Date:02/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/02/stories/2008050253171300.htm

National

Vacancies in CBI alarming: panel

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The number of posts lying vacant in the country’s premier investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, is “alarming” and this will affect its operational efficiency, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Law and Justice has said.

“The committee is of the view that the number of vacancies in the CBI is alarming. Such a large number of vacancies will affect the operational efficiency of the organisation,” said a report of the committee that was tabled in the Rajya Sabha.

The CBI had apprised the committee that delay in holding Departmental Promotion Committees in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) was one of the reasons for the vacancies.

Taking note of the UPSC’s argument that not even a single case of CBI vacancy was pending with it and that the CBI failed to intimate it of its requirements despite several reminders, the committee blamed the Personnel Ministry and asked it to devise better coordination between both agencies.

According to the report, the CBI had 30.08 per cent, 66.2 per cent and 58.8 per cent vacancies in the ranks of Prosecution, Technical and Deputy Superintendents respectively.

Vacancies in the investigating ranks within the CBI, which had registered 940 cases in 2007 (including some of very high profile nature) was a staggering 28.5 per cent, the report said. “When we aspire for the CBI to evolve into an organisation of international standards, there is no scope for such vacancies, which will adversely affect the pace of investigation and trial,” the committee said.

“Give preference to women”

It recommended that while filling up vacancies, the CBI should give preference to women at various levels. “Proper mechanism should be put in place to ensure that women constitute 33 per cent of the workforce in the CBI.”

In the event of the vacancies not being filled up due to non-availability of officers on deputation in spite of incentives, the committee suggested that steps be taken up to fill them up by seeking recruitment from the permanent cadre of the CBI.