Constitutional text

(1) There shall be a Comptroller and Auditor-General of India who shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal and shall only be removed from office in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court.

Source: Constitution of India, as published by the Ministry of Law and Justice.

History and context

The CAG is modelled on the Comptroller and Auditor-General of the United Kingdom, an institution that developed in Britain in the 19th century as parliamentary control over executive spending grew. The CAG's independence from the executive is guaranteed by security of tenure (the same protection as a Supreme Court judge) so that the auditor cannot be pressured by the government whose accounts it audits.

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Last reviewed: 3 July 2026