CVC absence leads to shortage of officers in CBI

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The CBI is facing acute shortage of officials at senior positions in the absence of Central Vigilance Commissioner whose vetting is a requirement for the process even as the agency grapples with number of sensitive cases handed to it by courts and state governments.

Four promotions at the post of Special Director, four at Joint Director, Eight at Deputy Inspector General are pending because of post of Central Vigilance Commissioner is lying vacant.

In addition, two new inductions for the post of Additional Directors and eight at Superintendent of Police are also kept on hold.

The CVC's presence in the selection committee for these officials is a must as per requirement of Section 26 of the CVC Act that amends the CBI-controlling Delhi Special Police Establishment Act.

The Act says new appointments or extensions above the post of SP in the CBI can only be done by the by a committee chaired by the CVC and comprising two Vigilance commissioners, Home Secretary and Secretary (Coordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat as members.

The committee recommends the appointment, extension or curtailment of tenure of officers of the rank of SP and above after consulting the CBI director.

No appointments can be made without the presence of the Central Vigilance Commissioner. The post of CVC is lying vacant since appointment of the then Commissioner P J Thomas was annulled by the Supreme Court on March 3.

The CBI is at present investigating 859 cases across the country including some high profile ones like spectrum allocation scam, Adarsh scam, CWG scam, Netai massacre among others and has 102 officers in the rank of SP and above as against a sanctioned strength of 161.