Srinagar, May 28: The selection panel on the appointment of Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) and the two Vigilance Commissioners (VCs) Monday finalized the names of the prospective candidates for the coveted positions which would be forwarded to the Governor for approval.
While, according to sources, name of outgoing state police chief Kuldeep Khoda has been proposed for appointment as the first CVC, names of former Financial Commissioner, RK Jerath and former Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD) Muhammad Sayeed Khan have been finalised for appointment as Vigilance Commissioners for the to-be-constituted maiden State Vigilance Commission (SVC).
An IPS officer of 1974 batch, Khoda, is reaching superannuation after three days on May 31, while Jerath retired as Financial Commissioner on April 30 and Khan retired as Secretary GAD on January 31 this year.
The meeting to recommend the appointment of CVC and two Vigilance Commissioners, according to an official handout, was held this evening under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah which was attended by Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Sagar and the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Mehbooba Mufti.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Sagar said a panel of six persons each for CVC and VCs was deliberated upon in the meeting. “However, there was no consensus on the name of CVC as the same was not agreed to by the leader of opposition,” he said.
Sagar said the Chief Minister made an effort to evolve consensus as was done earlier in the case of appointment to Chief Information Commissioner and State Accountability Commission head.
Sagar said the institutions like Vigilance Commission should be kept above politics “but unfortunately some persons are politicizing the appointments to these institutions.” He further stated that the recommendations would be submitted to the Governor for his approval.
PDP chief, according to sources, had suggested the names of former ADGP Ashok Bhan and former Financial Commissioner, Samuel Verghese for the posts of CVC which were opposed by the ruling alliance. Upset over the finalization Khoda’s name for the post of CVC, Mehbooba, according to sources, left the meeting midway.
First reported by this newspaper, the State Government has zeroed in on the names of Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda, former Chief Secretary SS Kapur, former Principal Resident Commissioner Satinder Singh Sahni, former Financial Commissioner Revenue R K Jerath, Additional Director General of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Ashok Bhan, former chairman Special Tribunal Samuel Verghese for the coveted post of CVC.
The names of former Secretary, GAD Muhammad Sayeed Khan, former Commissioner, Commercial Taxes Department Khawja Bashir Ahmad, former Financial Commissioner (Revenue) RK Jerath, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muhammad Amin Shah, former IGP Ashok Gupta and Director General Accounts and Treasuries, Wali Muhammad Bhat were short-listed for the post of Vigilance Commissioners.
Pertinently, as per the State Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Act, the CVC and two VC’s are to be appointed by Governor on the recommendations of selection panel.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 IST