Latest news with #ComptrollerandAuditorGeneral
BreakingNews.ie
4 hours ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
UL to spend €60k on 'executive search services' to replace president after overpayment controversy
The University of Limerick is set to spend €60,000 on executive search services to find a new president, after the previous officeholder resigned in the wake of controversies involving overpayments for property purchases. Last year, a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General found that the university had overpaid for a former Dunnes Stores site in the city by €3 million, while the price paid for 20 houses in Rhebogue was €5.2 million over the actual value. Advertisement Former president Kerstin Mey resigned following a mediation process in June 2024 after students and staff expressed no confidence in her leadership. She had been on leave since the previous March. She was paid €215,663 during her last 11 months in the role, having received a salary of €225,559 in 2023. Last October, the Public Accounts Committee was told that Ms Mey was continuing to be paid €175,000 per annum following her resignation in a new role as a professor of visual culture at the university. Last week, the university said its governing authority would be leading a search and selection process to replace Ms Mey, and that this work was now advancing, more than 12 months after her resignation. Advertisement However, it appears that much of this work will be outsourced after the college published an advertisement seeking tenders for 'executive search consultants' earlier on Wednesday. These consultants will assist a 'search board' and 'selection board' within the university in its bid to find a permanent replacement for Ms Mey. The role has been filled in an acting capacity by Professor Shane Kilcommins. The service provider will be expected to compile lists of suitable candidates and attend meetings of the university search board. They will also conduct consultations with various groups, including the Friends of the University of Limerick. It will also draft an advertisement for the role, which will be published in both national and international media, and will be involved in the identification of the successful candidate. The consultants will also be tasked with compiling 'in-depth' background information on each candidate for the selection board, along with other briefing material on short-listed individuals. The deadline for prospective service providers to tender for the contract, which is valued at €60,000 plus VAT, is July 23rd.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Cotton Market Metro: 2nd Entry To Open By Mid-Oct
1 2 Nagpur: The Cotton Market Metro station is expected to open its long-awaited second entry/exit point by mid-October, as confirmed by senior MahaMetro officials. The new 9 crore foot over bridge (FoB), cutting directly through the heart of the bustling Cotton Market square, aims to drastically improve accessibility and ease congestion at one of the Aqua Line's most strategically placed stations. Construction of the 120-meter-long skywalk began in August last year and is currently in full swing. The bridge will connect the station building to metro-owned land near Lohapul, crossing the heavily trafficked square overhead. The structure will include a staircase and two lifts, ensuring safe access for commuters, including elderly and disabled passengers. As of now, the station operates with just a single entry/exit, making it an outlier among Phase 1 stations of the Nagpur Metro network. The absence of a second gate not only caused operational inefficiencies but also put the station at odds with safety and accessibility standards outlined by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). A senior MahaMetro official informed that the civil works for the FOB and entry structure are on track for completion by the end of August this year. Following this, electrical and mechanical integration, as well as system-related works, will continue into September. A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the chief fire officer of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is also expected during this period, following which the new access point will be ready for public use by mid-October 2025. Cotton Market Metro is one of nine stations built under the Eastern Corridor of Phase 1 of the Nagpur Metro Rail Project, positioned between Sitabuldi Interchange and Railway Station on the Aqua Line. It is also one of the most commuter-heavy stations, serving daily footfall in the thousands from nearby wholesale markets, including the prominent vegetable and orange markets. Due to land acquisition delays, Cotton Market station was commissioned nearly a year after other Phase 1 stations, opening only in September 2023. This delay also pushed back associated infrastructure, including the new FOB. Motorists and pedestrians navigating the square have also felt the pinch. "Due to multiple development works going on together at the square, it makes it an everyday hustle to drive from here due to heavy traffic and congestion. And just to cross the Cotton Market square is literally a challenge in itself," said Shivansh Deokhine, a motorist.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Telangana's growing debt raises questions over fiscal sustainability
