CBEC wants Ombudsmen at Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chennai
GOVERNMENT of India had created seven posts of Ombudsmen in CBEC at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. The Government had invited applications for these posts and CBEC had recommended some names. The former CBEC Chairman Dutt Mazumder, former CBEC Member Lalitha John were selected for Delhi and Bengaluru respectively. And two others were selected for Mumbai and Lucknow, whose selection ran into rough whether with the noted advocate Prashant Bhushan complaining to the Prime Minister about their proven integrity (?). With this, all the four appointments got stuck and the Government is yet to appoint a single Ombudsman. The company you keep is very important. Because two of the selected members had complaints against them, the other two, whose credentials are impeccable, are not appointed.
And even initially, the Committee could not find anyone capable of being an ombudsman in Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chennai. So, now the Government is again trying to get somebody for this job at these places. The Revenue Department has asked the CBEC to send names of prospective candidates by 9th March 2012. Chief Commissioners and above are eligible to apply.
But when will they finalise the previous appointment of four (or is it two) Ombudsmen?