320 corrupt govt officials given premature retirement in 5 years: Jitendra Singh

As many as 320 corrupt government officials have been given premature retirement since July 2014 while 29 nine complaints have been filed by MPs regarding violation of protocol against IAS officers since April 2018, the government informed Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Responding to a written question, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said as on February 27, 2020, provisions of the Fundamental Rules FR 56(j)/similar rules have been invoked against 163 Group ‘A’ officers, (including all India services officers) and 157 Group ‘B’ officers between July 2014 to January 2020.

To another question, he said 29 complaints have been filed by MPs regarding violation of protocol against IAS officers with Uttar Pradesh topping the list.

Four each complaints were received from West Bengal and Rajasthan, two each from Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, and one each from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat were also received by the government, he said.

On a question about the appointment of new Chief Information Commissioner and one Information Commissioner, he said the process of appointment was in an advanced stage.

"In respect of the Central Information Commission, the appointment process has been conducted duly as and when vacancies were required to be filled up and has not been at preliminary stage," said Singh, Minister of State for Personnel.

The Chief Information Commission has been functioning without a chairperson since Sudhir Bhargava retired on January 11 this year. Against a sanctioned strength of 11 Information Commission, the CIC now has just six.