Alliance Against Conflict of Interest (AACI)


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ABOUT AACI 		   
 
The Alliance Against Conflict of Interest (AACI) is an alliance of organisations and individuals working in various sectors – doctors, lawyers, women's and children's health groups, activists and media. AACI takes up cases with clear conflict of interest and brings them to the notice of the parties involved, the government and media. AACI aims at having a legal protection from conflicts of interests in all sectors in public policy.
    

AACI ACTION : Calling for a legislation

 

[Building a case for bringing the conflict of interest policy in India]
Alliance Against Conflict of Interest (AACI)


On 24th April 2015 a Bill on Conflict of Interest will be discussed in Rajya Sabha. It’s a great opportunity for conflict of interest advocates to push the government for the following actions: Bill should be discussed in the Parliament, made comprehensive and as inclusive as possible to keep public interest at the center, and adopted. By bringing in a law the government can demonstrate its commitment to inclusive agenda & transparency and do away with ad -hoc verbalactions.

This Bill has been moved by Dr E M SudarsanaNatchiappan MP, President, Indian Society of Interest Law, New DelhiChairman, Parliamentary standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, President, Parliamentary Forum On Human Rights for Global Development.

Notes for the editors

[What can conflict of interest lead to if not addressed?]

  • Conflict of interest in policy and decision-making processes of the government affects the entire public of the country;
  • It can result in huge losses to the exchequer;
  • It can put whole populations at health risk by not adequately regulating the junk food , tobacco and alcohol industry ;
  • It can release dangerous and unnecessary medicines on the people;
  • It can distort priorities to make treatment rather than prevention as the national policy;
  • It can raise the price of basic services such as provision of food, water, health care, housing, power, transportation, to levels that the poor cannot afford;
  • It can destroy the environment and the livelihoods of peoples dependent on that environment;
  • It can create financial risks for small and medium investors through the collusion of large players with the regulators, and so on, to affect any and all aspects of life.


[Background Stories that created a buzz for conflict of interest policy]

February 2014
Report of the Parliamentary Committee on Prevention of Corruption Amendment included “Conflict of interest’

http://aaci-india.org/doc/69-report-The-Prevention-of-Corruption-Bill-2013.pdf

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July 2014: PM Modi presented 17 Point plan that includeda law on Conflict of Interest

http://archive.financialexpress.com/news/narendra-modis-17point-agenda-reach-anywhere-in-india-in-24-hours-bring-new-law-on-conflict-of-interest/1272309

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13th September 2014, a national working group met to discuss the issue of conflict of interest in Delhi and recommended that a law should be enacted to prevent and manage conflict of interest in policy making and implementation.

http://aaci-india.org/doc/Report-Prevention-and-Management-of-COI-Bill.pdf

http://aaci-india.org/Calling-for-a-legislation.html

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Feb 2013: RTI information: Government of India ministries lack clear guidance on conflict of interest:
Information regarding guidance on conflicts of interests from Ministries

http://aaci-india.org/Information-regarding-COI-guidelines-from-Ministry-GOI.html

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4th April 2015, Current Information: Prime Minister asks MPs having conflict of interests to stay away from Parliamentary committees. And it’s bad for health.
After the PM’s advise the health ministry to increase the pictorial warnings from the current 40 per cent to 65, the committee met again on 6th/April/2015 (Monday) to discuss the issue and has refrained from issuing any recommendations yet and ShyamCharan Gupta did not attend this meeting.

http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/04/05/tobacco-controversy-modi_n_7005592.html?1428204319&utm_hp_ref=india

http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-commentary/conflicts-of-interest-between-government-and-tobacco-industry-is-bad/

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-beedi-baron-skips-parliamentary-committee-meeting-2075329
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N Srinivasan’s Case of Conflict of Interest:

22ndJanuary 2015:N Srinivasanquestioned for his hold dual roles - that of a BCCI administrator and a franchise-owner, at the same time. The President-in exile was ordered to choose either his position as the BCCI president or that of the owner of the Chennai Super Kings franchise.

30th March 2015:Cricket Association of Bihar secretary AdityaVerma shot off a letter to BCCI president JagmohanDalmiya and secretary Anurag Thakur, asking the duo to "recall the nomination" of N Srinivasan from the powerful post of ICC chairman.

On 16th April 2015 ,Current News: AdityaVerma urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to "stop" incumbent chairman N. Srinivasan from holding on to the position till he was being probed by a high level panel constituted by the Supreme Court of India.

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/69501/n-srinivasan-cannot-contest-bcci-elections-supreme-court

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cricketnext/n-srinivasan-to-remain-icc-chairman-till-bcci-agm/540203-78.html

http://www.firstpost.com/sports/srinivasan-will-remain-icc-chairman-untill-bcci-agm-in-september-thakur-2199394.html
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Ramdev appointed brand ambassador to Haryana:

15th January 2015: Ramdev appointed brand ambassador to Haryana government while he sells Ayurveda products through his company. BJP plans to let him enter schools and hospitals as the yoga guru for training hospital staff and teachers to promote yoga and ayurveda. Now what sort of public private partnership is this, we think it is a clear case of conflict of interests.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-01-15/news/58109049_1_yoga-guru-anil-vij-haryana

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Revolving Door Cases

Conflict Of Interest Law in Other Countries

The News
Conflict of interest is in the news these days for the last couple of years it needs to be plugged , requires serious attentions that’s why we say bring a law to stop it.
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For more information please contact:
Arun Gupta
Convenor
Mobile: 9899676306
http://aaci-india.org
 
CONTACT
Email : [email protected]