Centre extends tenure of CBI, ED chiefs for five years
New Delhi: The Centre has brought an ordinance giving an extension of tenure to Directors of the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.
The new ordinance will provide five tenure to both agencies chief from the existing two-year term.
President Ram Nath Kovind has signed the two ordinances. The chiefs of the top agencies can be given extensions every year for up to three years after they complete the two-year term.
"...Whereas the parliament is not in session and the President is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action," stated in the ordinance.
A Supreme Court bench - headed by Justice LN Rao - recently gave a judgment in the case linked to the extension of Enforcement Directorate chief SK Mishra, who took charge in 2018, underlining the extension of tenure "should be done only in rare and exceptional cases".
The Enforcement Directorate, "a specialized financial investigation agency under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance", investigates cases linked to Foreign Exchange Laws and Regulations and money laundering.
