Prasar, I&B tussle over appointment rules for recruitment of

The Information and Broadcasting ministry and Prasar Bharati are locked in a tussle over who should have the final say in the appointment as well as the removal of chairperson and members of a board being set up to carry out recruitments for the public broadcaster.
A draft notification proposed by the I and B ministry suggests that Prasar Bharati board should select suitable persons for the post of chairperson and two full time members of Prasar Bharati Recruitment Board (PBRB) and forward them to the central government for approval.
The broadcaster however has sought modifications as it feels the idea goes against "legislative intent."

As per the notification proposed by the ministry, appointments should be made after receipt of approval from the Central Government or the Cabinet Committee for Appointments. The rules suggested also lay down that for the removal of these members, prior approval of the central government would also have to be taken.
The move however has raised fears in Prasar Bharati that adoption of these rules would give central government a direct say in recruitment of personnel which would affect the autonomy of the public broadcaster.
Sources told PTI that Prasar Bharati's Member (Personnel) V A M Hussain has written to the I&B ministry seeking modification of the provisions in the draft notification.

Opposing the rules in the draft notification, Hussain in his letter has said that if implemented they would result in a situation that "Prasar Bharati is left with the powers of selection and formal notification of appointment but final say in the appointment would be that of the Government.
"This militates against the legislative intent that it is the Prasar Bharati that has to establish the Board. As such, legislative intent was that Prasar Bharati would have the last word in the matter of appointment and removal of Members of PBRB," Hussain's letter to the I&B ministry says.
However I&B officials maintained that they had held due consultations and had acted on the advice of Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).