Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Commission :

Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Commission (JKSVC) (formally established as Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau) is a government agency led by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir under the State Vigilance Commission Act, 2011.The commission was set up to inquire into corruption against government officials in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Retired IPS officer P L Gupta is the Chief Vigilance Commissioner in the Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Commission.

History :

The Jammu & Kashmir State Vigilance Commission Act, 2011 reveals the formation of JKSVC under the section State Vigilance Commission Act, 2011 which indicates that the JKSVC was constituted on 15 February 2011 under Sub-Section-1 of Section 3, with the mandate to monitor, inquire or investigate the corruption under any Act of the Parliament or the Act of State Legislature of J&K. After the formation of JKSVC, the Commission became functional with effect from February 2013 after appointment of first Chief Vigilance Commission Kuldeep Khoda and Vigilance Commissioners R.K. Jerath and Smt. Gous-ul-Nisa Jeelani.

Functions :

1. To investigate the offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006.

2. To give directions to the Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organization for the objective of entrusted responsibility discharge to under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006.

3. To inquire or cause an inquiry or investigation on a reference made by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.

4. To investigate corruption cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006, against a public servant being an employee of the Government or a corporation established in the State by or under, any Central Act or the Act of State Legislature, Government company, society and any local authority owned or controlled by the state Government.

5. To inquire or cause an inquiry or investigation to be made into any complaint against any official belonging to state of J&K.

6. To review or monitor the progress of investigations conducted by the Vigilance Organization of J&K.

Anti-Corruption Bureau :

The Government of Jammu & Kashmir issued an SRO notification No. 203 Dated 9th April, 2013 in reference to Sub 1 of Section 10 of the Jammu & Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006 about the establishment of an Organisation to be known as Vigilance Organisation (now Anti-Corruption Bureau) for investigation of the offences under the said Act.

Subsequently, the State Government issued instructions on 31st July , 2013 about the Vigilance Organisation (now Anti-Corruption Bureau) named under the J&K Vigilance Commission Act, 2011 & J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat, 2006 to use the name “Vigilance Organisation” (now Anti-Corruption Bureau) instead of “State Vigilance Organisation”.

Under the Act, the functions and the powers of the J&K Vigilance Commission primarily include to exercise the “superintendence” over the functioning of the Vigilance Organisation (now Anti-Corruption Bureau) in so far as it relates to the investigation of the offences alleged to have been committed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006 etc. , to give directions to the Vigilance Organisation (now Anti-Corruption Bureau)for the purpose of discharging the responsibility entrusted to it under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006 with proviso as contained in the J&K SVC Act, 2011.

           With a view to combating corruption and corrupt practices by public servants, the Commission has adopted a multi-pronged strategy, which comprises punitive, preventive and participative vigilance. These measures are complimentary to one another and constitute important elements towards the avowed objective of tackling the menace of corruption.