Randeep Surjewala moves Supreme Court challenging Ordinances extending tenures of CBI, ED chiefs

The CBI and ED directors had a fixed tenure of two years but can now be given an extension each year as long as the cumulative extension is not beyond five years from the initial date of appointment, the Congress leader said.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala on Thursday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Union government’s (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chiefs from two to up to five years.

He has moved the plea against the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, of November 14 along with the Personnel Ministry’s November 15 notification amending the fundamental rules which enable the government to extend the tenures of ED, CBI chiefs, as also of the defence, home and foreign secretaries.

These Ordinances empower the Government of India to provide “piecemeal extensions” of one year each to the tenures of the directors of ED and CBI following the conclusion of the fixed terms provided in their statutes, Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Mr. Surjewala claimed.