Rajv Mehrishi set to be next Comptroller and Auditor General

Rajiv Mehrishi Last day. Express Photo by Prem Nath Pandey.

Rajiv Mehrishi, who retired on Thursday as the Union Home Secretary, is set to be the next Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

A 1978-batch IAS officer from Rajasthan cadre, Mehrishi will replace incumbent Shashi Kant Sharma, who was appointed by UPA government in May 2013. Mehrishi has a degree in business administration from Strathclyde Business School, Glasgow. He also did his graduation and masters in history from St Stephen’s College in Delhi.

Speaking to The Indian Express over phone, Mehrishi said: “I am in Jaipur. Yet to see the orders.” Mehrishi has held several key posts in central and the Rajasthan governments. He was the chief secretary of Rajasthan, principal finance secretary, district magistrate and collector of Bikaner.

In the Union government, he served as the Union finance secretary, secretary (fertilisers), and secretary (overseas Indian affairs).  Ahead of his retirement as home secretary, Mehrishi had targeted Pakistan and accused it of sheltering Bombay serial blasts main accused Dawood Ibrahim.  He had said that Pakistan was creating hurdles in getting the terror accused back to India.  There was speculation earlier that Mehrishi could become the next Jammu and Kashmir governor.

As a constitutional functionary,the CAG is primarily entrusted with the responsibility to audit the accounts of the Union and state governments. His reports are laid before the Parliament and the Legislatures of the states.
The CAG enjoys similar status as a judge of the Supreme Court.