Former Lieutenant Governor of J & K “GC Murmu” is the new “Comptroller Auditor General of India”

He is the first tribal to take oath as CAG of India

• Former Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Girish Chandra Murmu took
  oath as the comptroller and auditor general (CAG) of India
• The oath was administered by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati
  Bhavan in Delhi in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
• G C Murmu was a 1985 batch IAS officer and he recently resigned his LG post
  of Jammu and Kashmir

Key highlights of the appointment of GC Murmu

• GC Murmu will be replacing Rajiv Mehrishi, who is a 1978 batch IAS officer of
  the Rajasthan cadre, as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)
• The 60-year-old is a 1985 batch IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre
• Murmu was sworn in as the first Lt governor of the Union Territory of Jammu
  and Kashmir on October 31, 2019
• Prior to this, Murmu was serving as the Expenditure Secretary under the Union
  Ministry of Finance
• Murmu had also previously served as the Principal Secretary to Narendra Modi
  when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat
• GC Murmu is known to be a trusted aide of PM Narendra Modi and Home
  Minister Amit Shah from the time when Modi helmed the state of Gujarat
• GC Murmu’s resignation from the post of J&K Lt Governor came exactly a year
  after the centre revoked Article 370 and reorganized Jammu and Kashmir,
  bifurcating it into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh

Who is GC Murmu?

• He was the first lieutenant governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and
  Kashmir
• He is a 1985 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Gujarat cadre and
  was principal secretary to Narendra Modi during his tenure as Chief Minister of
  Gujarat
• In 2001, when Narendra Modi became chief minister of Gujarat, Murmu was
  the Relief Commissioner. Shortly afterwards he became Commissioner, Mines
  and Minerals and thereafter Managing Director, Gujarat Maritime Board
• On 31 October 2019, Murmu took charge as the 1st Lieutenant Governor of
  Jammu and Kashmir after the formation of the new Union territory of Jammu
  and Kashmir under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019
• He presided over the last Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satya Pal Malik, to
  become the 1st Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir

What is “Comptroller and Auditor General of India”?

• The CAG audits accounts that are related to the expenditure from the
  Consolidated Fund of India
• The consolidated fund of every state and Union Territories that have Legislative
  Assembly
• He also audits Contingency Fund and also Public Account of each state
• The CAG audits the accounts of authorities as requested by the President or
  Governor
• After auditing, the CAG submits his reports to President who in turn places
  them before the houses of Parliament

Provisions in the Constitution

• Article 148: Deals with CAG appointment, oath and service conditions
• Article 149: deals with duties and powers of CAG
• Article 150: The accounts of the Centre and States shall be kept in such form
  as the President advice the CAG
• Article 151: The reports prepared by CAG are to be submitted to Preside

Independent role of CAG

• There are several provisions in the Constitution to safeguard the independence
  of CAG
• He can be removed from office only by the President in accordance with the
  procedure mentioned in the Constitution in the same manner as that of
  removal of Supreme Court Judge
• The salary of CAG and his service conditions cannot be varied after his
  appointment
• The expenses of office of CAG including allowances, salaries and pensions are
  charged on the Consolidated Fund of India

Pic courtesy : ibtimes.co.in