CAG Vinod Rai’s Term ends Today

Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai retires today. He will be replaced by Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma. Mr. Rai will be remembered for the audit reports on 2G, CWG and Coalgate that created political storm.

Mr. Rai had dared to expose the UPA government with many audit reports on the allocations of 2G spectrum, 2010 Commonwealth Games and coal mining blocks. The reports showed massive scams that ruined the government’s image and provided ammunition to the main opposition to corner the Congress in the Parliament.

Mr. Rai, who worked following the ethics, talked about good governance and transparency when the government was criticised for a number of corruptions and scams. His five-year tenure (2008-2013) had been controversial for talking tough against the government.

A day before his term ended as CAG, he appealed to the government to allow the body to audit Panchayatiraj institutions for greater transparency.

Meanwhile, India Again Corruption (IAC) activist and senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan has questioned the selection of Shashi Kant Sharma, who will be the new CAG. He raised the issue of reform in the selection process saying, there was a conflict of interest in the appointment. He alleged that the government has selected such a person, who will work following the instructions of the political masters and ultimately, the CAG will be a toothless body.