Monday, November 21, 2011
Sorry Mr. Comptroller & Auditor General, Sir
The Comptroller & Auditor General has been in the news since the last few months for his tough revealing reports. Bravo, Sir.
So when I read the following in The Times of India (November 19, 2011), I felt uneasy.
“CAG hauls up museum for irregularities: New Delhi: In a severe indictment of the functioning of National Museum (NM), CAG in its draft report has pointed out a series of anomalies like deviation from its core function to wide spread irregularities including holding back the retirement benefits of its employees.
Unlike museums all over the world, NM does not have the policy* of rotating art objects for display. Out of its collection of 2.06 lakh art objects, only 7178 have been displayed. Even in labels, in names and descriptions of displayed objects, there were spelling mistakes.*” (*Emphasis supplied)
The first paragraph sounds fine though we do not know the details. But it was the second paragraph which made me turn to my copy of the Constitution of India. I reproduce below the relevant Article of the Constitution laying down the duties and powers of the CAG.
“149. Duties and Powers of the Comptroller and Auditor-General - The Comptroller and Auditor-General shall perform such duties and exercise such powers in relation to the accounts* of the Union and of the States and of any other authority or body as may be prescribed by or under any law made by Parliament and, until provision in that behalf is so made, shall perform such duties and exercise such powers in relation to the accounts of the Union and of the States as were conferred on or exercisable by the Auditor-General of India immediately before the commencement of this Constitution in relation to the accounts of the Dominion of India and of the provinces respectively.” (*Emphasis supplied)
A simple reading of this constitutional provision makes one to believe that the CAG is to deal with matters relating to the “accounts of the Union and the States.” It therefore flows that he does not have powers to enter/comment on the field of policy making. It is in this background that one is totally confused to notice CAG commenting on the “policy of rotation of art objects”? Clearly the periodicity at which sculptures are to be rotated in the National Museum does not come within the purview of the CAG and is better left to the National Museum authorities and the government.
Similarly it is difficult to appreciate the constitutional authority correcting English spellings (of the type mentioned in the newspaper report) since it does not come under the purview of Article 149 of the Constitution as it is not a matter relating to the accounts of the Union and the Sates!
Sorry Mr. Comptroller & Auditor General,Sir, I am not with you on these two points.
So when I read the following in The Times of India (November 19, 2011), I felt uneasy.
“CAG hauls up museum for irregularities: New Delhi: In a severe indictment of the functioning of National Museum (NM), CAG in its draft report has pointed out a series of anomalies like deviation from its core function to wide spread irregularities including holding back the retirement benefits of its employees.
Unlike museums all over the world, NM does not have the policy* of rotating art objects for display. Out of its collection of 2.06 lakh art objects, only 7178 have been displayed. Even in labels, in names and descriptions of displayed objects, there were spelling mistakes.*” (*Emphasis supplied)
The first paragraph sounds fine though we do not know the details. But it was the second paragraph which made me turn to my copy of the Constitution of India. I reproduce below the relevant Article of the Constitution laying down the duties and powers of the CAG.
“149. Duties and Powers of the Comptroller and Auditor-General - The Comptroller and Auditor-General shall perform such duties and exercise such powers in relation to the accounts* of the Union and of the States and of any other authority or body as may be prescribed by or under any law made by Parliament and, until provision in that behalf is so made, shall perform such duties and exercise such powers in relation to the accounts of the Union and of the States as were conferred on or exercisable by the Auditor-General of India immediately before the commencement of this Constitution in relation to the accounts of the Dominion of India and of the provinces respectively.” (*Emphasis supplied)
A simple reading of this constitutional provision makes one to believe that the CAG is to deal with matters relating to the “accounts of the Union and the States.” It therefore flows that he does not have powers to enter/comment on the field of policy making. It is in this background that one is totally confused to notice CAG commenting on the “policy of rotation of art objects”? Clearly the periodicity at which sculptures are to be rotated in the National Museum does not come within the purview of the CAG and is better left to the National Museum authorities and the government.
Similarly it is difficult to appreciate the constitutional authority correcting English spellings (of the type mentioned in the newspaper report) since it does not come under the purview of Article 149 of the Constitution as it is not a matter relating to the accounts of the Union and the Sates!
Sorry Mr. Comptroller & Auditor General,Sir, I am not with you on these two points.
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