Centre seeks Apex Court's permission to resume process of selection for the post of CVC; Bench posts matter for hearing on December 11

The Centre on Wednesday sought the Supreme Court's permission to resume the process for selection of the chief vigilance commissioner and a vigilance commissioner, two posts which have been lying vacant for months because of a petition in court questioning the NDA government's selection criteria. 

 

(Supreme Court of India)

 

Attorney General Mr. Mukul Rohatgi mentioned the matter before a Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu, which then posted it for hearing on December 11.

The appointment of the CVC was lying in limbo since the time the Supreme Court had in August admitted on its file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that the Union Government was adopting a non-transparent, restrictive and non-uniform approach in selecting the CVC.

The Court had also criticized the government for allowing the short-listing to be done by senior bureaucrats in various ministries, which implied that there was no uniformity in the short-listing criteria.

The Centre had said it was in the process of short-listing 20 candidates from 120 names received by various ministries and that the job was being done by the cabinet secretary and 36 secretaries of other departments.

The AG had requested that the process of short-listing be allowed to go on but informed the Court that the government would not select the CVC till the Supreme Court finally decided the petition on the process of the CVC selection.