By IANS,
New Delhi : The Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) should be above any controversy and his selection should be unbiased, former chiefs of the country’s anti-corruption watchdog said Thursday after the apex court struck down P.J. Thomas’ appointment.
N. Vittal, who was CVC from 1998-2002, said: “I welcome the Supreme Court verdict heartily. The faith in the judiciary is validated.”
The Supreme Court overruled Thomas’ appointment for his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal and raised the issue of “institutional integrity”. Thomas quit after the verdict.
“The CVC, being a key institution in fighting corruption, has retained it’s credibility. If P.J. Thomas had resigned (earlier), the issue would have not been considered. Now via Supreme Court, the whole case has been thoroughly examined and a proper verdict has been given,” Vittal told IANS.
Another former head of the anti-corruption watchdog, Pratyush Sinha,
said: “We have to be extra careful when we select the CVC. The appointment of Thomas and the whole process has become controversial.”
Thomas had succeeded Sinha, who was CVC from 2006-2010.
Both former CVCs maintained that the panel that makes the selection should be very careful and unbiased.
“The panel should be carefully made. We have to be unbiased and very careful while selecting CVC so that it doesn’t lead to controversy. I feel very sad that the post has come under so much controversy,” Sinha said.
Thomas was appointed after a high-powered panel, consisting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj gave its go-ahead. Swaraj (Bharatiya Janata Party) had recorded her opposition to Thomas’ appointment at a Sep 3, 2010 meeting. The government had overruled this.
Vittal said: “The institution of the CVC should be above controversy. This verdict has indicated very clearly that they should select an outstanding person with a neat and good performance chart. The selection committee should have political unanimity during and after the selection process of the CVC.”
A petition by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) challenged the appointment and said Thomas, a 1973 batch Indian Administrative Service officer who was earlier the telecom secretary, faced a criminal case related to palm oil import in Kerala and that he was not an “outstanding civil servant of impeccable integrity”.
An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia said institutional integrity and functioning were more important than personal integrity though both were related.
Thomas was Kerala’s civil supplies secretary in 1992 when the palm oil scam allegedly involving him took place. The palm oil case was registered in 1999, accusing Thomas and others of a criminal conspiracy and causing a loss of Rs.2.32 crore to the exchequer.