New Delhi: All India Trinamool Congress's national spokesperson, Saket Gokhale has filed a Public Interest Litigation(PIL) in the Supreme Court against the extension of the tenure of Enforcement Directorate chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra. Gokhale has termed the tenure extension violative of Section 25 of the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003 and also in contempt of the court's order, which had directed that no extension shall be granted.
Gokhale contended that Mishra failed to upload his immovable and movable property returns within the deadline for which Gokhale had even complained to Central Vigilance Commission. The deadline was November 30, 2021, and the documents were uploaded on December 3, 2021. "Repeated extensions such as in the present case open the officers to political influences and leave the institution vulnerable especially considering that the officer granted extension has been in gross violation of a number of OM and circulars of the DoPT, CVC and the CBDT," read the plea.
"It is surprising that the said officer has been granted an extension of tenure after his superannuation that too for the second time, to such an important post despite his act of delinquency. Such a decision by the government undermines public confidence in the post as well as the integrity of the entire organisation that is headed by the person occupying the post. This decision of the government is bound to create a perception that such an important and sensitive position is open to political influences...and that selection of office is not guided by consideration of relevant factors," the plea added.
Back in September 2021, when the court was dealing with the matter regarding the extension of the tenure of the ED director, the court had said that Mishra's tenure could not be extended.
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