'CAG only to find flaws'

Days before the budget session begins on Feb 21, President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday emphasised the need for a healthy debate in Parliament on financial issues to check corruption and misuse of funds. Bhadra Sinha reports.

Days before the budget session begins on Feb 21, President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday emphasised the need for a healthy debate in Parliament on financial issues to check corruption and misuse of funds.

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Delivering the first NKP Salve memorial lecture on "Constitution and Governance" the President said, "One doesn't have to wait for a CAG report and therefore raise issues. To my mind job of CAG is only to find out the flaws. If financial rules and procedures are strictly followed CAG has nothing to comment about."

He also raised the trend of disruptions during House proceedings that made the task at hand impossible. In the last couple of years, parliamentary disruptions have become the rule rather than the exception with the opposition stalling proceedings with demands for discussions on various scams.

Speaking on the occasion, Supreme Court judge Justice P Sathasivam cited corruption as a significant threat to good governance. Citizens' participation leading to transparency would end the menace, he said. "PILs in court must be approached in a balanced manner," he added.