New Delhi: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, chaired by senior Congress leader K C Venugopal, has taken serious note of the absence of Chandra Bhushan Kumar (IAS:1995: AGMUT), Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, from its meeting held on June 24, 2026.
The parliamentary panel has decided to seek an explanation regarding the officer’s non-attendance after it was informed that permission to skip the meeting had not been granted.
PAC Decides to Write to Union Home Secretary
Speaking on the matter, PAC Chairperson K C Venugopal stated that the Committee would write to the Union Home Secretary seeking clarification on why the senior IAS officer failed to attend the scheduled meeting despite not receiving approval for exemption.
The development assumes significance as the PAC is one of Parliament’s most important financial oversight committees, responsible for examining government expenditure and scrutinising audit observations made by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
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Meeting Examined CAG Audit Findings
The June 24 meeting of the PAC reviewed important CAG audit observations relating to:
- The Institute of Medical Sciences, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- The Chandigarh Welfare Board
The committee was examining issues arising from the audit reports and expected the presence of concerned senior officials for discussions and clarifications.
Officials familiar with parliamentary procedures noted that attendance of senior administrative officers before parliamentary committees is considered important for effective scrutiny and accountability.
Who is Chandra Bhushan Kumar?
A 1995-Batch AGMUT Cadre IAS Officer
Chandra Bhushan Kumar is a senior IAS officer of the 1995 batch AGMUT cadre and currently serves as the Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the highest-ranking civil servant in the Union Territory administration.
Over his career, he has held several important assignments across the AGMUT cadre and has been associated with governance, infrastructure development, public administration and policy implementation.
As Chief Secretary, Kumar oversees the functioning of various departments of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration and acts as the principal adviser to the Lieutenant Governor on administrative matters.
Significance of the PAC’s Observation
The PAC’s decision to formally seek an explanation reflects the seriousness with which parliamentary committees view the attendance of senior government officials during proceedings.
Parliamentary committees play a crucial role in ensuring executive accountability and examining the implementation of public policies, expenditure patterns and audit findings. Non-attendance by senior officials, particularly when exemption requests are not approved, can attract scrutiny from committee members.
The matter is now expected to be taken up with the Ministry of Home Affairs, under whose administrative jurisdiction the Andaman and Nicobar Islands fall.
