Former IB chief Arvind Kumar, ex-Consumer Affairs Secy AK Srivastava likely to be vigilance commissioners

Former Intelligence Bureau chief Arvind Kumar and ex-Consumer Affairs Secretary Avinash Kumar Srivastava have been zeroed in on by the government panel for appointment as vigilance commissioners in Central Vigilance Commission, officials said Thursday.They said Vigilance Commissioner Suresh N Patel, who has been working as acting Central Vigilance Commissioner CVC, is likely to be appointed as the chief of the probity watchdog.The Central Vigilance Commission is headed by central vigilance commissioner and it can have two vigilance commissioners.

Former Intelligence Bureau chief Arvind Kumar and ex-Consumer Affairs Secretary Avinash Kumar Srivastava have been zeroed in on by the government panel for appointment as vigilance commissioners in Central Vigilance Commission, officials said Thursday.

They said Vigilance Commissioner Suresh N Patel, who has been working as acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), is likely to be appointed as the chief of the probity watchdog.

The Central Vigilance Commission is headed by central vigilance commissioner and it can have two vigilance commissioners. Vigilance Commissioner Patel has been acting as the CVC since June, 2021.

A three-member panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met on Tuesday to decide on the CVC and vigilance commissioners. The other two members on the panel include Union home minister and the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha.

“The name of Patel has been cleared for appointment as the CVC. Besides him, Arvind Kumar and Avinash Kumar Srivastava are likely to be appointed as the vigilance commissioners,” a source said.

An order on the appointment of CVC and the vigilance commissioners is yet to come out.

Arvind Kumar completed his term as the chief of internal security intelligence agency on June 30.

Srivastava, a 1982 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, retired as Consumer Affairs Secretary in January 2020.

Former IAS officer Sanjay Kothari completed his term as the chief of the probity watchdog on June 24 last year. He had joined the commission in April 2020.