What CBI wants: Chief should have 3-year term, more powers

The CBI on Tuesday submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court admitting that it has limited administrative and financial powers and has asked for an increase in powers of its director. In a response to the government’s affidavit on increasing the autonomy of the investigating agency, the CBI said among other things, it wants the tenure of its director to be extended to three years from the present two. [caption id=“attachment_959499” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] IBNLive[/caption] The affidavit also mentioned that the CBI director should have powers equal to that of a secretary in the Government of India. It further said that the CBI director should be empowered to approach ministers directly rather than go through the Department of Personnel and Training. On the government’s proposal to set-up a panel to investigate allegations of misconduct by CBI officials, the affidavit reportedly said the panel should be from within the agency else it would harm the morale of the officers. The Supreme Court had earlier this year come down heavily on the government for controlling the investigating agency. The apex court had said the CBI was ‘a caged parrot’ speaking in its ‘master’s voice’. The CBI was investigating the alleged coal scam when reports surfaced that the CBI director had shared its preliminary report with then Law minister Ashwini Kumar before presenting it to the court.