The government has quietly dropped a move to haul up the ministers for corruption as it does not figure in the terms of reference of the eight-member Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, appointed last week to consider measures to tackle corruption.

This is surprising, as initially, the move was to create an anti-corruption mechanism that would have teeth to take on the powers that be. The proposal was in deference to a five-point agenda for "a battle against corruption" enunciated by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in her inaugural presidential address to the party plenary session on December 19, stressing that there should be no tolerance for corruption or misconduct.

The GoM, asked to give its report within 60 days, that is, by the first week of March, has been asked to advise the government on seven issues in particular, including the state funding of elections, but it is given freedom "to consider all measures, including legislative and administrative, to tackle corruption and improve transparency."

The document stating the GoM’s terms of reference accessed by Governance Now shows it has also been asked to examine UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's proposal at the Congress plenary for "relinquishing discretionary powers enjoyed by ministers at the Centre." Gandhi has sent out a separate letter to the Congress chief ministers to remove such discretionary powers.

Other issues to be dealt by the GoM are:

* Ensuring full transparency in public procurement and contracts and enunciation of public procurement standards and policy,

* Fast-tracking of all cases of public servants accused of corruption,

* Amendment to Article 311 of the constitution to provide for summary proceedings in cases of grave misdemeanor or blatant corruption by public servants,

* Introduction of an open and competitive system of exploiting natural resources, and

* Consideration of relevance for Section 6(A) of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, under which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) operates, requiring it to obtain prior approval of the government to probe any offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the bureaucrats of the level of joint secretary and above.

Article 311 provides protection to the civil servants of the centre and states as also those in the all-India services from dismissal, compulsory retirement, removal or reduction in rank except after an inquiry.

Read our previous story on this proposal:
Manmohan readies to walk Sonia’s anti-corruption talk