New Delhi: The government has received over
50 nominations from various ministries, departments and
individuals for the post of Central Vigilance Commissioner
following the ouster of PJ Thomas.
Officials in the Department of Personnel and Training
(DoPT) said the names are being vetted and final three
shortlisted candidates will be put before a three-member high
level selection panel headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The government has received nominations from former
bureaucrats, politicians and judges in response to its
advertisement for the post.
DoPT Secretary Alka Sirohi on April 5 last year had
written to heads of all ministries and departments of the
Government of India, asking them to nominate a person of
"outstanding merit and impeccable integrity" for the post.
Besides serving and retired All India Service officers,
judges and other individuals can apply for the post of CVC
provided they fulfill basic qualification and other skills set
by the government in this regard.
The last date for receiving the nominations was April 25.
Confirming the development on the appointment of CVC,
DoPT spokesman Ravinder Singh said, "The process is on." He
denied to comment further saying the matter was "highly
confidential".
Senior officials privy to the development said the
government was "keen" on filling up the post and it will be
done likely by late next month.
The CVC is an independent body, which advises the
government on vigilance-related matters and check corruption
in various departments, among others. It is also probing
several scams, including cases relating to Commonwealth Games.
The Supreme Court on March 3 had quashed the appointment
of Thomas, a 1973 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, as
Central Vigilance Commissioner after his name cropped up in
corruption case relating to Palmolein imports in 1991, during
his tenure as the food secretary, that allegedly caused a loss
of over Rs two crore to the Kerala government.
Thomas` appointment had come under attack from all
quarters after leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj
had also expressed her dissent over his appointment. Swaraj
and Home Minister P Chidambaram are members of the selection
panel.
PTI
