Process of selecting new CVC to start soon: govt

The government today said it will soon start the process of selecting a new Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) after it receives the judgement of the Supreme Court which quashed the appointment of P J Thomas.

Putting up a brave face, senior government officials said the verdict was a "setback but not such a calamity" as projected by the media and that there were "past precedents" too where appointments were quashed by the apex court.

They said the same committee headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had appointed two vigilance commissioners just a week before the appointment of Thomas as CVC.

The committee, which also had Home Minister P Chidambaram and Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj, to select Thomas went by the material placed before it by the Department of Personnel and Training, they said adding it will meet again to choose a new CVC.

Rejecting the contention of some some political parties that after Thomas's ouster, the appointment of CBI Director A P Singh had also become infructuous, the sources said the CVC Act clearly lays down that decisions taken by the CVC before removal will be followed in letter and spirit.