CVC amends SOP for adoption of Integrity Pact in govt. organisations

The Central Vigilance Commission has amended the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on adoption of “Integrity Pact” in authorities organisations for procurement actions, and restricted the utmost tenure of Integrity External Monitors (IEMs) to 3 years in an organisation.

The newest order revises the SOP issued in January 2017. In Para 5.2, the amended provision states that the selection of IEM ought to be restricted to officers from the federal government and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) who’ve retired from positions of the extent of Secretary to the Central authorities or of equal pay scale.

Such officers who retired as Chairman and Managing Directors (CMDs) of PSUs — Schedule ‘A’ firms and CMD/Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer ranges in the Public Sector Banks (PSBs), insurance coverage firms and monetary establishments — ought to be at the very least of the extent of Additional Secretary or its equal.

“Officers of the Armed Forces who have retired from the rank equivalent of General may also be considered for appointment. Preference would be given to persons who have worked in any other sector, other than their own, or have worked as CVO [Chief Vigilance Officer] in any organisation,” says the order.

Under the 2017 order, the officers who had retired from positions of the extent of Additional Secretary to the Central authorities and above, or equal pay scale, have been eligible for the PSUs, board stage officers in Schedule ‘A’ firms, PSBs, insurance coverage firms and monetary establishments. Officers of the Armed Forces who had retired from the rank equal to Lieutenant-General and above may be thought of for appointment.

The amended Para 5.3 gives that for appointment as IEM, the Ministry, division or organisation involved has to ahead a panel of appropriate individuals to the CVC, of these individuals who’re in the panel maintained by the Commission. The earlier corresponding provision said that the panel might embrace these already in the panel maintained by the Commission, or they may suggest names of different appropriate individuals.

Earlier, Para 5.7 said that the preliminary tenure of IEM can be three years and it may very well be prolonged for one other time period of two years on a request acquired by the Commission from the organisation involved, fixing the utmost tenure at 5 years in an organisation.

The newest orders gives that the IEM shall be appointed for a interval of three years in an organisation.

According to the Commission, “Integrity Pact” is a vigilance software that envisages an settlement between the possible distributors/bidders and the customer, committing each the events to not train any corrupt affect on any side of the contract. The pact can be to make sure transparency, fairness and competitiveness in public procurement.

The IEMs independently and objectively evaluate the paperwork to find out if the events have complied with their obligations underneath the pact. They could submit a report back to the chief government of the organisation involved or on to the CVO and the CVC, in the event that they discover severe irregularities attracting the Prevention of Corruption Act provisions.