Cong in loop as govt sets out to appoint CVC

The Centre on Monday started the process to appoint the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) and the Congress will also have a say in the selection of this anti-graft watchdog.

The Centre on Monday started the process to appoint the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) and the Congress will also have a say in the selection of this anti-graft watchdog.

The move comes days after the department of personnel and training (DoPT) — the nodal point in the government for vigilance and right to information (RTI) — called for applications for selection as members of the Central Information Commission.

In case no member is designated Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the CVC Act and RTI Act provides for inducting the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha as a member of the selection panel headed by the Prime Minister.

Central vigilance commissioner (CVC) Pradeep Kumar is set to step down on September 28 and the vigilance commissioner (VC) JM Garg will complete his term in early September. The government had widened the net for selection of CVC after the Supreme Court set aside the controversial appointment of retired IAS officer PJ Thomas as CVC in 2011.

According to CVC Act 2003, the appointment of the CVC and VC is done by the President on the basis of recommendation of a three- member selection committee headed by Prime Minister and comprising home minister and leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.