Also in a bid to improve transparency and curb corruption in public administration, the Tamil Nadu government has ordered government departments and offices across the state to display bilingual complaint boards with the contact details of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in the state to put them up for the public to see. This will also help in enhancing public awareness for bribery and misconduct by public servants and also to make the information about complaint mechanisms more accessible to the public in both Tamil and English.
The directive is part of the state’s wider effort to put accountability in government and increase public confidence in administrative services. The new order says that every government office will need to install clearly visible complaint boards that show DVAC's helpline numbers, complaint channels and how people can report demands for illegal gratification or suspected corrupt practices.
But officials claim that the availability of complaint information will help citizens who are often reluctant to report corruption because they don’t know the authorities or procedures. By making the information bilingually available to the population— residents who speak mainly Tamil and visitors and others who speak English— the government will be able to reach a wider section of the population.
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption is Tamil Nadu’s main agency for investigating corruption against public servants. It also receives complaints on bribery, misuse of official position, disproportionate assets and other crimes under anti-corruption laws. It also conducts investigations, traps and inquiries based on credible sources of information from the public and government agencies.
Corruption remains a major issue in public service delivery in many sectors such as revenue administration, local bodies, registration offices, transport departments, municipal services and licensing authorities. These daily citizen services are often delayed or unofficial and in Tamil Nadu the government is doing its best to discourage this by increasing the awareness of reporting mechanisms and reminding public officials that their actions are being watched.
Administrative experts have welcomed the move, as visibility is critical for anti-corruption campaigns. A complaint board in waiting rooms, entrances and service counters in the middle of the line that gives citizens their own voice to speak out against bribery should help to tell them there is an independent authority to resolve grievances of corruption. They are also a psychological deterrent for people who are likely to be corrupt.
The bilingual boards are expected to have a number of important details such as the DVAC's complaint telephone numbers, website, email address, and instructions on submitting complaints. Citizens who have evidence of bribery— audio recordings, videos, documents or witness accounts— are encouraged to provide as much relevant information as possible to assist investigators.
The initiative has been promoted by transparency proponents as a way of improving governance, but also being successful will be equally crucial. Experts say complaint systems need to be robust, with transparent processes— with protection for whistleblowers where appropriate, swift prosecution of offenders and citizen-based efforts to promote corruption awareness— to make people report corruption.
The order also reflects the growing emphasis on citizen participation in strengthening integrity in public institutions. With a clear line to see the complaint procedures, the government wants to make corruption to be seen as a big no no and that mechanisms to remedy it are in place.
In addition to physical complaint boards, a lot of government departments are also moving to digital grievance redressal systems, online complaint portals, and mobile applications to make things easier for people. But officials say that boards that are displayed in public offices are especially useful in offices where the people come in to obtain certificates, permits, registration, welfare benefits, etc.
The initiative is expected to complement existing vigilance and to reinforce ethical behaviour in government workers. Bribes and taking bribes are a serious offence and strict punishment of the corrupt may be brought against officials.
Cracking down on bribes: Tamil Nadu mandates bilingual DVAC complaint boards across all Govt offices
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) July 15, 2026
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As Tamil Nadu continues to improve governance standards, the installation of bilingual DVAC complaint boards is another step toward a more transparent, accountable and citizen-friendly administration. By making reporting mechanisms easier to access, the government hopes to strengthen public trust and encourage greater participation in the fight against corruption.
