The President of India has appointed Kota Sanjay Murthy as the new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, marking a significant leadership change in the country’s supreme audit institution. An alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, Murthy will take over from outgoing CAG Girish Chandra, who raetires on November 20, 2024.
Kota Sanjay Murthy, a 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, brings a unique combination of technical expertise and administrative experience to this crucial role. His engineering background from IIT Kharagpur has complemented his distinguished career in public service, during which he has held various significant positions within the Indian government.
Most recently, Kota Sanjay Murthy has been serving as Secretary in the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, a position he has held since October 2021. The Ministry of Finance announced his appointment through an official notification, citing the constitutional powers vested in the President under Article 148(1).
The appointment comes at a crucial time for India’s public financial accountability system. As the nation’s top auditor, Kota Sanjay Murthy will lead the institution responsible for overseeing government spending and ensuring financial accountability across all levels of administration.
His predecessor, Girish Chandra Murmu, who has served since August 8, 2020, leaves behind a notable legacy. During Murmu’s tenure, the CAG office released several significant audit reports, including comprehensive reviews of major government initiatives such as the Bharatmala highway project and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana healthcare scheme.
While Kota Sanjay Murthy’s tenure as Higher Education Secretary has faced challenges, particularly regarding examination paper leak incidents, his technical background and extensive administrative experience position him uniquely for his new role. As CAG, he will be responsible for Auditing all government accounts,Ensuring proper use of public funds, Overseeing financial operations of both central and state governments,Maintaining transparency in government financial management
The role of CAG, established under the Constitution of India, serves as a critical watchdog for public finances, making this appointment significant for India’s fiscal accountability and transparency framework. The position holds a six-year term or until the age of 65, whichever comes first.
The appointment follows the established protocol under the Constitution of India, with the President of India making the selection based on the recommendation of the government. As the 15th CAG of India, Kota Sanjay Murthy will lead an institution that plays a crucial role in maintaining financial discipline in the country’s governance structure, bringing his unique blend of technical education and administrative experience to this vital role.
-Sanyogita
