whistleblowers’ bill to include ministers, armed forces

Dec 24, 2011 |

New Delhi

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Armed Forces

New Delhi, Dec. 23: Ministers, intelligence agencies and armed forces will come under the ambit of a reworked legislation aimed at protecting those who blow the whistle on corruption.

The legislation also provides for severe punishment to those who expose whistleblowers’ identity or try to victimise them.

Accepting key recommendations of a parliamentary committee that scrutinised Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making Disclosures Bill, 2010, the government reworked the legislation which was cleared by the Union Cabinet recently.

A major amendment cleared by the Cabinet is inclusion of ministers, MPs, defence services, intelligence agencies, bank officials and PSUs.

A recommendation to include the judiciary was, however, rejected, sources said.

The legislation provides for setting up a regular mechanism to encourage persons to disclose information on corruption or wilful misuse of power by public servants to cause “demonstrable losses” to the government.

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