Defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma would be the next Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. 

Officials said President Pranab Mukherjee has approved the appointment of Sharma as the nextCAG to replace Vinod Rai, who retires on Wednesday. Rai steps down as the CAG after over five years of an eventful tenure, when CAG audits became authoritative documents of political corruption at both the Centre and states. CAG audit of the 2G scam, which estimated the presumptive losses at a maximum of Rs 176,000 crore, set new frightening estimates of public loot. 

Sharma emerged a last-minute preference over the other contenders after government leadership grappled with the tough act of selecting a successor for Rai. While they had to choose someone with a clean track record, the UPA couldn't have afforded to appoint an aggressive officer like Rai who could have created trouble for the government in the coming months. 

Sharma fits the bill since he enjoys reputation as an officer of integrity and a stickler for rules. There is no indication in his career that he would be an activist CAG. 

But, given the kind of fierce independence that CAG and his officers from the Indian Audit and Accounts Service have enjoyed all these years, it is tough to see the organisation meekly becoming a silent bystander to government's misdeeds. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if Sharma hogs the limelight as the face of an aggressive and fiercely independent CAG.

Sharma has had an impressive career as an IAS officer of the 1976 Bihar cadre, having started in the state holding several positions. On deputation to the Centre, Sharma has spent a significant part of his career holding many crucial positions in the ministry of defence (MoD). He was the director general (acquisition) in MoD, and had been secretary in the departmental of financial services and information technology, before he was appointed as the defence secretary in July 2011 for a fixed term of two years. By the normal course, Sharma would have retired on July 13 as the defence secretary. 

Sources said the government is also expected to announce his replacement in the defence ministry in the next couple of days. (Times of India)