Pradeep Kumar to be sworn in as CVC on Thursday

NEW DELHI: Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar will be sworn in as the next Central Vigilance Commissioner on Thursday.

His successor Shashikant Sharma, who yesterday joined the ministry as Officer on Special Duty (OSD), will take over as the Defence Secretary on the same day, Defence Ministry officials said here.

Kumar, who was scheduled to retire on July 31, was unanimously chosen as the CVC, four months after the Supreme Court had quashed the appointment of P J Thomas to the post.

Kumar was chosen by consensus by a panel comprising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, home minister P Chidambaram and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj.

The 62-year old Haryana cadre IAS officer will have a tenure of a little over three years when he will have to demit office on attaining the age of 65.

Kumar will be succeeded by Shashi Kant Sharma, a 1976 batch Bihar cadre IAS officer, who has earlier served as the DG (Acquisition) in the defence ministry.