HC raps Prasar Bharati CEO,stresses need for accountability

The petition alleged that Lalli was continuing to hold office illegally despite the expiry of his term on April 21,2009. He was appointed to the post on December 26,2006. However,it appears that the government has attempted to extend his term of office by bypassing the statutory provisions of the Prasar Bharati Broadcasting Corporation of India Act,1990, the PIL said.

The court paid credence to Bhushans submission that Lalli had sidelined the Board and was exercising powers in complete disregard of the concerns of the Board. The Board has become virtually redundant because of the CEO. There has to be some accountability and you are to file a detailed affidavit, it said.

Several objections have been raised by members of the Board against the CEOs autocratic and unaccountable manner of conducting the affairs of the Prasar Bharati,which have led to a situation in which large-scale financial irregularities are indulged in by him threaten its very functioning, the petition stated.

The broadcaster,represented by Additional Solicitor General Parag Tripathi,refuted that there was any ambiguity and misrepresentation of the Act. He assured the court to file a detailed affidavit in this behalf. The court,however,was not satisfied by his response and asked him to file an affidavit.

You cannot go beyond the statute with regards to continuance of his tenure, the court said,adding that the Board is the supreme authority and it should not be sidelined.

The petitioner pointed out that the government had in 2008 amended the Act to increase the age of superannuation for the CEO by three years from 62.