The former information commissioner, who is known for his pro-transparency orders in several high-profile cases, said the proposed changes "seriously undermine" the autonomy of information commissions.
Amid a controversy over the probe into coal block allocation, Central Bureau of Investigation Director Ranjit Sinha on Friday discussed various matters related to the functioning of the central investigating agency with Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy.
As many as 31 corruption cases were registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation against IAS and IPS officers since 2011, the government said Wednesday.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to withdraw some amendments it had proposed to the Right to Information Act after protests from civil society, which was also backed by United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi. A meeting of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, decided to withdraw the amendments which had sought to restrict disclosure of file notings only to social and development issues under the transparency law.
In a shocking incident, a Samajwadi Party member stunned the Lok Sabha on Wednesday afternoon snatching the copy of the quota in promotion bill from Minister V Narayanasamy and was sought to be thwarted by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday supported the Bill providing for reservation to SCs/STs in promotions in government jobs but asked the government to make certain changes so that it does not create reverse discrimination.
Rajya Sabha on Thursday witnessed high drama when two Samajwadi Party members were directed to leave the House for causing disruptions over a quota bill, leading to arguments and counter-arguments before all members of the party walked out.
With Bharatiya Janata Party demanding annulment of the government's decision to appoint Ranjit Sinha as the new Central Bureau of Investigation director, Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy on Friday said his selection has been done "in a fair manner following the due process".
The much-hyped Lokpal Bill will be delayed further with the government on Wednesday saying it will bring the measure in the Rajya Sabha in the budget session with required amendments in the light of the report of the Select Committee.
As many as 129 officers above the rank of joint secretary and above have been booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has registered 97 corruption cases against such officers during the last three years, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.
Ajay Pandita, sarpanch of the Larkipora area in Anantnag district and a member of the Congress party, was shot at by terrorists in his native village at around 6 pm, a police official said. He said Pandita was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to injuries.
Over 2,500 officials working in various government offices were booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation for their alleged involvement in corruption during the last three years.
The government on Wednesday said the Central Bureau of Investigation has registered 600 corruption cases in 2011.
Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena on Thursday thwarted an attempt in the Rajya Sabha to take up for passage the contentious Bill providing for quota in promotion for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in government jobs.
In the dock over three new Comptroller and Auditor General reports, the government on Friday stressed that these were not final and accused the auditor of not following its mandate.
In yet another twist, the controversial Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill was on Monday referred to the Select Committee of Rajya Sabha, further delaying the setting up of the anti-graft ombudsman which has been hanging fire for 42 years.
The government on Monday said that it has "narrowed down" major differences over the proposed anti-corruption bill Lokpal and it was committed to get the legislation passed in the Parliament.
Against a total authorised strength of 6,154 IAS officers in the country, there were only 4,377, Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy said during Question Hour.
The move assumes significance as the government decided to go ahead with the formation of the search committee despite Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, boycotting meetings of the Lokpal selection panel.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the 18th Biennial Conference of the Central Bureau of Investigation and State Anti-Corruption Bureaux (ACBx) on October 21, 2011.
The debate on Lokpal Bill was tonight disrupted when several members in the Rajya Sabha, particularly Left parties, created uproar, wanting to know whether the proceedings would continue after midnight as the extension of the Winter Session was till only December 29.
Government on Tuesday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that makes it mandatory for every authority or department to publish a citizen's charter and address grievances within 30 days, failing which the official concerned would face action.
Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievance and Pension, V Narayanasami on Thursday said the Centre would bring a comprehensive electoral reform bill in keeping with the recommendations of the second administrative reform commission.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said three cases in West Bengal and one case in Odisha have been registered by CBI.
Under fierce attack from the Opposition, the government on Thursday night defended the move to adjourn the Rajya Sabha sine die saying it needs time to study the nearly 200 amendments moved by the Opposition on the Lokpal Bill.
The Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011 was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by V Narayanasamy, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
Rejecting the opposition's charge that the bill will weaken the act, the government said it was fully committed to transparency and autonomy of the institution.
"The absence of MPs will be taken note of very seriously by the Congress leadership and the parliamentary party leadership. Action will be taken against the MPs who were absent despite phone calls and SMSes issued to them," Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy, who piloted the bills in Lok Sabha, said on Wednesday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday told the Maharashtra assembly that he, as Union Minister of State for Personnel and Training, was unaware of any negative vigilance report or pending criminal case against P J Thomas before the latter's appointment as the Central Vigilance Commissioner.
Appealing to Anna Hazare to end his fast, the government on Wednesday said it has forwarded Jan Lokpal Bill to Parliament's Standing Committee for consideration and it is up to it to take a decision.
The much-talked about Lokpal Bill could be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday with the government writing to the Speaker to waive off the two-day period required before introducing a bill.
A day after the Gauhati high court order held as unconstitutional the setting up of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the government said it will appeal against the verdict.
Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan accused his Maharashtra counterpart of "lying" on the CVC P J Thomas appointment fiasco to "hide his fault."
American business tycoon and philanthropist Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Friday announced an emergency relief fund of $700,000 for the flood victims of Jammu and Kashmir.
The government has rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party's charge that it misused the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case in which Gujarat Minister Amit Shah has been summoned by the probe agency.
Humiliating treatment which is likely to affect women government employees' health or safety may amount to sexual harassment, the government said on Wednesday.
The telecom and banking departments along with the railways accounted for the maximum number of public grievances among the various arms of the government in the last three years.
On his PIL, the SC had in 2013 directed the Centre and the states to set up a Civil Services Board to decide on transfers of officers.
Citing lack of staff as a key reason for the under-performance of Information Commissions, the Central Information Commission has written to the government asking it to provide more staff and resources in order to fulfill the requirements of implementing the RTI Act satisfactorily.
Investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam has so far not revealed any terror link with Bangladesh, the government said on Wednesday, days after the Bharatiya Janata Party had alleged such a connection.
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