The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra to quit four months before his third extension ends in November even as it upheld statutory amendments which facilitate the tenures of Directors of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the ED to be stretched “piecemeal”.
CBI and ED chiefs have fixed tenures of two years. However, amendments enacted in 2021 to the Central Vigilance Commission Act, the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act and the Fundamental Rules allow them a maximum three annual extensions.
The tweaks in the law came shortly after the Supreme Court, in a September 2021 judgment, directed the government to stop giving extensions to Mr. Mishra. The amendments allowed the government to overcome the court’s direction and grant Mr. Mishra another two extensions.
