SC Asks For Final Decision On Enforcement Directorate Chief’s Appointment In A Month

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the ministry of finance for a final decision on the appointment of the Enforcement Directorate's full-time director within a month.

The direction was given during the hearing of a public interest litigation that had challenged a government decision granting additional charge to Karnal Singh as the current director of ED.

The Chief Justice of India-led bench, after being informed that the government is in process of finalising the director's name, refused to issue notices to the government, ED and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) but asked the Centre to give their final decision.

“Make some arrangement and tell us about your final decision. The petitioner's main issue is the ad-hoc appointment has been done and it should not go on,” observed the Chief Justice Of India.

Karnal Singh's extension was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet in February this year.

The PIL alleged that his appointment was arbitrary as he has been given ad hoc extensions between August 2015 and November 2016. “This is in complete contravention of the provisions of Section 25 (d) of the CVC Act. The ad-hoc appointment of Karnal Singh is illegal without jurisdiction, contrary to the CVC Act,” read the PIL.

The petitioner also alleged that the ministry of finance did not consult a committee comprising the CVC's chairperson, vigilance commissioners, secretaries from the ministry of home affairs, department of revenue secretary and ministry of personnel, as prescribed under the CVC Act for the appointment of full-time directors.

The court has been urged to quash extensions given to Karnal Singh as director of ED and remove him from his current post. The PIL further urged the apex court to direct the government to appoint a full-time director within 30 days under the prescribed method defined by the CVC Act.

The court will consider government's final decision in November.