New CAG Rajiv Mehrishi To Take Over On Monday

Former home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi will take over as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India starting Monday, succeeding Shashi Kant Sharma, officials said.

Mehrishi, 62, would be administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow. His appointment has been cleared by the government, the officials told PTI. He will have a tenure of about three years.

An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Mehrishi completed his two-year fixed term as the home secretary in August. He replaces Shashi Kant Sharma, who'd had taken over as the CAG in May 2013, and demitted office on Friday, the officials said. Sharma was defence secretary prior to his appointment as the CAG.

The CAG is appointed for a term of six years or till the incumbent attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. As a constitutional functionary, the CAG is primarily entrusted with the responsibility to audit the accounts of the union and state governments. CAG reports are laid before Parliament and legislatures of the states.

Mehrishi, who hails from Rajasthan, holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (UK). He also has Master of Arts (MA) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees from Delhi University. He has also held several posts in his state cadre Rajasthan and in the Centre. Before being appointed as the home secretary, he worked as economic affairs secretary and chief secretary of Rajasthan.