CAG to issue clarification on coal report at 'appropriate' time

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is likely to issue a clarification on its report on coal allocation.

“The organization of C&AG would clarify on the Report at the appropriate forum, when required,” it said in a statement. “Being a constitutional authority, the C&AG feels that it would be improper on his part  to join a public debate on this issue,” the statement added.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said in a statement on Monday, that the report will be challenged. While he was inaudible in the Parliament, he made a brief statement describing the report of the national auditor as "disputable" that has pivoted a huge new political storm.

"I wish to say that any allegations of impropriety are without basis and unsupported by the facts,'" he had said inside Parliament, amid a cacophony of protests.

Using the relative calm outside the House, the PM added, "I appeal to the opposition to come back to the House and debate the issue."

The CAG report did not indict the Prime Minister but said that the government missed opportunities to introduce an auction to assign coal blocks to companies. The PM was Coal Minister for three of the years studied by the auditor. The CAG report says that a screening committee that included representatives of state governments did not have transparent records of how allottees were chosen.