National Supervision Law unexpectedly being revised
The legislature's (NPCSC) 2024 legislative plan includes an unexpected item: Revisions to the National Supervision Law.
Why we're surprised: The law didn't appear on the NPCSC's five-year legislative agenda (2023-2028), published in September.
- That means the intention to revise the law is new, and the revisions are being fast-tracked for approval.
Some context: Enacted in 2018, the National Supervision Law lays the legal foundation for the National Supervisory Commission (NSC) – an anti-corruption agency that consolidates anti-corruption functions dispersed among various government and Party bodies.
The NSC is a force to be reckoned with: The commission expanded the remit of the Party's anti-corruption watchdog (CCDI), allowing it to investigate public officials as well as Party members.
- Since 2018, the NSC has overseen the investigation and prosecution of thousands of corrupt government officials.
There hasn’t been any public reporting about what the revisions will focus on.
Get speculative: There have been ongoing grumblings about the lack of due process and transparency enshrined in the National Supervision Law.
- We expect the revisions will establish stricter investigative procedures and offer those under investigation more legal protections.
Get smart: Adding more checks and balances to anti-corruption processes would boost morale in the public sector, assuaging their fears of being unfairly prosecuted and allowing them to focus more on effectively implementing policies and programs.