On April 29, 2020 Former Andhra Bank chief Suresh N Patel(62) takes charge as vigilance commissioner in the anti-corruption watchdog Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) & his oath of office is administered by newly-appointed Central Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari.
Key Points
i.He will have a tenure of over two years, till late December 2022.
ii.The post of the vigilance commissioner has been lying vacant since June 2019 after TM Bhasin completed his tenure.
iii.Currently, Sharad Kumar is working as the other vigilance commissioner.
Gist about Suresh
- His name to the post was recommended by a high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2020.
- Was a member of the advisory board for banking and financial frauds of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) & resigned after his selection as the vigilance commissioner.
- Appointed as the managing director and chief executive officer of Andhra Bank in November 2015 till his superannuation on December 31, 2017.
- Has more than 3 decades of banking experience & has worked as the executive director in Oriental Bank of Commerce before taking over as the chief of Andhra Bank.
About CVC:
The Central Vigilance Commission was set up by the Government in February,1964 on the recommendations of the Committee on Prevention of Corruption, headed by Shri K. Santhanam, as an apex body to advise and guide Central Government agencies in the field of vigilance.
CVC Act 2003
In 1998 the Government introduced the CVC Bill in the Lok Sabha in order to replace the Ordinance of 1988, but was not successful & so was re-introduced in 1999 and remained with the Parliament till September 2003 & came into effect after duly passed in both the Houses of Parliament and with the President’s approval.
Important Features of the Act
i.The Commission should consist of a Central Vigilance Commissioner (Chairperson) and not more than 2 Vigilance Commissioners (members).
ii.The Central Vigilance Commissioner and the Vigilance Commissioners are to be appointed by the President on recommendation of a Committee consisting of the Prime Minister (Chairperson), the Minister of Home Affairs (Member) and the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People (Member).
iii.The term of office of the Central Vigilance Commissioner and the Vigilance Commissioners will be 4 years from the date on which they enter their office or till they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
Headquarters of CVC– New Delhi, India
