THE PREVENTION OF BRIBERY

THE report of the Committee appointed by the Punjab Government to investigate the extent of corruption among officials and the remedies to be applied, together with the resolution of the Government thereon, is published in this week’s Punjab Gazette. The Committee deals with the methods by which illegal gratifications are solicited and given; the conditions which facilitate corruption; the causes, legal and others, which make the successful detection and punishment of corruption rare; and the remedies to be applied. The Committee in its inquiries covered a wide range, and recorded evidence regarding the departments of judicial administration, Revenue, Excise, Police, Jails, Hospitals, Canals, Public Works (Roads and Buildings), Forests and Education; and, as was to be expected, the Committee came to the conclusion that corruption is prevalent in all these departments, more so in the Police. It is described in the following words:-- “In this country, the Police Department is the one department of all others which is in most intimate touch with the public. It is, therefore, essential that this department of all others should be above reproach. Unfortunately, the general opinion of the public as reflected in the evidence, official and non-official, which we have recorded tends to show that of all departments, this is reputed to be the worst. The department may be divided into three grades--(1) the constables and head-constables, (2) the sub-inspectors and inspectors, (3) officers of gazetted rank. We regret to say that practically all the evidence we have recorded, even the official evidence, confirms the belief that in the first and second classes, i.e., constables and head-constables, sub-inspectors and inspectors, examples of honest officials are believed to be rare.”