Consider the following statements about Central Vigilance Commission (CVC):

1. Central Vigilance Commissioner is appointed by the President of India.

2. The Committee to recommend the appointment of Central Vigilance Commissioner has the Minister of Home Affairs as one of the members.

3. In certain circumstances the Leader of the single largest group in opposition in Lok Sabha can be on the Committee to recommend the appointment of Central Vigilance Commissioner.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

The correct answer is Option 3.

Key Points

• The Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) is appointed by the President of India under the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003.
• A three-member committee recommends the appointment of the Central Vigilance Commissioner, including the Prime Minister (Chairperson), the Union Minister of Home Affairs, and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.
• If there is no recognized Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, the Leader of the single largest group in opposition in Lok Sabha becomes part of the committee, as per convention.
• The Central Vigilance Commissioner heads the CVC, which is tasked with preventing corruption in central government organizations.
• Statements 1 and 3 are correct, while Statement 2 is incorrect because the Union Minister of Home Affairs is not part of the committee.

Additional Information

• Central Vigilance Commission (CVC):
  • Established in 1964 based on the recommendations of the Santhanam Committee.
  • Became a statutory body through the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003.
  • The Commission consists of a Central Vigilance Commissioner and up to two Vigilance Commissioners.
• Appointment Process:
  • The President appoints the Central Vigilance Commissioner and Vigilance Commissioners based on the recommendation of the committee.
  • The term of office is 4 years or until the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• Functions of CVC:
  • Supervises the vigilance activities of central government organizations.
  • Investigates cases of corruption referred by the central government.
  • Advises the government on vigilance-related matters.
• Leader of Opposition (LoP):
  • The Leader of Opposition is recognized when the largest opposition party in Lok Sabha has at least 10% of the total strength of the House.
  • If no party meets this criterion, the Leader of the single largest group in opposition is considered for committee roles.