In order to justify its decision, the Centre had argued that his continued employment was essential in light of the peer review that the Financial Action Task Force will be conducting later this year. Despite the Supreme Court’s order mandating that Mishra be given no additional extensions, the administration decided to keep him in charge.
Source: Hindustan Times
The decision is anticipated to halt the arbitrary and opaque manner in which the directors of the ED and the CBI were granted extensions. The SC Bench has said unequivocally that the extensions can not be extended to the incumbents at the sweet discretion of the administration… Only on the basis of the concerned appointing committee’s recommendations is it possible. The panel must prioritise the public interest when considering whether to recommend an officer’s term extension.
The SC affirmed the constitutionality of two Central statutes and the related rules, which set a five-year maximum term for the directors of the ED and the CBI. This was the Centre’s saving grace.
Source: The Economic Times
The Opposition’s claims that the Centre is abusing these top investigation bodies to settle political scores have repeatedly damaged their credibility. Things have gotten worse as a result of the dispute over the appointment or extension of officers. The onus is now on the Centre to actually put the laws and regulations into practise in order to guarantee the effective and trouble-free operation of both agencies.
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