Akshay AgrawalAIR 43 · CSE 2018 · 229 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening · a constitutional or legal provision
Article 148 of the Constitution mentions the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). CAG is responsible to audit the accounts of the Central and the state governments, thereby ensuring financial accountability of the executive.
Only a fully competent, independent, and suitably empowered CAG can ensure financial democracy in the country.
Body · points
COMPETENCE
- The CAG should have professional competence to be able to audit the accounts of the governments.
For this, a person with suitable background must be appointed, and not to be headed by just an IAS officer who may not have professional competence.
- CAG must be competent to audit even the propriety of government spending. eg. 2G spectrum case.
INDEPENDENCE
- CAG should be independent from undue influence of the executive.
- For this, the appointment of CAG must be done by a collegium consisting of leader of opposition along with members from the executive is needed [panel of member committee]
- CAG must be given autonomy in taking decisions with respect to hiring staff.
EMPOWERED
- CAG must be empowered to audit not just financial accounts but also the propriety of the government spending.
- CAG should be given power to be 'comptroller' and not simply 'auditor'.
Close · a summary
The position and responsibility of CAG is so important in a democracy that without it true democratic functioning is not possible. Hence, CAG must be empowered & autonomous.
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