High-level committee finalises name for post of CVC

New Delhi, Jul 2: Four months after the Supreme Court quashed the appointment of P J Thomas, a high-level committee chaired by Prime Minister Minister Manmohan Singh today (Jul 2) finalised the name for the post of Chief Vigilance Commissioner.

"The name has been finalised. Government will announce it. I have not raised any objection," Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said.

The high-level committee comprising Singh, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Swaraj met at the Prime Minister's official residence here this morning.

Sources had said that a list of probable candidates were prepared by the Department of Personnel and Training which placed it before the selection panel.

Those whose names figured in the initial list included Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, former Home Secretary G K Pillai, former Chemicals and Fertilisers Secretary Bijoy Chatterjee, former Secretary, Legislative Affairs V K Bhasin, former Urban Development Secretary M Ramachandran and Personnel Secretary Alka Sirohi.

The Supreme Court had on March 3 set aside the appointment of Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner and also laid down stringent guidelines for future appointments of CVC.

The apex court had termed as "illegal" the September 3, 2010 recommendation for appointment of Thomas as CVC since the high-powered committee did not consider the pending charge sheet against Thomas in the palmolein import scam.

PTI