Supreme Court Issues Notice To Centre On Plea Seeking Appointment Of Regular CBI Director

The Supreme Court on Friday sought the response of the Central Government on a PIL filed by NGO Common Cause seeking the appointment of a regular director for the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The public interest litigation opposes the appointment of Mr. Praveen Sinha as an interim / acting CBI Director, after expiry of the term of the last incumbent viz. Mr. Rishi Kumar Shukla on February 2 this year.

A division bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat has posted the matter after two weeks.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner NGO, submitted that there is no provision for the appointment of an acting director. He said that the work of CBI was suffering because of the lack of a regular director

Though Bhushan requested for a posting next week, saying that a quick response was required, the bench said that it was not sitting next week as it will be in the Constitution Bench hearing on Maratha reservation.

Bhushan also pressed for an order to convene the selection committee meeting. However, the bench said that it will not pass any orders before hearing the Centre.

The plea states that appointment of a full-time Director as per the statutory law is necessary for upholding the rule of law and for enforcement of the rights of the citizens under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.

It also refers to the case of Prakash Singh v. Union of India, (2019) 4 SCC 13, against appointment of Director General of Police on acting basis and argues that just like DGPs are heads of police force in states and CBI Director leads the premier Central Investigating agency.