Recently quizzed over the difficulties the Vigilance officers are facing to trap the senior administrative officers or gazetted officers because of the procedural impediments like seeking permission from the State Government, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat pleaded his inability. “We cannot do much because we are bound to implement the Central Government’s guidelines regarding the same.” He quipped in the same breath: “This is not a big issue.”
Observers say the vigilance officers have to make several rounds to seek permission from the State administration. “As senior police officers of the rank of Additional Director General of Police are heading the Department, the institution head should be empowered to give the go-ahead. The administrative officers concerned being inclined to keep things hang fire rob the Vigilance officers much of their initial enthusiasm,” one of them said.