The Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed the Centre for the delay in notifying the Whistleblowers Protection Act as to when it will come into force and said the delay was causing a vacuum.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed the Centre for the delay in notifying the Whistleblowers Protection Act as to when it will come into force and said the delay was causing a vacuum.
A three-judge bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justices A.K. Sikri and R. Banumathi asked the Attorney General to inform the court within a week as to when the law will be notified.
The CJI told the AG, “Tell us how much time this statue will be ready. Now there is a vacuum, obviously we can’t tell Parliament.
Either you come up with a law or an administrative set up to protect the whistleblowers.” When the AG sought three months’ time to seek instructions from the government, the CJI observed “whistleblower is a phenomena and they will continue to do it. Take firm instructions. If you are unable to come up with any steps then we can pass orders. The AG was asked to inform of the government’s stand on January 13.
The bench was hearing a PIL from Parivartan seeking protection to whistleblowers following the death of Satyendra Dubey. Counsel Prashant Bhushan submitted that the Centre had enacted the Act but had not notified it so far and the CVC was merely forwarding whistleblower complaints to Chief Vigilance Officers who were middle-level officers in the ministries.
