Govt told CVC its 2 Commissioners can stay until 2006, now says no such letter

First, this letter was sent to the CVC informing them that Vigilance Commissioners H J Dora and Janaki Ballabh, appointed initially for three years—under which Dora would retire next month and Ballabh in November this year—would stay on in office for another year.

‘‘The term of office of Vigilance Commissioners,’’ the letter said, ‘‘is automatically extended to four years. This may please be brought to the kind notice of the two Vigilance Commissioners and the CVC.’’

But the DoPT then decided to withdraw the letter and refer the matter to the Ministry of Law.

With no follow-up letter or official clarification, there are red faces all around. While CVC officials say the letter is no longer in their records, top DoPT officials deny it ever existed.

‘‘The letter was only drafted, it was never received by the CVC,’’ a senior DoPT official said, ‘‘We have now been advised by the Law Ministry that the CVC Committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Leader of Opposition alone should resolve the issue of extension for the Vigilance Commissioners.’’

Facts show otherwise. The letter clearly shows it was received in the CVC’s records and initialed by CVC’s Secretary, Sujit Banerjee, and thereafter, on March 2, by CVC P Shankar as well as Dora and Ballabh. When contacted, all these CVC officials said they had no comment to offer. Meanwhile, the officer who signed the letter, Additional Secretary DoPT, has been transferred.

Now speculation is rife whether the term of the two VCs will be extended by a year as per the four-year term stipulated under the 2003 CVC Act or whether the Government will make fresh appointments to these crucial posts.

The appointment of Dora and Ballabh was made via a Presidential warrant for a term of three years via a 2002 Resolution, when the CVC Act had not been amended.