New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS): The Supreme Court will hear Thursday a plea by an NGO which has sought that the Centre be restrained from going ahead with the empaneling and appointment of chief vigilance commission (CVC) and vigilance commissioner (VC) as the existing procedure for it is restricted and non-transparent.

The apex court bench of Chief Justice R.M. Lodha, Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman agreed to hear the matter as counsel Prashant Bhushan mentioned that the zone of consideration of names for the selection of CVC and the vigilance commissioner had been restricted.

Bhushan was appearing for the NGO Centre for Integrity, Governance & Training in Vigilance Administration which has sought broadening the zone of consideration of the names for the appointment as CVC or VC in pursuance to the apex court verdict in Vineet Narain, and P.J. Thomas cases.

The government began the process of empaneling and shortlisting of the names for selection of CVC and VC as the incumbent CVC Pradeep Kumar is retiring Sep 28 and VC J.M. Garg has already retired Sep 7.

After the shortlisting of the names by the DoPT from among those recommended by the secretaries to the central government, a committee comprising the prime minister, the home minister and the leader of opposition or in his absence the leader of the single largest party in opposition makes final selection.