Former bureaucrats decry concerted efforts to undermine CAG

Coming out in support of the comptroller and auditor general on the presumptive loss figure in the 2G spectrum allocation, a group of former bureaucrats today accused politicians of undermining the institution.

According to the group, which met today, the key element in parliamentary democracy was financial accountability of the executive to parliament, which the institution of the CAG was tasked to secure.

The group deplored attempts to cast aspersion on the important role of the crucial institution.

In a meeting, 20 former senior bureaucrats, including those associated with the CAG, passed a resolution in support of the CAG and lamented that the parliament's Public Accounts Committee, which had to enforce the accountability of the executive to parliament, seemed to be in "disarray" with members of both ruling and opposition clashing with each other.

According to the statement which was signed by S Krishnan, former additional secretary in the finance ministry and others, the "casualty" of the development was the importance of accountability.

"The instrument of accountability (CAG) is wittingly or unwittingly being damaged, and the enforcer of accountability, Parliament's Public Accounts Committee seems to be paralysed by internal dissensions," it said.