New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS): The Congress has objected to the appointment of Sanjay Kothari as the new Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). Party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is also the member of the selection committee, has raised questions on the procedures adopted for making the appointment.

"The government's attitude is like the 'Khul ja sim sim' types as they are taking out names from their pockets and appointing persons on key posts," said Congress Chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala here on Wednesday.

He further said: "In Modi's New India, there is no place for transparency, and this is damaging for the democracy."

Souces said that Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had raised objections during a meeting of the selection committee.

According to the sources, Chowdhury had said that a selection committee member could not be an applicant at the same time. He had said this as Rajiv kumar, who is the Union Finance Secretary and a member of the search committee, was also an applicant and his name had been shortlisted by the committee.

Chowdhury, as per the sources, has sought a new search committee for transparency in the system.

Sanjay Kothari, presently secretary to the President of India, was a former secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) at the Centre.