THE PROCEDURE OF INQUIRIES SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL JUSTICE AND GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE INFORMED ABOUT THE LATEST POSITION OF ALL THE VIGILANCE CASES/COMPLAINTS.

The Heads of the offices are responsible to decide issues and matter related to the vigilance proceedings and furnish reports and returns up-to-date so required for the purpose of keeping the government informed about the latest position of all the vigilance cases /complaints submitted under article 350 of the Constitution of India and further the Heads of the departments will have to submit the following statistical returns to the Director of vigilance in the prescribed proformae :-- (a) Quarterly Statistical returns of all the complaints and vigilance cases both against Gazetted and non -Gazetted employees. (b) Quarterly return of prosecution cases both against the Gazetted and the non Gazetted employees. (c) Quarterly Statistical return of public servants under suspension. (d) Six monthly progress report of all the vigilance cases both against Gazetted and non -Gazetted employees. As for as departmental inquiries against delinquent officers are required to be finalised within time schedule, sometimes it takes more time as required under law of the limitations, it defeats the very object of the proceedings as there is a possibility of the evidence being tampered with or the witnesses won over. Some time a technical flaw in the proceedings vitiates the entire action. Effective steps should, therefore, be taken to eliminate all avoidable delays in departmental inquiries, while at the same time ensuring that constitutional and statutory provisions in regard to such inquiries are meticulously followed. The following steps and procedure should be followed while dealing with the cases of complaints and holding the departmental inquiries (1) Investigation at the preliminary stage (2) Issue of statement of charges (3) Examination of explanation (4) Enquiry officer must follow procedure as laid by the law code manual required to consider such documentary evidences, as may be relevant or material in regard to the charges and the enquiry shall be held in accordance with the principles of natural justice.