After missing pages in the files pertaining to the controversial Robert Vadra-DlF deal, Haryana Government has now decided to make amends.
Soon, no person would be allowed to take any public records out of State without prior approval of Haryana Government and in case of contravention, he/she will be liable for imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or fine.
These provisions are the part of proposed Public Records Bill 2014, which the State Government plans to bring to the Cabinet before introducing it in the state assembly for passage.
The proposed bill comes in the wake of last year’s reports of two crucial pages of controversial Robert Vadra-DlF deal going missing from the State Government records.
The State Government had also ordered a probe into reports of missing files of land deals between DlF and Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra.
Now, to ensure that no Government files or records go missing from the State Government Departments, Statutory Bodies and Corporations, Commissions and Committees in the future, Haryana Government will bring in Public Records Bill, 2014.
The bill, seeks to regulate the management, administration and preservation of public records of the State Government.
The bill is significant as currently, there are no statutory rules and regulations to preserve or maintain the old files in various establishments of the State Government.
According to the draft bill provisions, no person will be allowed to take any public records out of Haryana without prior approval of State Government.
And, whoever contravenes this provision shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees or with both. Also, every record creating agency shall nominate one of its officer to discharge the functions under this provisions of the bill.
Every record creating agency will set up number of record rooms and shall place each record room under the charge of a records officer, stated the draft bill.
Apart from this, the bill mandates that no public record shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of except in subject to few conditions.
No record created before the year 1947 shall be destroyed except where in the opinion of the Director General, Haryana Archives Department, it is so defaced or is in such condition that it cannot be put to any archival use.
Once the bill is passed, the State Government would constitute an Archival Advisory Board to supervise on the matters concerning the administration, management, conservation and use of public records.
“The provisions of proposed Public Records Bill 2014, aims at preserving the records of Department, Commissions, Corporations among others statutory bodies under Haryana Government,” said Dr Rajwanti Mann, Deputy Director, Haryana Archives Department while talking to The Pioneer.
She said, “The Centre had enacted Public Records Act in 1993. Only two-three state governments have enacted this Act so far. Haryana Archives Department has sent the proposed bill to the State Government.”
At present, there are no statutory rules to maintain the public records. While the Government departments have to either submit or apprise us about the public records which are more than 25 years old, we do not receive any communication from many departments as of now. At present, many old files go missing, misplaced, discarded or destroyed in various departments, she informed.
“Once the bill is passed, a record officer will be appointed in every department, who would coordinate with Archival Department and will be discharging several duties to maintain the public records. Any contravention of provisions of this bill would attract severe penalties,” added Dr Rajwanti.