A new-look Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) seems unlikely in three months as the government is yet to fill the vacancies of the two Vigilance Commissioners. Chairperson Pratyush Sinha's four-year term is set to end in September.
The vacancies occurred in November 2009 when the terms of Ranjana Kumar and Sudhir Kumar ended, leaving only Mr. Sinha at the helm of the government's apex anti-corruption supervisory body.
According to the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003, the two Vigilance Commissioners are to be appointed by a high-power three-member panel, chaired by the Prime Minister and having the Home Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha as its members.
Well placed sources said the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) is yet to shortlist the names of candidates and place them before the panel
Set up in 1964, the Commission was granted statutory status in 1998 and is free of control from any executive authority. The CVC monitors all vigilance activity under the government and advises government organisations in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work.
The Act, which governs the functioning of the Commission, gave a boost to the status of the CVC. It exercises superintendence over the Central Bureau of Investigation in so far as it relates to the probe of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights also has six vacancies, as the government did not appoint any new member despite recently re-appointing Shanta Sinha as its head.
