The Comptroller and Auditor General of India Shashi Kant Sharma has been elected to the coveted United Nations Board of Auditors for a six-year term. India defeated the Philippines with a convincing margin in the election to the panel. India got the support of China and Pakistan in the elections.

A statement from the CAG’s office said out of the 186 votes cast, India got 124 votes and the Philippines got 62.

India will replace China beginning July 1, 2014. The CAG of India will now get access for audit of the UN organisations, including the UN Headquarters. “He, along with other two members of the board will also be responsible for audit of UN bodies like UN Peacekeeping Operations, UN Development Programme, UNICEF, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UN Environment Programme, UN Human Settlements Programme, UN Women and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change,” the release said.

It added that Sharma took keen interest for the post and canvassed the Ambassadors and High Commissioners and briefed them about the Indian Auditors. India was earlier in the Board for six years from 1993.

The United Nations Board of Auditors audits the accounts of the United Nations organisation and its funds and reports its findings and recommendations to the UN General Assembly through the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. The Board of Auditors is completely independent and is solely responsible for the conduct of the audit.

The General Assembly appoints three members to the Board of Auditors. The members of the Board have joint responsibility for the audits. The present members of the Board of Auditors are from Britain, Tanzania and China. (The Hindu)