Experts say the state's economy is grappling with hidden debt, rising welfare costs, and lack of transparency premium M Sharanya Listen to This Article Recent data from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has validated concerns expressed by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy that his state is facing a monthly revenue shortfall of ₹4,000 crore. This, Reddy had said, was pushing the state towards 'bankruptcy'. According to CAG data, the state reported a revenue deficit — the gap between current expenditure and receipts — of around ₹4,023 crore in the first month of the current financial year. The state government has projected a revenue surplus of 0.2 per cent in the Budget Estimates (BE) for 2025-26. The state's fiscal deficit is pegged
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
'Fourth branch' and fall of the Election Commission from Seshan's highs
A 'fourth branch' of government... Modern constitutions increasingly feature them—a constellation of institutions tasked with protecting constitutional democracy. Among the most prominent of these are electoral bodies, anti-corruption agencies, ecological tribunals, and ombudsman offices. In India, these include the Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Information Commissions, Lokpal, National Green Tribunal, among others. Much like Santa's elves, these institutions work quietly behind the scenes, performing essential functions that keep democracy functional—often without receiving due credit. And while elves become most visible during Christmas, these institutions come to the fore during moments of democratic stress—elections, corruption scandals, or constitutional breakdowns. They are presumed to be independent and non-partisan. Raison d'être of the Fourth Branch South Africa's post-Apartheid Constitution refers to these entities as "State Institutions Supporting Constitutional Democracy". The traditional Montesquieuan framework of three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judiciary—is increasingly seen as insufficient for modern constitutional design. American legal scholar Bruce Ackerman, in The New Separation of Powers (2000), conceptualised an "Integrity Branch" devoted to rooting out corruption, as a fourth branch of governance. Similarly, Martin Loughlin spoke of the rise of the "ephorate" in modern democracies, drawing from ancient Greece, where ephors were empowered to supervise the state and conduct inquiries. Today's fourth-branch institutions are the ephors of our times. Governance is sustained over time not only through structural integrity but also through the promotion of civic virtues—or what Jürgen Habermas calls "constitutional patriotism." These institutions are the state's extra limbs that embody and protect those virtues. Hans Kelsen, among the most influential jurists of the 20th century, was the one who proposed a fourth function of governance: the preservation of constitutional order through a dedicated guardian of the constitution. Today, fourth-branch institutions largely fulfil this role. Moreover, some of these institutions require and possess specialised expertise unavailable within the traditional three branches. In contemporary democracies, political parties wield real power—often beyond the constitutional framework. Parties in power may resort to enacting policies that entrench their hold on power, such as manipulating electoral rules or engaging in large-scale corruption. Alarmingly, opposition parties often do not challenge these practices, anticipating a future opportunity to use the same tools. This dynamic creates an urgent need for independent constitutional guardians—like the fourth-branch bodies we have been discussing—and robust institutional design. An umpire in flux Ironically, fourth-branch institutions are most successful where they are least needed. The Indian experience validates this paradox: the independence of institutions like the Election Commission has steadily eroded since the rise of the BJP as a dominant political force with no foreseeable challenger. Malaysia's 2018 general election offers a cautionary example. Since 1957, Malaysian politics was dominated by the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. The Election Commission, responsible for delimitation and elections, was seen as an extension of BN. During the 2018 elections, it scheduled polling for a Wednesday—an inconvenient day for many working citizens and overseas Malaysians. It also redrew constituencies in ways that clearly advantaged the ruling coalition. In India, the Constitution vests the Election Commission with sweeping powers to supervise, direct, and control the conduct of elections to Parliament and the offices of the President and Vice President. Its mandate includes maintaining voter rolls, ensuring free and fair voting, and accurate vote counting. For decades, the Commission earned praise for maintaining the integrity of India's elections. A 1999 report even found it had the highest level of public trust among all public institutions. Under TN Seshan's assertive leadership—bolstered by the weak coalition governments—the Election Commission emerged as a robust pillar of