Corruption is eating into the entrails of society so much so that we are only short of accepting corruption as inalienable part of daily routine of life. How sad that things should come a pass where even the law enforcing agencies have begun to soft paddle with the canker. It is very difficult to track down a corrupt official and frame a case against him and bring him to book. The reason is essentially that our judicial process of handling cases of corruption is too complicated, too time consuming and too mild in proposing the quality of punishment. The result is that every week and every month corruption cases are piling up in the courts of law.
Alarmed at the number of pending cases of corruption in the Anti-corruption Courts of the State, the High Court ordered in 2012 that it was incumbent upon the Government of the State to provide corruption free administration to the people. Consequently orders were issued to the Government to create seven Additional District and Sessions Judges and empower them to hear cases of corruption. Obviously, this was done to speed up prosecution of tainted persons and dispose off the backlog keeping in mind that justice has not to be delayed. But designation of seven more courts with the specific purpose of handling corruption cases did not yield the desired result for want of adequate paraphernalia that would make these additional courts functional. The most important requirement was the appointment of Prosecuting Officers. In absence of these officers the additional courts are unable to proceed with the hearing of the cases of alleged corrupt officials.
Government has been showing only half hearted resolve to provide the required paraphernalia to the additional courts so that speedy disposal of corruption cases could become possible. The real reason for the Government to adopt non serious attitude is to be found in lack of coordination between two departments, the Home Department and the General Administrative Department. The stalemate about deputing Prosecuting Officers has not been resolved despite expiry of eight months till date. In the meanwhile, the Vigilance Commission has written several letters to the Chief Secretary to intervene in the matter but to no avail.
This type of indecision in vital matters makes ordinary people believe that the Government is not really serious in tackling the issue of eradication of corruption from our polity. Inordinate delay in disposing off cases of corruption generates the impression that corrupt can run away unscathed and scot free. Even the High Court has made an observation that reflects its displeasure at delaying the appointment of Prosecuting Officers for the additional courts.
Unfortunately corruption has become national phenomenon at this point of our history. The rise of Anna Hazare movement against corruption has, at least, sensitised the entire nation to the creeping disease as a result of which a neo-affluent class has suddenly emerged in society that is trying to run the country through money power and not the rule of law. The State Government at one point of time boasted that it had perfectly functional anti-corruption mechanism and did no need to have the Anna Hazare type of movement in the State. Unsuspecting people believed in the theory but soon they were disappointed. The Government needs to understand that owing to unearthing of major cases of corruption, people are loosing faith in the governing system.
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