Comptroller and Auditor General of India
Encyclopedia
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India (Hindi: ) is an authority, established by the Constitution of India
, who audit
s all receipts and expenditure
of the Government of India
and the state governments
, including those of bodies and authorities substantially financed by the government. The CAG is also the external auditor of government-owned companies
. The reports of the CAG are taken into consideration by the Public Accounts Committee
s, which are special committees in the Parliament of India
and the state legislatures . The CAG of India is also the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, which has over 58,000 employees across the country.
The current CAG of India is Vinod Rai
, who was appointed on 7 January 2008. He is the 11th CAG of India.
following a recommendation by the Prime Minister
. On appointment, he/she has to make an oath of affirmation before the President of India.
similar to what is applicable to a Judge of the Supreme Court of India
.
[Art.148] provides for an independent office to the CAG of India. He/she is the head of Indian Audit and Accounts Department. His/her duty is to uphold the constitution of India and laws of the Parliament in the field of financial administration.
s of the union or state governments, whether incurred within India or outside. Specifically, audits include:
Recently Vinod Rai
, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has been appointed as external auditor of two major UN organisations, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Geneva-based World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
Constitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
, who audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
s all receipts and expenditure
Cost
In production, research, retail, and accounting, a cost is the value of money that has been used up to produce something, and hence is not available for use anymore. In business, the cost may be one of acquisition, in which case the amount of money expended to acquire it is counted as cost. In this...
of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
and the state governments
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
, including those of bodies and authorities substantially financed by the government. The CAG is also the external auditor of government-owned companies
Government-owned corporation
A government-owned corporation, state-owned company, state-owned entity, state enterprise, publicly owned corporation, government business enterprise, or parastatal is a legal entity created by a government to undertake commercial activities on behalf of an owner government...
. The reports of the CAG are taken into consideration by the Public Accounts Committee
Public Accounts Committee (India)
The Public Accounts Committee is a committee of selected members of Parliament, constituted by the Parliament of India, for the auditing of the expenditure of the Government of India....
s, which are special committees in the Parliament of India
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
and the state legislatures . The CAG of India is also the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, which has over 58,000 employees across the country.
The current CAG of India is Vinod Rai
Vinod Rai
Vinod Rai is the present Comptroller and Auditor General of India. He assumed office on . He holds a Masters Degree in Economics from the University of Delhi, and Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.He did his schooling from Vidya Niketan - Birla Public School - BPS Pilani...
, who was appointed on 7 January 2008. He is the 11th CAG of India.
Appointment
The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India is appointed by the President of IndiaPresident of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
following a recommendation by the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
. On appointment, he/she has to make an oath of affirmation before the President of India.
Oath of affirmation
Removal from office
The CAG could not be removed from office other than through a procedure of impeachmentImpeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
similar to what is applicable to a Judge of the Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
.
Indian Audit and Accounts Service
The Constitution of IndiaConstitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
[Art.148] provides for an independent office to the CAG of India. He/she is the head of Indian Audit and Accounts Department. His/her duty is to uphold the constitution of India and laws of the Parliament in the field of financial administration.
Scope of audits
Audit of government accounts (including the accounts of the state governments) in India is entrusted to the CAG of India who is empowered to audit all expenditure from the revenueRevenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
s of the union or state governments, whether incurred within India or outside. Specifically, audits include:
- TransactionsFinancial transactionA financial transaction is an event or condition under the contract between a buyer and a seller to exchange an asset for payment. It involves a change in the status of the finances of two or more businesses or individuals.-History:...
relating to debtDebtA debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
, depositDeposit accountA deposit account is a current account, savings account, or other type of bank account, at a banking institution that allows money to be deposited and withdrawn by the account holder. These transactions are recorded on the bank's books, and the resulting balance is recorded as a liability for the...
s, remittancesRemittancesA remittance is a transfer of money by a foreign worker to his or her home country. Note that in 19th century usage a remittance man was someone exiled overseas and sent an allowance on condition that he not return home....
, TradingTradeTrade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
, and manufacturingManufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale... - Profit and loss accountsIncome statementIncome statement is a company's financial statement that indicates how the revenue Income statement (also referred to as profit and loss statement (P&L), statement of financial performance, earnings statement, operating statement or statement of operations) is a company's financial statement that...
and balance sheetBalance sheetIn financial accounting, a balance sheet or statement of financial position is a summary of the financial balances of a sole proprietorship, a business partnership or a company. Assets, liabilities and ownership equity are listed as of a specific date, such as the end of its financial year. A...
s kept under the order of the PresidentPresident of IndiaThe President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
or GovernorsGovernors and Lieutenant-Governors of states of IndiaThe Governors and Lieutenant-Governors of the states and territories of India have similar powers and functions at the state level as that of the President of India at Union level. Governors exist in the states while Lieutenant-Governors exist in union territories and in the National Capital... - Receipts and stock accounts.
Recently Vinod Rai
Vinod Rai
Vinod Rai is the present Comptroller and Auditor General of India. He assumed office on . He holds a Masters Degree in Economics from the University of Delhi, and Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.He did his schooling from Vidya Niketan - Birla Public School - BPS Pilani...
, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has been appointed as external auditor of two major UN organisations, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Geneva-based World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
List of Comptrollers and Auditors General of India
| No. | Comptroller and Auditor General of India | Year tenure began | Year tenure ended |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | V. Narahari Rao | 1948 | 1954 |
| 2 | A. K. Chanda | 1954 | 1960 |
| 3 | A. K. Roy | 1960 | 1966 |
| 4 | S. Ranganathan | 1966 | 1972 |
| 5 | A. Bakshi | 1972 | 1978 |
| 6 | Gian Prakash | 1978 | 1984 |
| 7 | T. N. Chaturvedi T. N. Chaturvedi Triloki Nath Chaturvedi was the governor of Karnataka, a state in India, from 2002 to 2007.Chaturvedi is a retired IAS officer and held the office of Comptroller and Auditor General of India from 1984 to 1990. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1990. He became Governor of Kerala on 21 August... |
1984 | 1990 |
| 8 | C. G. Somiah | 1990 | 1996 |
| 9 | V. K. Shunglu | 1996 | 2002 |
| 10 | V. N. Kaul | 2002 | 2008 |
| 11 | Vinod Rai Vinod Rai Vinod Rai is the present Comptroller and Auditor General of India. He assumed office on . He holds a Masters Degree in Economics from the University of Delhi, and Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.He did his schooling from Vidya Niketan - Birla Public School - BPS Pilani... |
2008 | present |