How the CJI ruled out Rakesh Asthana & YC Modi from the running for CBI chief

Both Rakesh Asthana & YC Modi were the Centre’s top choices for the post of CBI chief, but the CJI’s emphasis on following the ‘six-month rule’ eliminated them from the race.

Two senior IAS officers BSF chief Rakesh Asthana and NIA head YC Modi are out of the running for the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after Chief Justice of India NV Ramana cited a Supreme Court guideline to rule out their nominations. This unprecedented move on the CJI’s part came during a high-powered committee meeting Monday evening, during which he, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and leader of opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury discussed the appointment of the new CBI chief. Sources suggest that originally from a list of 109 names consisting of officers from the 1984-1987 batches, the DoPT initially shortlisted 10 names for the consideration of the high-powered committee and later narrowed down to six names at about 4:30 pm, an hour and a half before the meeting was scheduled. Rakesh Asthana and YC Modi were reportedly the Centre’s top choices for the post.