NEW DELHI: Seeking to cut delays and introduce transparency in departmental proceedings against bureaucrats for alleged corruption , the government on Thursday introduced an online software that will record all processes online and use cloud-based technology to provide an interface among all stakeholders.

Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said the new system will expedite the departmental proceedings, thus ensuring that corrupt officers are brought to justice without delay even as the honest ones are spared undue harrassment and intimidation. The portal will initially be adopted in respect of IAS officers posted at the Centre but subsequently be extended to all All India Services officers as well as Group A employees serving in the Central government.

A DoPT release said the system will also involve the state governments in the later phases by covering All India Services officers serving in the states.

The online system envisages use of cloud-based technology and provides interface to different stakeholders like the administrative ministry initiating the departmental inquiry, the cadre controlling authority, charged officer, inquiry officer, etc through separate modules. All documents required for the conduct of the inquiry will be stored online and authenticated through digital signature/e-signature. Further, all communication between the different stakeholders will be through the system with provision for email and SMS alerts.

The software also provides status of all pending cases on real time basis along with alerts for adhering to the timeframes indicated in the rule. The government had recently amended the All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules to fix time-frames for completion of departmental inquiry (six months), filing of reply by the charged officer to the chargesheet and advice of UPSC.

MoS Singh on Thursday said the system will enable monitoring of the departmental cases more effectively to complete inquiries within stipulated timeframes and fix accountability at different stages. The online system for monitoring of disciplinary proceedings will make the whole system transparent and cut delay, he said adding that it

would also reduce oossibility of judicial intervention in cases of disciplinary proceedings in later stage.

According to Central Vigilance Commission ( CVC ), 3,500 government officers working in various departments are being probed for their alleged involvement in corruption.

A CVC study had also pointed out that government departments take about three years on average to complete disciplinary proceedings against government employees, with the delays in some cases extending to 7 years.

