New Delhi: Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India Vijayendra Nath Kaul has been elected External Auditor of World Health Organisation and would assume office from January 1, 2004.

He would hold the office for two financial periods of four years - 2004-05 and 2006-07, an official release said on May 27.

In a hotly contested election, Kaul, who secured 92 votes in the second ballot, beat contenders from South Africa, Ghana, Sweden, Colombia and Netherlands to the post.

Germany and Mauritius withdrew from the contest.

In his presentation to the World Health Assembly just before the election, Kaul laid emphasis on the work ethos of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, particularly the core values of reliability and integrity, the release added.

PTI