The following week can turn out to be eventful for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as the selection panel is set to meet on 24 January to decide on the new CBI director.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 16 January, agreed to hear a plea against M Nageshwar Rao’s appointment as the interim CBI director. The plea, which also sought transparency in the process of appointment, will be heard next week.
The development comes two days after Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, the only dissenter in the High-Powered Committee that ousted former CBI Director Alok Verma, wrote to the prime minister asking to release the findings of the CVC, Justice AK Patnaik’s report and the minutes of the 10 January meeting of the committee.
- PM Modi-led Selection Committee will meet on 24 January to appoint the new CBI director
- Kharge wrote to the PM asking for the CVC report and the High-Powered Committee meeting minutes to be made public
- Alok Verma was removed as CBI director by the PM Modi-led Committee by 2:1 majority. The committee also included Justice AK Sikri and Mallikarjun Kharge
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Selection Panel to Decide on New CBI Director Next Week
The High-Powered Selection Committee will meet on 24 January to appoint the new CBI director, reported ANI.
PM Modi heads this committee, in which the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge are the other members.
The sources said the government had proposed the meeting on 21 January earlier while Kharge wanted the meeting on 24 or 25 January.
After mutual consultations, the government has finalised 24 January as the date for the meeting to select the new CBI director, a post which has been vacant since Alok Verma transferred to be Director General Fire Service.
IPS officer M Nageswara Rao was named the interim director of the CBI.
Congress party has been attacking the prime minister for not appointing a regular CBI Director.
Kharge had also written to the prime minister demanding early holding of the meeting of the high powered committee to appoint a regular CBI Director.
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SC To Hear Plea Against Nageshwar Rao’s Appointment Next Week
Supreme Court on Wednesday, 16 January, agreed to hear a plea filed against M Nageshwar Rao’s appointment as interim Director of the CBI, reported news agency ANI
The plea which also sought transparency in the process of short-listing, selection and appointment of the CBI Director, will be heard next week.
Release CVC Findings, Justice Patnaik's Report, Meeting Minutes: Kharge to PM
In a note to the prime minister, Mallikarjun Kharge demanded the release of the findings of the CVC, the Justice AK Patnaik’s report and the minutes of the 10 January meeting of the high power selection committee.
The note alleged that the “manipulative actions of the government are directly causing deep embarrassment to the Judiciary,” Indian Express reported.
Justice Sikri Did Not Want to be on Panel Deciding Alok Verma's Fate
Four days after Supreme Court judge Justice AK Sikri’s vote helped decide the removal of Alok Verma from the post of CBI director, NDTV reported quoting sources that he did not want to be a part of the three-member selection committee, including PM Narendra Modi and Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge.
Sikri, the second senior-most judge in the apex court after Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, withdrew his consent, on 13 January, to the government offer to nominate him for president/member of the CSAT.