(a) the number of Whistleblowers/RTI activists killed/attacked since April 2014;
(b) whether the Whistleblowers Protection Act is yet to be notified;
(c) if so, the reasons for the delay in its notification and the time by which the rules would be framed; and
(d) the details of the steps taken by the Government to expedite framing of rules under the act?
Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office. (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a): While there are media reports that some persons have been assaulted or killed/ attacked allegedly for their role as RTI activists/whistleblowers, however, the same could not be confirmed. In so far as complainants/whistle blowers under the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers Resolution (PIDPIR) are concerned, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has informed that, as the designated authority under the PIDPI Resolution, it has not come across any incident of killing/attack of the complainant since April, 2014.
(b) to (d): The Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, 2011 was passed by the Lok Sabha on 27th December, 2011. The Bill as passed by Lok Sabha was finally passed by Rajya Sabha on 21st February, 2014 and received the assent of the President on 9th May, 2014. As the Bill was taken up on the last day of the last Session of the 15th Lok Sabha, the official amendments to the Bill (aimed at safeguarding against disclosures affecting sovereignty and integrity of India, security of State, etc.) were not moved. The proposed amendments are of crucial nature and, therefore, the Act can be brought into force only after necessary amendments are carried out. Rules under the Act can be notified only after the Act is brought into force.