Transparency not enough to arrest corruption: Justice Ganguly

"For democratic governance to overcome corruption, transparency and accountability are essential, but not sufficient", Justice Ganguly told a conference on democratic governance held here yesterday.

A release issued by O P Jindal Global University (JGU), joint organiser of the conference, quoted the former judge as saying that despite the criminal records of politicians being in public knowledge, "persons facing serious charges of corruption and crimes still manage to become representatives of the people".

Justice Ganguly was speaking at International Conference on Democratic Governance jointly organised by the JGU and Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley.

Rajya Sabha member and lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who was also present at the event, called for reforms in all major establishments in the country, beginning with the Parliament, the release said.

Regarding the Indian judiciary, he said that while it is "independent and enormously creative," a lot needs to be done to enhance judicial accountability and efficiency, the release also said.

Delegates from the University of California provided perspectives from USA related to the funding and management of elections and legal restrictions on US firms against giving bribe to outside entities.

Professor C Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of JGU, in a statement, said, "The joint conference organised by the JGU and the University of California is the first of its kind where issues relating to democratic governance, electoral politics, corruption etc ... Were discussed in a threadbare manner reflecting comparative and international perspectives from India and the USA."