CVC issue: PM takes the blame; Oppn is unsatisfied

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday termed as 'error of judgement' the appointment of P J Thomas as Chief Vigilance Commissioner and told the Lok Sabha that he accepted 'full responsibility' for it.

"I have no hesitation in repeating what I said in Jammu. Obviously, there was an error of judgement. I accept full responsibility for it," Dr Singh said.

He stated this when Opposition created uproar after his suo motu statement had no mention about responsibility and contained only the sequence of events beginning from the appointment of Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner and its annulment by the Supreme Court last week.

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In his statement, Dr Singh said, "We accept and respect the verdict" of the Supreme Court and that the government would take into consideration the guidelines/directions given by the court while appointing a new CVC.

He noted that the meeting of the committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and Leader of the Opposition to choose the CVC took place on September 3 last year and recommended the name of Thomas for the post.

Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj gave a dissenting note, Singh recalled.

After Thomas' appointment, two public interest litigation petitions were filed in the Supreme Court challenging the appointment and the court quashed it, he said.

As he sat down after reading out the statement, the Opposition members were not satisfied.

Swaraj said she was "surprised" that the Prime Minister had not said even what he had stated in Jammu about owning up responsibility for the CVC appointment.