( 1 )

"let honesty be as the breath of thy soul; then shalt though reach the point of happiness, and independence shall be thy shield and buckler, thy helmet and crown ; then shall thy soul walk upright, nor stoop to the silken wretch because he had riches, nor pocket an abuse because the hand which offers it wears a ring set with diamonds. " - Frannklin. "the whole of Government consists in the art of being honest. " - Thomas Jefferson, Works VI, 186. Thus realising the importance of honesty and probity in public life and to weed out the corruption rampant amongst the public servants, the legislators thought it fit and proper to frame a comprehensive legislation in the form of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 as the existing laws in the form of Sections 161 to 165a Indian Penal Code, they felt, had proved inadequate for dealing with the situation obtaining at that time on account of war and immediately thereafter. Subsequently in order to further strengthen the anti- corruption laws and to make them very effective the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 was passed which received the assent of the President of India on September 9,1988.

( 2 ) THE present petitions