Draft:Directorate General of Vigilance

The Directorate General of Vigilance is the apex body under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs for the vigilance matters. The Directorate General interfaces with the Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Bureau of Investigation, field formations of CBIC who are also having their Vigilance wings and others in all the matters relating to Vigilance, preliminary investigation of complaints, obtaining CVC/CVO's first stage advice, wherever required, assistance to Ministry in issuance of charge sheets, monitoring the charge sheet issued by the Disciplinary authorities in the field, monitoring of progress in inquiry proceedings, processing of enquiry reports, obtaining CVC/CVO's second stage advice, wherever required and communication thereof to Disciplinary authorities and monitoring compliance/implementation of the advice.

The Directorate General of Vigilance has its headquarters at New Delhi and has Seven Zonal Units-North Zonal Unit at New Delhi, West Zonal Unit at Mumbai, East Zonal Unit at Kolkata, South Zonal Unit at Chennai, Ahmedabad Zonal Unit at Ahmedabad, Hyderabad Zonal Unit at Hyderabad and Lucknow Zonal Unit at Lucknow. The Directorate General is headed by the Principal/Director General and the Zonal Units are headed by Principal/Additional Director General. Functions and duties of the Directorate General.

The functions and duties of the Zonal Units of the Directorate General are mainly as follows:

(i)        To co-ordinate the work of various vigilance formations in CGST & Customs Commissionerates.

(ii)       Liaison with CBI.

(iii)     To investigate vigilance complaints received from the public and complaints forwarded by Headquarters, by the CVC and other Vigilance Organisations.

(iv)      To carry out various preventive vigilance studies for improving the functions of the field formations of CGST & Customs Commissionerates.

(v)       To carry out preventive checks at sensitive locations to control corruption in CGST & Customs Commissionerates.

(vi)      To carry out inspection of Vigilance Section of the Commissionerates of GST & Customs.

The functions and duties of the Headquarters of the Directorate General are mainly as follows:

(i)      (i) To get the various complaints received from public or through CVC and other formations investigated through the Zonal Units or field formations.

(ii)      Processing of Investigation Reports received from the Zonal Units of the Directorate General; field formations of CBIC or CBI for obtaining CVC/CVO's first stage advice for further action where Gazetted officers under the CBIC are involved.

(iii)     Liaison with CBIC, CBI, CVC in disciplinary matters.

(iv)      Compliance with the directions of CVC in disciplinary matters.

(v)       To assist the Disciplinary Authority in disciplinary and prosecution matters relating to Group 'A' officers under CBIC in consultation with CVC.

(vi)      To monitor and supervise issuance of Charge Sheets to the officers, conduct of Inquiries and to process the Inquiry Officer's report for obtaining CVC/CVO's second stage advice.

(vii)    Advising Ministry on matters of Vigilance Clearance in respect of Group 'A' officers under CBIC.

(ii)       Powers and duties of its officers and employees:-

The duties of the officers and employees of the Directorate General are the same as mentioned above.

(iii)      The procedure followed in the decision making including channels of supervision and accountability:-

Procedure followed in Zonal Units

The main function of the Zonal Units is to investigate the complaints received from Public or through Hqrs. office/CVC & other vigilance formations. The complaints are marked to Superintendent or the Assistant/Deputy Commissioner for investigation and the investigation reports submitted by them are examined at the level of Joint/Additional Commissioner and thereafter by the Principal/Additional Director General and then submitted to Hqrs. Office with suitable recommendations.

Procedure followed in Headquarters/Channels of Accountability:

The Preliminary Investigation Reports in respect of various complaints received from the Zonal units, field formations or CBI and the Inquiry Officers Reports are first examined at the level of Superintendent or Assistant/Deputy Commissioner, then put up to the Joint/Additional Commissioner and Principal/Additional Director General (Hqrs.) and thereafter to the Director General for obtaining CVC/CVO's first or second stage advice. If Group "A" officer is involved the matter is generally referred to CBIC for concurrence before obtaining CVC advice. The Headquarters is headed by a Principal/Director General who is an officer of the rank of a Principal/Chief Commissioner and he is assisted by an Addl. Director General under whom work the Jt. Commissioners who are assisted by the Deputy/Asstt. Commissioners and Superintendents and in general all the matters are examined/processed through this hierarchy.

(iv)      TheThe Norms set by it for the discharge of its functions:-

The Citizen's Charter issued by the CBIC provides that the complaints will be promptly acknowledged and final replies will be provided within 30 working days of their receipt. Any complaint or grievance can also be taken up with the Public Grievance Committee headed by the Commissioner and/or the Zonal Grievance Committee headed by the Chief Commissioner.

(v)        The rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging the functions:-

The Vigilance Manual of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964, the CCS (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules 1965, CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 and the various instructions issued by the Government of India and the CVC relating to Vigilance matters are the rules/ manuals used by the Directorate General of Vigilance for discharging its functions.

(vi)      Statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control:-

Apart from file opening register, complaint registers, DGV/CVO Advice Register maintained in the Directorate General, records relating to various complaints/Inquiry Reports are maintained in the Directorate General of Vigilance.

(vii)     The particulars of any arrangements that exists for consultation with or representation by the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof.

Regional Advisory Committees, Public Grievances Committees, Watch Dog Committees are working in the various field formations of the CBIC.

(viii)    A statement of the Boards, Councils, Committees and other bodies Consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part of for the purposes of its advice, and as to whether meeting of those boards, Councils, committees and other bodies are open to public or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public.