Alka Verma-
Published On: November 15, 2021 at 12:51 IST
On Sunday, President Ram Nath Kovind announced two new Ordinances related to the Tenure of Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate Directors.
The new Ordinances allowed the Central Government to extend the given Tenure of the Directors of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate.
According to the new Ordinances, the Directors of ED and CBI can now have 5 years of Tenure which earlier was 2 years.
The Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Ordinance came just before three days of the Retirement of Enforcement Directorate Chief SK Mishra, a 1984-batch IRS officer, supposed to get retired on 17 November 2021.
Mishra was given an extension of one year in 2020 by Central Government after the completion of his Tenure.
The Apex Court who was hearing the matter did not quash the extension but also ordered Government to provide a further extension to Mishra.
However, as per the Officials, it is yet not decided that whether Mishra would continue as the ED chief or not,
Meanwhile, the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 states, “Provided that the period for which the Director of Enforcement holds the office on his initial appointment may, in the public interest, on the recommendation of the Committee under clause(a) and for the reason to be recorded in writing, be extended up to one year at a time.”
“Provided further that no such extension shall be granted after the completion of a period of five years in total including the period mentioned in the initial appointment,” it adds.
Adding to this, the Government has also brought in Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 which states, “Provided that the period for which the Director holds the office on his initial appointment may, in the public interest, on the recommendation of the Committee under sub-section (1) of section 4A and for the reasons to be recorded in writing, be extended up to one year at a time.
“Provided further that no such extension shall be granted after the completion of a period of five years in total including the period mentioned in the initial appointment,” it adds.
It should be noted here that the fixed two-year Tenure was aimed to allow the Central Agencies Chiefs to work without the interference of the Government but this new Ordinance is facing a lot of criticism from the Opposition.
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