HYDERABAD: The Central Vigilance Commissioner, P. Shankar, has observed that the advice tendered by the competent authority on a whistle-blower's complaint against a corrupt superior officer should be binding and not merely advisory. It should have the power to give direction.

Addressing reporters at the conclusion of a two-day workshop on "Procedural improvements in indirect taxes" here on Thursday, he said currently the advice given by the CVC, which was entrusted to deal with such complaints as an interim arrangement was not binding. The Government was planning enacting comprehensive legislation on the issue.

Referring to the workshop organised by the Lok Satta in collaboration with the CVC and the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), in which officials interacted with representatives of trade and industry, he said the exercise would be extended to other departments like Income Tax. The workshop was an important step in involving all stakeholders in the fight against corruption.

Global opportunities

He said the attempt was to try and improve systems and procedures in an organisation so that small business entrepreneurs could take advantage of global opportunities. Reducing human interface by using technology, removing discretionary powers and disseminating of the rules were important steps to curb corruption. A similar workshop would be held at Mumbai on June 22, he added.

Valuable suggestions

The CVC, along with NGOs like Lok Satta, was trying to create an environment in which "honesty is something worth practising whether in officialdom or in the economy," he observed.

V. P. Singh, member CBEC, said that representatives from the trade and industry made valuable suggestions at the workshop that the board would implement wherever it had the competence to act. The Vigilance Commissioners -- H. J. Dora, Janki Ballabh -- and the coordinator, Lok Satta, Jayaprakash Narayan, were present.

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