MAINS 2015
GS2
12.5 marks
If the amendment bill to the Whistle Blowers Act, 2011 tabled in Parliament is passed, there may be no one left to protect. Critically evaluate.
WRITE IN
9 min
200 words
What the examiner wants
Evaluate whether the 2015 amendment bill to the Whistle Blowers Protection Act would leave whistleblowers without real protection.
Critically evaluateJudge the merits and the limits with evidence, and give a clear verdict.
Demand-wise check
- 1Context: Whistle Blowers Protection Act 2014 (bill of 2011) after Satyendra Dubey and Manjunath killings≈35 words
- 22015 amendment: bars disclosures in categories like RTI Section 8(1) - sovereignty, economic interest, cabinet papers, commercial confidence - and those under Official Secrets Act unless obtained under RTI≈35 words
- 3Concern: most corruption disclosures involve such information; whistleblowers risk prosecution≈35 words
- 4Government view: protect national security. Status: passed Lok Sabha 2015, lapsed; the 2014 Act never notified≈35 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
BackgroundAmendment provisionsWhy it guts protectionGovernment rationaleReform suggestion
Where marks usually go
- Not naming the specific exclusions
- Missing that the Act is still not operational
Draw this
- Venn of 'disclosable' vs excluded categories under the amendment
Value addition
- ExampleSatyendra Dubey (NHAI engineer) was killed in 2003 after exposing corruption in the Golden Quadrilateral project.2003
- LawThe Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014 received assent in May 2014 but its rules were never notified.Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Aditya Srivastava · AIR 1 · Page 32 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 13 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 41 ↗Same syllabus reference
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