NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday extended the tenure of Enforcement Directorate (ED) chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra till September 15 to serve the “public and national interest”. A three-judge bench led by Justice B R Gavai said Mishra will cease to be the ED director at midnight of 15-16 September.
However, before approving the extension, the court asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta if the Centre is giving a picture that the entire department is full of incompetent people. “Are you not giving a picture that your entire department is full of incompetent persons and that your department has only one competent person and you cannot function without this one person? Is it not demoralising the entire force? Suppose I am the CJI & I am not able to continue, will the SC collapse?” Justice Gavai, the presiding judge of the bench asked.
The court opined that in ordinary circumstances, such an application could not have been entertained.
The extension was granted on a plea by the Centre to extend Mishra’s tenure till October 15. The court had on July 11 directed Mishra to step down by July 31. The Centre cited the ongoing Financial Action Task Force review and said Mishra’s continuation as ED chief was necessary.
No further extension
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the court to consider granting an extension to Mishra till September 30. To this, the court promptly said: “No. This also we have granted considering the larger national interest.”