|  NEW
DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry is considering interim measures
to run Prasar Bharati following the suspension of its chief executive officer
BS Lalli pending a detailed inquiry by a Supreme Court judge into financial irregularities
by him.
A
senior official of the Ministry may be deputed to manage the affairs of the public
service broadcaster, sources familiar with the development said. Prior
to Lalli's suspension, the pubcaster had been asked to be run by a three member
committee comprising Lalli, Member (Finance) L C Jain and Member (Personnel) V
Shivakumar, "Now
the Ministry is not in favour of leaving the day-to-day administration to the
two members," the sources added. The
sources also said they were not in favour of the Prasar Bharati Chairman Mrinal
Pande managing the pubcaster since she is not a full-time member of the pubcaster.
No person
can be appointed CEO pending the inquiry, according to legal experts. The apex
court has not so far named any judge to conduct a detailed inquiry into the financial
irregularities for which Lalli was found guity by the Central Vigilance Commission. President
Pratibha Devisingh Patil had given her approval late last night to a reference
in this regard sent by the Ministry through the Prime Minister’s office.
The President had earlier this month accepted a reference from the Prime Minister
for an inquiry against Lalli, and directed that a Supreme Court judge be appointed
for this purpose. Lalli,
who became CEO in December 2006, is a 1971 batch officer of the Indian Administrative
Service from Uttar Pradesh. He had succeeded KS Sarma, who had completed his term
in June 2006. The
CVC in its report on 16 November had established five of the seven charges against
Lalli. The charges were related to contracts for management of advertisement revenue
arising from the telecast of cricket matches on Doordarshan during 2007; the non-telecast
by Doordarshan of T-20 cricket World Cup matches held in South Africa in September
2007; engagement of legal entities to represent Prasar Bharati; purchase of radio
broadcasting rights for 13 cricket series held during 2007-09; and hiring of transport
and accommodation for the conduct of the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune in 2008.
Also
Read: Prasar
Bharati CEO Lalli suspended | 
