NEW DELHI: The Union finance ministry has told the Supreme Court that the Enforcement Directorate chief’s tenure was extended from two years up to five years in the public interest to ensure continuity in supervision and monitoring of investigations into several sensitive cases, which are at critical stages, by the incumbent director.
“Extension in the term of the director of ED beyond two years and up to a maximum of five years was necessitated from the administrative standpoint wherein continuity of the head of the organisation is required for several cases which are at crucial juncture and require historical knowledge and background for supervision of such cases,” the Union finance ministry said in an affidavit.
Agreeing to SC scrutiny of the decision to extend incumbent ED director Sanjay Mishra’s tenure, it said that the decision by a high-powered committee headed by the Central Vigilance Commissioner was on cogent grounds and recorded reasons were amenable to judicial review.
