'CAG cannot be govt's cheerleader'

Vinod Rai says the auditing agency is clear on the executive's prerogative to take and implement policy decisions

“We cannot be a cheerleader for the government,” said Vinod Rai, the country’s Comptorller and Auditor General (CAG), in a hard-hitting speech here today.

Speaking at a conclave organised by the India Today group of publications, he asked the government and citizens, in the interest of democracy, to ensure the autonomy of regulators and to respect the constitutional sanctity of the instituion he heads.

The auditing agency, he said, was clear on the executive’s prerogative to take and implement policy decisions. In turn, it was for the government and other state agencies to understand, and appreciate, what the CAG’s role was.

“Those responsible for the handling of public finances must be seated in glass houses, open to scrutiny. Institutions such as the CAG play a vital part in ensuring restraint on the abuse of power and that the executive doesn’t act in an arbitrary manner. The government’s ability to frame policy and take decisions is beyond question but accountability can also not be secondary. CAG is not simply an auditing organisation. It ensures the government is accountable.”

He added the CAG had been repositioned. “We’re doing performance audits, along with financial audits”.

“The CAG has never commented on policy or suggested policy measures. We have analysed the implementation of policy. Accusing us of interfering in policy matters is simply an alibi for non-performance,” Rai said about charges that the CAG had exceeded its brief in suggesting figures for presumptive loss. He said all global auditors give presumptive revenue loss figures in different scenarios.

Rai said Indian democracy had delivered. “We have achieved nearly double-figure economic growth, that also inclusively. All three pillars, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, have done a commendable job. The fourth pillar, the media, has also done a commendable job 24x7, often in overdrive. The media represent the people in a number of ways, so that is a good thing,” he said.