The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has directed the Chief Executives and the Chief Vigilance Officers of government organisations to finalise by May 31 the pending cases initiated between January 2011 and December 2018.
The officials have been directed to take up the matter with the authorities concerned. The Commission said it found during a review that several of them were pending in some organisations due to various factors.
They included stay granted by court, the issue being pending in court, the case kept in abeyance as the official had been terminated from service in another case and the delay in the recommendations from the disciplinary authority in the State government in cases where the official was working with the Central government at the time of the commission of misconduct.
In some cases, the misconduct was committed in an organisation where the official was on deputation and later the official either reverted to the parent agency or was transferred to another agency and there was difference of opinion between the authorities concerned in the two departments.
On December 12, the Commission had drawn the attention of the organisations to a judgment dated March 28, 2018, in which the Supreme Court had directed to limit the period of stay granted by a court to six months, barring exceptional circumstances. The organisations were told to take necessary action in the cases where stay was granted by a lower court.
Taking up the same issue, on December 14, the Commission had laid down a fresh timeline for timely action in disciplinary matters where major penalty proceedings were initiated.
The CVC ordered that the appointment of inquiry/presenting officers should be completed within two months from the date of issue of its first-stage advice. The departmental inquiry should be conducted and the report submitted by inquiry officers within six months from the date of their appointment.
The Commission said the officials could take an additional one month to conclude the process, if required.
