Probity in Governance — Ethical Standards

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act	2018	This amendment significantly altered the 1988 Act. It introduced the offense of 'giving a bribe' as a punishable act, redefined criminal misconduct, and, most controversially, inserted Section 17A, which makes prior approval from a competent authority mandatory before initiating an inquiry or investigation against a public servant.	The impact is debated. While making bribe-giving an offense strengthens the law, the requirement of prior sanction (Section 17A) is criticized for potentially shielding corrupt officials and creating a procedural hurdle for investigations, echoing the 'Single Directive' that was previously struck down by the Supreme Court. It aims to protect honest officials from frivolous complaints but may hinder swift action against the corrupt.
Right to Information (Amendment) Act	2019	This amendment changed the terms of service for the Central Information Commissioner (CIC) and State Information Commissioners (SICs). It empowered the Central Government to prescribe the tenure, salary, allowances, and other terms of service for the commissioners, which were previously fixed and on par with the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.	Critics argue that this amendment undermines the independence of the Information Commissions. By giving the executive control over the tenure and salary of the commissioners, it could compromise their ability to issue orders against the government without fear or favour. This has a direct bearing on probity, as a weakened transparency watchdog is less effective in holding the government accountable.