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The State Comptroller Website |
Lexicon of Terms |
The State Comptroller
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Since it was established in 1949, the institution of State Comptroller has the task of controlling
ministries, government institutions, local authorities, security agencies, persons and bodies operating
on behalf of the state, or any body which is financed by the state and is subject to its control under
the law, in accordance with a decision of the Knesset or agreement with the government. The control
relates to the legality of the operation, integrity, proper administration, efficiency and thrift of
the controlled bodies. While the Comptroller enjoys some of the powers of an inquiry commission, s/he
does not have the administrative authority to enforce laws or apply sanctions to the controlled bodies.
The Basic Law: the State Comptroller of 1988 as amended in 1998,
states that the
State Comptroller is elected by the Kneseset by means of a secret vote for a seven-year tenure, and maintains
contact with the Knesset "as determined in the law." The State Comptroller Law (combined version) of 1958
states that: "the Comptroller will operate in conjunction with the Knesset
State Control Committee... and will present to it a report of all his/her activities whenever s/he sees fit or
is asked to do so by the Committee." In effect, the State Comptroller publishes an annual report, which deals
with a selection of issues relating to the spheres of responsibility of the controlled bodies. This report is
discussed in the Committee and receives a good deal of attention from the media. In the course of the year the
State Comptroller presents additional reports on specific issues as well as opinions. Since 1971 the Comptroller
also serves as ombudsman with regards to any body or official that is subject to the control of his/her office.
State Comptrollers since the establishment of the state:
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