New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave nod to centre to appoint CVC and vigilance commission as per its shortlisted candidates.

Both posts had been lying vacant for quite some time. The court today lifted the five-month-old stay on appointment of the both posts.

Earlier on December 17, 2014 SC asked the Centre to take its permission before appointing the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) and Vigilance Commissioner and also sought details about the selection process.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the bench of Chief Justice H L Dattu, Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Amitava Roy, “in response to its advertisement, it had received 135 applications for the CVC post and that the list of names was now ready to be placed before the committee comprising Prime Minister, the home minister and leader of opposition.”

The apex court allowed the government to appoint CVC and VCs in accordance with CVC Act but directed the government to submit the entire record of appointment process to the court in July.

Its order had come while hearing a plea by NGO, Centre for Integrity, Governance and Training in Vigilance Administration, which had questioned the lack of transparency in the CVC appointment process.

The NGO had contended that the procedure being followed by the government for empanelment was restricted and non-transparent.

The positions became vacant following the retirement of incumbent Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar on September 28, 2014 and the retirement of Vigilance Commissioner J M Garg on September 7 2014.