President's secy Sanjay Kothari next CVC, ex-IAS officer Julka to be CIC

Sanjay Kothari, the Secretary to the President, has been selected as the new Chief Vigilance Commissioner by a high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said on Wednesday.

The committee has also chosen by a majority decision, former Information and Broadcasting Secretary Bimal Julka, currently serving as an Information Commissioner, as the new Chief Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission.

"Kothari and Julka have been selected as the next CVC and CIC," a senior government official said.

Both Kothari and Julka are retired Indian Administrative Service officers.

While Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury opposed the decisions, it was supported by other members in the panel -- Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Minister of State for PMO and Personnel Jitendra Singh, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Secretary Personnel C Chandramouli, sources said.

The panel also decided by majority the appointment of Suresh Patel as Vigilance Commissioner and Anita Pandove as Information Commissioner.

The orders related to the appointments are expected to be issued on Wednesday after formal approval from President Ram Nath Kovind, the official said.

The Central Vigilance Commission is an-corruptiom watchdog with autonomous status.

It is free of control from any executive authority and has the responsibility of monitoring all vigilance activities in the Central government besides advising various authorities in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work.

The Central Information Commission was constituted under the Right to Information Act and has the jurisdiction over all central public authorities.