CAG should be given more powers: Justice Hosbet Suresh

AHMEDABAD: Justice Hosbet Suresh, the retired Bombay High Court Judge, has advocated for giving more power to all the constitutional and statutory bodies like CAG and inquiry commissions.

"Statutory bodies like CAG and Commissions should have more than recommendatory powers, their recommendations should be made binding for Governments and these institutions should also have powers to take penal actions against defaulting governments or its departments," said Justice Suresh while addressing media here today.

He was here today on an invitation from PUCL (People's Union for Civil Liberties), Gujarat, to release a book 'Gujarat CAG report: A public hearing of discussion', a compilation of opinions and suggestions expressed by more than 150 activists during a public hearing held in the month of June, on the state CAG report.

"The way governments are treating CAG reports for past so many years, it has become imperative to give more teeth to these constitutional and statutory bodies," he said.

He also emphasised that the different Commissions set up either by state or central governments should submit their report within a set time frame and their recommendations should also be made binding on the governments.

"We have examples of Justice Srikrishna and Justice MS Liberhan commissions. And in Gujarat, Justice Nanavati commission has not submitted its final report even after 10 years of its probe," he said.