NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati chairman Surya Prakash has written to the Government to expedite the selections for a new CEO and Member (Personnel) in the pubcaster.

Prakash told Radioandmusic.com that he had asked the Government to ensure the vacancies are filled soon to avoid any void.

A high-level committee headed by vice president Hamid Ansari has to meet as stipulated in the Prasar Bharati Act 1990 to select a new CEO and other members.

Meanwile, Member (Finance) Rajeev Singh is to take over as interim Chief Executive Officer of the pubcaster from 6 February.

He succeeds Suresh C Panda who was member Personnel and is due to retire on 4 February.

The decision was taken at a Board meeting held recently in Hyderabad.

Panda had been appointed acting Chief Executive Officer of the pubcaster after Jawhar Sircar demitted office on 4 November.

Singh, who has been serving Prasar Bharati as member (Finance) since April 2015, was previously with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd in different roles for a little over nine years. Singh is an engineering graduate from Nagpur University and is a post-graduate in business administration from Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.

Singh’s appointment comes at a time when the public broadcaster is all set to revamp Doordarshan by introducing new prime time programming in February following e-auctions for these slots.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had issued an advertisement, calling applications for the post of member (personnel) and received 56 applications.