Post-Lalli suspension, Prasar Bharati looks to interim set-up
December 22nd, 2010 - 7:38 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS) A day after the suspension of Prasar Bharati CEO B.S. Lalli, the information and broadcasting ministry was looking for placing a senior bureaucrat to manage the public broadcaster.The ministry is exploring the possibility of appointing a senior bureaucrat at the level of additional secretary in charge of the Prasar Bharati after Lalli’s suspension over allegations of financial mismanagement, government sources said here Wednesday.
The other option is to let members of the Prasar Bharati Board run the the day-to-day affairs of the broadcaster, sources said.
Ending two weeks of suspense, President Pratibha Patil Tuesday cleared the suspension of Lalli, pending completion of an inquiry into the allegations of financial irregularity against him.
Earlier, Patil had given her assent to a Supreme Court-led inquiry, the first step in the process of removal of a Prasar Bharati CEO.
Lalli, a 1971 batch Indian Administrative Service officer, was appointed CEO in December 2006. Subsequently, he was at the receiving end of some of his colleagues on the board, who accused him of financial impropriety.
Lalli was accused of favouring specific private companies in bidding processes, and of manipulating a decision that led to the inaugural Twenty20 Cricket World Cup not being shown on Doordarshan. The decision was a flagrant violation of laws that make it mandatory for private broadcasters to share with Prasar Bharati the feed of all sporting events of national importance.
In July, Lalli was indicted by the Central Vigilance Commission for breach of parliamentary privilege, showing favours to some broadcast companies, and committing financial mismanagement. Lalli has rejected charges of financial irregularity, saying “a lot of intrigue and mischief” has been going on against him and hoped that the probe would present the “true picture”.
A Prasar Bharati CEO is appointed by a panel which includes the prime minister, the Rajya Sabha chairman and the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Prasar Bharati is the public broadcaster of the country and has All India Radio and Doordarshan as its components.
Under the Prasar Bharati Act, the CEO can be removed only after charges have been established by the Supreme Court through a probe, which has to be referred to the Supreme Court by the president of India.
- Amendments to Prasar Bharati Act, interim set-up likely (Lead) - Dec 23, 2010
- SC asks Centre to file CBI report on suspended Prasar Bharati CEO - Apr 01, 2011
- Prasar Bharati CEO Lalli suspended - Dec 22, 2010
- President clears court probe against Prasar Bharti chief - Dec 09, 2010
- Supreme Court asks Centre to file affidavit against Lalli - Feb 14, 2011
- Prasar Bharati CEO decries intrigue, says ready for probe - Dec 09, 2010
- File status report on CBI probe in Lalli case: Apex court - Apr 01, 2011
- Apex court asks government why it wants to remove Lalli (Lead) - Feb 14, 2011
- Court asks government why it wants to remove Lalli - Feb 14, 2011
- Shunglu panel report on Lalli referred to CBI - Feb 18, 2011
- CBI raids Prasar Bharati CEO's office, residence (Lead) - Mar 04, 2011
- CBI searches Prasar Bharati CEO's office, residence - Mar 04, 2011
- Shunglu report on Lalli, Sharma referred to CBI (Lead) - Feb 19, 2011
- Doordarshan, AIR employees call off three-day strike - Dec 11, 2010
- Shunglu panel submits three more reports - Mar 29, 2011
Tags: administrative service officer, assent, bidding processes, broadcast companies, bureaucrat, central vigilance commission, cricket world cup, doordarshan, financial impropriety, financial mismanagement, flagrant violation, government sources, indian administrative service, irregularity, lalli, parliamentary privilege, prasar bharati board, private broadcasters, public broadcaster, twenty20 cricket world cup