The Lok Sabha  passed a bill to amend the Whistleblowers Protection Act to strengthen the safeguards against disclosures which may prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of the country.

Replying to the debate on the Whistleblowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said protection of whistleblowers has been “adequately ensured”.

The bill seeks to amend sections 4 and 8 of Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2011 to strengthen “the safeguards against disclosures which may prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of the country, security of the state etc”.

The Congress and some other opposition parties demanded that the bill should be sent to the standing committee. The Congress later staged a walkout.

The party had accused the government of not notifying the bill despite it getting the president’s assent last year.