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Onkar Singh in New Delhi
Chief Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal, who headed a three-member panel entrusted with the responsibility of shortlisting candidates for the CBI director's post, has denied being under any pressure to revise his recommendations.
The three-member panel submitted its recommendations to the government on April 17.
The other two members of the panel were Union Home Secretary Kamal Pandey and the secretary, Personnel Department.
When asked if the panel had been approached by the government to reconsider its recommendations after a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court turned down on Friday the government's request to allow a reduction in the CBI director's tenure, Vittal said no such request had been received by his office.
"I would like to tell you that we had considered all those who were eligible under the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in the Vineet Narain case and we have recommended three names to the government. If the government deems it fit, it can appoint any of the three officers to the post of the CBI director. If in its considered opinion our recommendations are not up to the mark than the government can appoint any other officer to the post. We have gone by the letter and spirit of the order of the highest court of the land," Vittal told rediff.com.
When asked if the panel took into consideration the seniority of the eligible officers while making its recommendations, Vittal said all factors that needed to be taken into consideration were discussed.
But CBI insiders said the government might not appoint any of three officers recommended by the panel. The present CBI Director R K Raghavan retires on April 30.
H J Dora, director general of Andhra Pradesh police and K Chakaravarty director general of Gujarat police are the two officers in the race for the top CBI post.
ALSO SEE: Panel shortlists 3 names for director SC refuses to modify order on chief: PTI
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