Only Prime Minister’s Office can grant sanction to prosecute IAS officers, Centre tells Madras High Court
The Central government informed the Madras High Court that only the Prime Minister's Office has the authority to sanction the prosecution of IAS officers. This clarification follows judicial scrutiny regarding delays in prosecuting bureaucrats involved in corruption cases.
Why it matters
The case highlights the complex legal procedures surrounding the accountability of high-ranking civil servants in India.
The Central government on Wednesday (September 16, 2026) informed the Madras High Court that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was the competent authority to grant the statutory sanction required to prosecute Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers in criminal cases.
Appearing before Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, Sushil Kumar Patel, Joint Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), said that the files are sent first to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) for its remarks and then forwarded to the PMO, seeking sanction.
The submission was made in response to a query raised by the court to explain who the competent authority was to sanction prosecution against IAS officers and why it takes a very long time to obtain such sanction before prosecuting bureaucrats in corruption cases.
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