Giri reportedly turned down the Government's request for chairing the meeting despite Attorney-General Soli Sorabjee's opinion that as acting CVC, Giri is empowered to act on an ad-hoc basis and his successor could later ratify the decisions.

The Supreme Court had held that the CBI would be an autonomous body under the Chief Vigilance Commission. The selection panel is headed by the CVC and comprise the Union Home Secretary, Cabinet Secretary and the Secretary (Personnel).

After the AG's opinion was submitted last week, the Government immediately called a selection committee meeting to finalise selections to fill the vacancies in the CBI. Sources say the convening of the selection committee was needed urgently since there is a ``vacancy crisis'' in the CBI which currentlyhas 13 vacancies at the joint-director level.

One post of Special Director and a host of other middle-level posts are also lying vacant in the Enforcement Directorate, the other agency mentioned in the Supreme Court order. Panels for many of these posts have already been processed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Personnel.

On earlier occasions too, Giri had conveyed to the Government that the Supreme Court judgment on functioning of the CVC and CBI made it difficult for him perform his functions. The Government, anxious to implement the order, had asked for the Attorney General's opinion on the issue.