Vaduguri expected to continue as IndianOil Chmn.
IndianOil director marketing Satish Vaduguri looks increasingly likely to be appointed chairman until he retires in July 2025.
Vaduguri has been holding additional charge as interim IndianOil chairman since September 1 (2024), when former chairman SM Vaidya - eventually - retired. Vaduguri was appointed interim chairman for three months or until further orders.
But many believe that the latest IndianOil chairman selection process will be scrapped, and a new vacancy advertised with a vacancy date of August 1 (2025), when Vaduguri himself steps down and retires. "Oil ministry officials have become cautious after the letter from the ACC (cabinet's appointments committee) regarding changes in the eligibility criteria without prior permission," says a source.
"Puri (the oil minister) certainly doesn't want trouble with the PMO." On September 17 (2024), the ACC wrote to all ministries, including the oil ministry and the PESB, highlighting violations of its rules and warning that all government bodies must adhere to them in the future.
Part of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the ACC is the apex vetting authority for all board-level PSU appointments. "The SCSC (search and selection committee) or ministry/department or the PESB are not competent to relax the eligibility criteria in a job description," reads the ACC letter.
"And, if required, should invariably obtain prior approval from the ACC before publishing an advertisement. Adds the letter sternly: "The powers rested with the ACC should not be exercised by the ministries/departments/SCSC without prior ACC approval."
Our source believes such violations occurred during the latest IndianOil chairman selection process. If so, the oil ministry will have no choice but to scrap the process.
"Most likely, the (oil) ministry will send his (Vaduguri's) name for ACC approval," we hear. For the past 18 months, the oil ministry and the PESB have struggled to select SM Vaidya's replacement.
If Vaduguri is formally appointed as full-time chairman, the oil ministry will hopefully benefit from a break from the drama for at least a few months until the new selection process begins.