democracy. However, since the return of a dominant-party system under the BJP, the Commission's strength has visibly declined. The decline in trust Recent years have seen a growing perception that the Election Commission of India (ECI) operates with partisan bias. Critics allege selective enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, often acting against opposition parties while overlooking violations by the ruling party. Inflammatory statements by powerful leaders often go unpunished, raising concerns about neutrality. Though there is no conclusive proof of tampering with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the ECI's resistance to full-scale VVPAT audits—as recommended by the Supreme Court and civil society—has increased public skepticism. The Commission has also failed to check the misuse of electoral bonds, which obscure the sources of political funding. The process for appointing Election Commissioners is also a concern. The ruling party has effectively monopolized appointments, excluding the Chief Justice from the selection panel. The departure from the assertive, independent style of leaders like Seshan has been striking. Current commissions are seen as more deferential to the executive. Santa's elves are traditionally seen as neutral, diligent helpers—just as fourth-branch institutions are expected to operate independently, irrespective of who is in power. But when the elves go idle, Santa's sleigh ride becomes meaningless. If fourth-branch institutions fail to uphold constitutional democracy, the only alternative is to strengthen other institutions and civic movements that promote constitutional patriotism and civic virtue. (Faisal CK is Deputy Law Secretary to the Government of Kerala. Views are personal.)
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Goa govt loses Rs 107cr as TCP gives free FAR to 321 commercial units
Panaji: Goa has lost Rs 107 crore as the town and country planning (TCP) department gave concessions to commercial establishments by not levying fees for additional floor area ratio (FAR), a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has said. But the loss shoots up to over Rs 2,000 crore if it is calculated on the rate recommended by the finance department, the audit report said. The TCP department granted 10.7 lakh sqm additional FAR to 321 commercial establishments on their request without levying any fees, while the finance department had directed the TCP to charge Rs 1,000 per sqm on the additional FAR and height granted to the commercial establishments. 'Due to non-levy of any fees while granting additional FAR to the commercial establishments, there was a loss of Rs 107 crore to the state exchequer,' the report said. The audit report also said if the rate, as recommended by the finance department, 'is calculated on the basis of Rs 20,000 per sqm charged for four-star and five-star hotels, which are commercial establishments, then the loss of revenue amounts to Rs 2,147 crore'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thị trường có dấu hiệu suy thoái không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo But the ceiling for the grant of additional height and FAR was left open without any limit. In the absence of any provision for levy of fees for the grant of additional FAR and height, the TCP department granted additional FAR to 321 commercial establishments free of cost. A senior audit officer said the TCP department, through a notification on Aug 9, 2023, categorised the FAR. Thereafter, the department amended and inserted a new clause (2) under 6.1.1 of the regulations, whereby it was stated that 'govt, on recommendation of the TCP board, shall grant additional height and FAR to the proposals on a case-to-case basis in consideration of the locational aspect, nature of development, use proposed, information available, and any such other criteria, if required. Such relaxation shall, however, not be relaxed for more than 20% permitted in the prevailing regulations.' But within 12 days, through another notification on Aug 21, 2023, the TCP department deleted the earlier clause: '…such relaxation shall, however, not be relaxed for more than 20% permitted in the prevailing regulations,' thereby not capping the ceiling limit. In 2015, the TCP department through a notification on July 2 had said four-star and five-star hotels may be granted 'an additional FAR of 20% on the recommendation of the committee and on the approval of govt', but on payment of Rs 20,000 per sqm. As the 321 commercial establishments were set up for profit motive, the TCP department should have levied the fees in line with those charged for four- and five-star hotels, the report said. The report also said the rate prescribed by the finance department needs to be reviewed as it was minimal and there was no slab for various categories (individuals, commercial establishments) for the grant of additional FAR and height. The TCP department through the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulation, 2010, regulates building construction in Goa. The regulation specifies technical parameters like FAR, height, amenities, water supply, sewerage, and fire safety. The technical parameters differ from zone to zone, as well as the size of the building and plot.
