Government quotes Arun Jaitley to defend sanction

NEW DELHI: The government fell back on a reply by ex-law minister Arun Jaitley to resist an SC move to do away with the need for CBI to seek government sanction even for probing senior officers. “He defended the section (Section 6A) on the ground that those who are in senior decisionmaking positions, those who have to exercise discretion and who have to take vital decisions could become the target for frivolous complaints and need to be protected.

Some screening mechanism must be put into place whereby serious complaints would be investigated and frivolous complaints thrown out.” The government said Jaitely had “stated that when such protection is not given..., any one can file a complaint and CBI or police can raid their houses at any moment. It may result in a form of governance where instead of tendering honest advice..., only safe, noncommittal , advice is given.”