Present Status of Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2011

The Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, 2011 was passed by the Lok Sabha on 27th December, 2011. The Bill as passed by the Lok Sabha was finally passed by the Rajya Sabha on 21st February, 2014 and received the assent of the President on 9th May, 2014. As the Bill was taken up on the last day of the last Session of the 15th Lok Sabha, the official amendments to the Bill (aimed at safeguarding against disclosures affecting sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the State, etc.) were not moved. The proposed amendments are of crucial nature and, therefore, the Act can be brought into force only after necessary amendments are carried out. Rules under the Act can be notified only after the Act is brought into force. 

 

While there are media reports that some persons have been victimized, assaulted or killed allegedly for their role as RTI activists / whistleblowers, however, the same could not be confirmed. In so far as complainants / whistle blowers under the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers Resolution (PIDPIR) is concerned, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has informed that, as the designated authority under the PIDPIR, it has not come across any incident of killing / attack of the complainant since May 12, 2014. As per information furnished by the CVC, only two complaints regarding alleged harassment / victimization have been received by CVC from complainants under the PIDPI Resolution since May 12, 2014, i.e., one received on 13th May, 2014 and another received on 30th September, 2014. 

 

This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to Shri D. Raja in Rajya Sabha today.