The Prime Minister said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that he is accountable for the lapse in selecting Mr. P. J. Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner. He gave this clarification in response to a pointed query as to who should be held responsible for the appointment. The leader of the Opposition, Mr. Arun Jaitley had asked this specific question. Dr. Manmohan Singh owned it as an error of judgement. He said he was not aware of any inquiry against Mr. Thomas. He came to know about it from the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj during the selection process. In response to a specific query, the Prime Minister informed the House that the panel for appointment of CVC was put up by the Department of Personnel and Training. It was forwarded by the then Minister of State for Personnel. He said, he did not doubt the bona fides of Mr. Thomas as he had been appointed Chief Secretary of Kerala Government and later, he also served as Secretary in two Ministries at the Centre before his selection to the post of CVC. Earlier in his statement, Dr. Manmohan Singh said the government accepts the Supreme Court's decision to quash the appointment of Mr. P.J. Thomas as CVC. The government will consider the guidelines given by the Court while appointing the new CVC.