Ministers and higher judiciary willcome under the ambit of a bill which seeks to establish a mechanism toreceive complaints regarding allegations of corruption or wilfulmisuse of power by them if the recommendations of a Parliamentarypanel are accepted.The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice andPersonnel, in its report tabled in Lok Sabha today, also recommendedbringing the armed forces and security and intelligence agencies underthe ambit of the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to PersonsMaking the Disclosures Bill, 2010.The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August, 2010 andis popularly called the whistle blowers' protection bill. The Standing Committee's report has already been handed overto the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha in June."The Committee takes note of the grave concerns raised regarding the exception created in relation to thedefence/ intelligence forces. In the committee's views, the (Personnel)Ministry has not furnished cogent reasons for excluding suchagencies/ forces from the ambit of the bill.Since this bill isultimately aimed at tackling corruption, "the committee does not findany logical reason behind such an exemption," the report said.In its report, the panel has suggested that theMinistry of Personnel should consider bringing the members ofthe Council of Ministers, the judiciary, including the higher judiciary and regulatory authorities within the ambit of the bill bymaking necessary amendments.The Committee has also recommended that a foolproof mechanism beenvisaged to ensure that the identity of the complainant is notcompromised with. [More]Tags:karnataka chief ministerd v sadananda gowdadeputy chief ministerreddy brothers