New Delhi, February 12
The appointment of the new chief of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is generating a hot debate within the organisation as well as the government and a final decision in this regard is expected soon.

Well-placed sources told The Tribune today that the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) had been sent a panel of names to succeed the current RAW chief, Mr Vikram Sood, who is scheduled to retire this month-end.

It is understood that the Vajpayee government is toying with the idea of introducing some policy decisions in areas like who should be the RAW chief? Whether he should be from the Indian Police Service (IPS)? Or RAW Administrative Service (RAS)? Or whether some other arrangement should be tried?

Sources say the mandarins of South Block are keen that the country’s premier external intelligence agency to be given a new look. This need is being realised all the more now in the post-September 11 era when the Vajpayee government is on a diplomatic overdrive and new strategic configurations are emerging between India and a host of countries.

The ACC is understood to be considering several names for the highly sensitive job of RAW chief, including those of two top officers in the organisation, Mr C.D. Sahay and Mr Bedi.

The ACC, which in this case comprises Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani and one more minister, is expected to reach a decision soon, possibly before Mr Vajpayee leaves for Malaysia on February 22.

If the ACC fails to narrow down its choice to one name or if it feels that the panel of shortlisted candidates itself needs to be changed, it may agree for an extension to the present incumbent Mr Vikram Sood. Interestingly, Mr Sood is not an Indian Police Service officer, but an Indian Postal Service officer. He has served in RAW for decades and was later absorbed in RAW.