Online Vigilance, Offline Delays: Gujarat’s Complaint System Exposes Gaps

Manisha Vakil, Chairperson of the Estimates Committee in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, flagged this issue in her report. She pointed out that the Vigilance Commission's complaint portal has been upgraded in line with the Central Vigilance Commission’s new grievance portal. The upgraded portal allows users to register complaints, track actions, forward them to departments, and check the status of pending cases—all accessible online. Citizens can now lodge complaints, track progress, and even use mobile devices to check monitor the status of their submissions.

However, during a review of departmental inquiry cases, the committee found that 2,132 complaints were stuck simply because 26 departments had not sent back investigation reports. This backlog persists despite a clear directive from the General Administration Department that all preliminary and departmental inquiries should be wrapped up within four months. In many cases, departments have taken years instead.

The Vigilance Commission has repeatedly drawn the government’s attention to this negligence, but delays continue. Vigilance Commission Secretary R.G. Desai has also issued instructions to department heads, urging them to ensure uniformity and urgency in dealing with pending cases. However, there has been little improvement in compliance.

According to a recent report by Vigilance Commissioner Sangeeta Singh, the Commission received over 11,000 complaints. In several cases, incomplete departmental investigations have prevented the Commission from recommending disciplinary action against guilty officials. Around 10% of complaints were dismissed due to insufficient documents or lack of evidence. Singh, who served as Additional Chief Secretary of the State Home Department, was appointed Vigilance Commissioner in October 2020. Her tenure ends this year.

Fast-Track Push Fails To Gain Ground
To address the issue of backlog, the General Administration Department’s Deputy Secretary A.H. Mansuri recently passed an order to roll out a fast-track system—something like a Lok Adalat—to expedite departmental inquiries. High-level committees were also formed to get things moving. But in most departments, the effort has not taken off. The system exists on paper, but not much on the ground.

Online Portal Brings Transparency, Not Speed
Gujarat’s vigilance portal is fully online now, letting citizens file complaints about bribery, misconduct, or corruption by public servants from their phones or computers. It even lets users track the progress of their cases in real time. Once a complaint is filed, it is forwarded to the relevant department, head of office, panchayat, board or corporation, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), or the CID (Crime) for investigation. Upon receiving the factual or preliminary inquiry report, the Commission reviews the findings and recommends further action such as criminal prosecution, departmental inquiry, or other appropriate measures. Complainants can track the status of their submissions through the portal.

Top Gujarat Departments By Complaint Volume
1. Urban Development
2. Revenue Department
3. Home Department
4. Panchayat and Rural Housing
5. Labour, Skill Development and Employment
6. Education Department
7. Roads and Buildings Department
8. Forest and Environment Department
9. Health and Family Welfare
10. Energy and Petrochemicals