Officials said the Ministry of Corporate Affairs was keen to handle the recruitment of professionals itself rather than hand over the task to the Competition Commission which currently has just one member, Vinod K Dhall, who is also its acting chairman. Dhall’s tenure ends in November this year.

The Government is yet to locate a large enough office for the Commission. The CCI, the officials said, will need about 80,000 sq ft when fully staffed. About two months ago, the Commission, on its part, set up a panel with officials from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to scout for an ideal location, and also advertised, calling for technical and financial bids.

While the CCI has received 7-8 proposals meeting its specification that the required premises should be in a 10- km radius of the High Court and Supreme Court, the Government plans to wait for a regulatory institutional complex being conceived in Vasant Vihar in South Delhi.

Officials said the CCI would take about a year to be fully operational. After recruitment of staff which will take about 4-5 months, they need to be trained. This will take another three months. After the selection committee appoints members (at least three months from now) and a chairman, notification of sections will require at least a month.