In a major setback to the Centre, the Supreme Court has declared as illegal the third extension of service granted to Enforcement Directorate (ED) chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra, giving him time till July 31 to quit. A three-judge bench headed by Justice BR Gavai said that, in view of the Supreme Court’s previous order in 2021, Mishra could not be given extension beyond November 2022. Mishra’s extension was challenged by a batch of petitions, based on the Supreme Court’s September 2021 order. The petitioners include Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Jaya Thakur and Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, among others.
Extensions given to Mishra
Sanjay Mishra was initially appointed as the ED director for a two-year term ending in November 2020. He was given a one-year extension, which was challenged in the Supreme Court by Common Cause, an NGO. While, the court had allowed an extension in its September 2021 judgement, as his term was ending in about two months, it was clear that no further extension was to be granted to Mishra.
Amendment in CVC Act and Delhi Special Police Establishment Act introduced
The central government introduced amendments to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) Act and the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, allowing extension of service for a period of three years for the ED and CBI chiefs beyond their two-year tenure, by giving an extension of one year each. was given. Under the amendment, which was challenged in the Supreme Court, Mishra got an extension from November 2021 to November 2022. Let us tell you that in November last, his tenure was extended till November 2023 by a notification.
Who is Sanjay Mishra
Sanjay Kumar Mishra is a 1984 batch Indian Revenue Service officer. Sanjay Kumar Mishra, a 1984 batch IRS officer, was appointed as the interim director of the Enforcement Directorate in October 2018 for three months before being made the full-time chief. According to CNBC, 63-year-old Mishra is an economic expert and is said to have brilliantly investigated several high-level income tax cases, due to which he was appointed as the ED chief. Prior to his appointment, Mishra was posted as the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax in Delhi. During his tenure, several high-profile political leaders, often from opposition parties, have come under the scanner of the ED. Opposition parties have often accused the government of misusing the central probe agency to target their leaders.
