Moily seeks extension for ONGC chief sans CVC clearance

Days before the retirement of Sudhir Vasudeva, head of India's largest profit-making firm ONGC, a controversy has erupted over Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily seeking a post-retirement extension for him without a fresh CVC clearance.
Vasudeva, who turned 60 yesterday, is due to superannuate on Friday.
Opposition BJP and the Left parties slammed the government for seeking an extension for him without CVC clearance saying this is the second instance of the UPA government ignoring CVC in appointment to key positions.
Earlier this month, Archana Ramasundaram, a 1980-batch IPS officer from Tamil Nadu, was appointed by the government as Additional Director in CBI apparently ignoring the anti-corruption watchdog's recommendation.

On November 4, 2013, Moily wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking one-year post-retirement extension for Vasudeva on the plea that his appointment was delayed by eight months due to false complaints. Also, ONGC needed his presence to complete ongoing strategic initiatives.
Sources said while the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) asked the Oil Ministry to submit a proper proposal, government headhunter PESB selected D K Sarraf, Managing Director of ONGC Videsh Ltd, to succeed Vasudeva on February 28.

Sarraf, who was previously Director (Finance) in ONGC, got CVC clearance, but the same for Vasudeva could not be obtained.
The Ministry, they said, then forwarded to the Cabinet Committee on Appointments (ACC) a proposal containing two sets of options -- give Vasudeva an extension or appoint Sarraf as the next Chairman and Managing Director of ONGC.

When the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) asked the ministry about CVC clearance of Vasudeva, it was told that it will be obtained post-facto.
Prior to that, CVC had on February 10 written to the Oil Ministry saying: "There are a total number of six complaints/ cases against Vasudeva which are pending in the ministry and are yet to be taken to their logical conclusion... No recommendation of PESB has been furnished by the ministry with regard to proposed extension of his tenure and the period of extension."
Following the CVC letter, Oil Secretary Vivek Rae noted on files that it was "clearly not possible to obtain vigilance clearance for Vasudeva in the next few days. The only alternative is to grant him extension, pending vigilance clearance, in case ACC deems it fit to do so".

The file containing proposals for extension for Vasudeva and appointment of Sarraf is with the Prime Minister's Office after going through Cabinet Secretariat and the Home Ministry.
Vasudeva took over as Chairman of ONGC on October 3, 2011.