The Union Cabinet recently approved amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, that provide for classifying corruption as a heinous crime and longer prison terms for both bribe-giver and bribe- taker. The proposed amendment act will also ensure speedy trial, limited to two years, for corruption cases.

The Prevention of Corruption Act was enacted in 1988.The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha for the purpose on August 19, 2013.The Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee submitted its report on the Bill to the Rajya Sabha on February 6, last year but the Bill could not be passed.Further amendments are proposed in the Bill as recommended by the Law Commission of India in its 254th report. The present Government,on April 29, decided to add more teeth by adding more amendments to the bill that is pending before the Rajya Sabha.

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