With the term of the present Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai ending this May, hectic political and corporate lobbying has begun to finalise the name of the next candidate. The CAG has been in continuous limelight in recent times for piloting several reports which severely indicted the government, though he too got a rap on the knuckle for at times over-estimating the loss to the exchequer.
Both the ruling party and the Opposition do not want to take a chance when it comes to this crucial appointment, as both will gain from it. The UPA government is rather keen to have a trusted person in place, while the Opposition is in no mood to compromise unless the name of the person of their approval is considered.
For the selection of the CAG, it is the ministry of finance which prepares a panel for the consideration of the appointments committee of the cabinet (ACC), which is presided over by the prime minister. Due process of vigilance clearance is followed before the finance ministry places the recommendations before the ACC, which recommends one name from the panel for appointment by the president.
During the last round of appointment, incidentally, the name of the present incumbent was forwarded by the Ministry of Finance then under P Chidambaram as he was working under him in the ministry. Chidambaram once again is back at the helm of affairs in North Block.
According to sources, a strong section comprising political and corporate lobbyists is pushing the name of DK Mittal, banking secretary. Other contenders for this post include -- PK Mishra (former secretary, Department of Personnel & Training) and GC Chaturvedi (former secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas). All three of them are from the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
Within the Congress major play has begun as various factions are pushing one name or the other for this post. While on the other hand, some Mumbai-based business houses are trying to push forward the contender of their choice, because in recent times all major corporate houses have faced serious difficulty because of the CAG’s expose including those of the spectrum scam, Coalgate, KG Basin controversy and others. It is the CAG’s report that has provided all the required evidence for further criminal investigation.
DK Mittal is trying very hard to garner support of both the political as well as corporate lobbies but has been unable to impress finance minister P Chidambaram, who will eventually recommend a name for this post. Mittal’s past associations with various dubious business groups during his stay in IL&FS Infrastructure Development Corporation as well in the finance ministry as secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), have come in his way but his supporters are hopeful he will make the cut.
Both the ruling party and the Opposition do not want to take a chance when it comes to this crucial appointment, as both will gain from it. The UPA government is rather keen to have a trusted person in place, while the Opposition is in no mood to compromise unless the name of the person of their approval is considered.
For the selection of the CAG, it is the ministry of finance which prepares a panel for the consideration of the appointments committee of the cabinet (ACC), which is presided over by the prime minister. Due process of vigilance clearance is followed before the finance ministry places the recommendations before the ACC, which recommends one name from the panel for appointment by the president.
During the last round of appointment, incidentally, the name of the present incumbent was forwarded by the Ministry of Finance then under P Chidambaram as he was working under him in the ministry. Chidambaram once again is back at the helm of affairs in North Block.
According to sources, a strong section comprising political and corporate lobbyists is pushing the name of DK Mittal, banking secretary. Other contenders for this post include -- PK Mishra (former secretary, Department of Personnel & Training) and GC Chaturvedi (former secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas). All three of them are from the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
Within the Congress major play has begun as various factions are pushing one name or the other for this post. While on the other hand, some Mumbai-based business houses are trying to push forward the contender of their choice, because in recent times all major corporate houses have faced serious difficulty because of the CAG’s expose including those of the spectrum scam, Coalgate, KG Basin controversy and others. It is the CAG’s report that has provided all the required evidence for further criminal investigation.
DK Mittal is trying very hard to garner support of both the political as well as corporate lobbies but has been unable to impress finance minister P Chidambaram, who will eventually recommend a name for this post. Mittal’s past associations with various dubious business groups during his stay in IL&FS Infrastructure Development Corporation as well in the finance ministry as secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), have come in his way but his supporters are hopeful he will make the cut.