Pass law to give CBI autonomy or we will step in: SC

The Supreme Court which has resumed its hearing in to the coalgate scam, has told the government that it should arrange for Parliament to pass a law on CBI autonomy. If not, the Supreme Court said, it was more than capable of making ad hoc arrangements. The government filed an affidavit earlier this month, with several suggestions for CBI autonomy, including the appointment and removal of the director. [caption id=“attachment_945605” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The Supreme Court on India. Reuters[/caption] Key among the suggestions were that the CBI director would be appointed by a collegium comprising of the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and Leader of the Opposition, and would not be appointed or removed without the consent of this collegium. It also says that the CBI president can be moved only President, but on grounds of misconduct. The affidavit suggested that while the CVC will monitor CBI probes into corruption cases, the Centre will monitor investigations into other cases. A panel of retired judges would be formed to monitor CBI investigations, said the affidavit. [embedalsosee] At present, the director is appointed by the Centre from a panel of officers recommended by a committee comprising of Central Vigilance Commissioner (Chairperson), Vigilance Commissioners, Secretary in-charge of Home Ministry and Secretary (Co-ordination and Public Grievances) Cabinet Secretariat. The affidavit also speaks of an accountability commission headed by three retired Supreme Court or High Court judges. The committee will look into cases of grievances against the CBI. On 6 May, the Supreme Court had slammed the CBI, and called it a ‘caged parrot’ for it amending an affidavit in connection with the coal block allocation scandal allegedly at the behest of the then Law Minister Ashwani Kumar. Kumar subsequently resigned from his post. The apex court had given the government time till 3 July to come up proposals for greater autonomy to the CBI. The court had indicted the government for its interference in the agency’s functioning and asked it to come up with an affidavit on steps to make the CBI autonomous.