New CAG sworn in as SC admits PIL against him

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a PIL challenging appointment of Shashi Kant Sharma as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). HT reports.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a PIL challenging appointment of Shashi Kant Sharma as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

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An apex court bench, however, said there was no urgency in taking up the matter and posted the case for hearing in July.

The 61-year-old 1976-batch Bihar cadre IAS officer has replaced Vinod Rai, who demitted office on Wednesday after a five-and-a-half year tenure.

Advocate ML Sharma said Sharma had in the last 10 years held several sensitive positions in the defence ministry that dealt with significant procurements and appointing him as CAG would mean a conflict of interest.

Secretary (defence production) Radha Krishna Mathur has been given the additional charge of defence secretary for three months.