Bribe giving should be an offence: Parliamentary Committee
Q. Which organisations will be made accountable for acts of corruption according to a parliamentary committee making bribe giving an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act?- Published on 16 Aug 16a. Corporates
b. Non governmental organisations
c. Both of the above
d. Either of the above
ANSWER: Both of the above
Signalling a strong consensus in the political class on making corporates and non governmental organisations more accountable for acts of corruption, a parliamentary committee has recommended to make bribe giving an offence under Prevention of Corruption Act.
- Select committee studying the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2013 and further amendments circulated by the government last year, has recommended that it be made mandatory for corporates to have proper anti-graft system in place deterring employees from indulging in corrupt practices.
- PC Act covers public servants accepting a bribe, not a bribe giver.
- Providing a bribe to a public servant is covered under the provision pertaining to abetment.
- There is no specific provision in dealing with companies and private individuals engaging in bribe giving.
- Bill proposes a jail term of close to 7 years for any private individual, corporate or member of NGO who tries to bribe a public servant.
- Scope of the bill has been widened to include middlemen, company directors and private individuals who are linked to payoffs.
- In case amendments approved by the select committee are passed by Parliament, a new act will hold a commercial organisation liable for failure to prevent persons from bribing a public servant.
- Firm can therefore be held responsible for corrupt acts of employees.
