he added, the agency must be headed by a collegial body of three officers appointed for a fixed term through a transparent, independent process that inspires public confidence, and have a permanent officials.
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