That global phenomenon

One police sub-inspector was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 3,500 from a village goon for not registering a case of possessing illegal arms. He was sacked and convicted. But a High Court showed leniency towards him and quashed the conviction. The Supreme Court has scrapped that acquittal, expressing deep concern over rampant corruption that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had termed as a 'global phenomena' about three decades ago.

Indeed, it has been. The World Bank says over US $1 trillion is paid annually in bribes around the world. Transparency International estimates suggest that Indians pay over Rs 21,600 crore in bribes for various government functions. The big beneficiaries are bureaucrats, politicians, health service managers, the education department, judiciary and the police.

"No facet of public activity has been left unaffected by the stink of corruption. It has deep and pervasive impact on the functioning of the entire country," the apex court has reiterated as it feels that corruption would retard national development.

"Large-scale corruption retards nation building activities and everyone has to suffer on that count," the Court had observed in 1997. "Corruption is corroding like cancerous lymph nodes, the vital veins of the body politics, social fabric of efficiency in the public service and demoralising honest officers.”

Analysts might offer a variety of reasons for financial and moral corruption. But the Supreme Court could have sent a strong message against this national disgrace if it had also declared that taking bribe for some job done during the proceedings of Parliament or legislative assembly is also an offence and bribe takers like bribe givers can't escape action under the Prevention of Corruption Act.