Govt has used 2 agencies to silence dissenting voices, says Cong
Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday, attacked the Centre over its move to extend the tenures of directors of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) up to a maximum of five years.
While the Congress said the Government has used the two agencies as “henchmen’’ who are now being rewarded so that “malicious prosecution’’ is used to silence dissenting voices, the TMC moved a notice for statutory resolutions in the Rajya Sabha objecting to the Ordinances by the Government to extend the tenure of CBI and ED chiefs.
Sources in various Opposition parties said such notices will be filed by other Opposition parties in the run-up to the Winter Session of Parliament.
President Ram Nath Kovind had signed two Ordinances promulgated by the Ministry of Law and Justice on Sunday. The Ordinances stated that after the two-year term of an ED or CBI chief ends, the Union Government may extend his/her tenure by a year for three consecutive years.
The Ordinances amend the Delhi Police Special Establishment Act, which is the parent law for the CBI, and the Central Vigilance Act, which covers the appointment of the ED director.
The TMC has raised objection to the ordinances route for the extension of the tenures questioning the Government’s hurry at a time when the Winter Session of Parliament was barely two weeks away.
Sources said the party has moved two separate statutory resolutions for the two laws the Government has amended through the ordinances to extend the tenure of ED and CBI chiefs.
“Two brazen ordinances extend ED and CBI director terms from 2 to 5 years #Parliament Winter Session begins two weeks from now. Be rest assured, Opposition parties will do all it takes to stop India from turning into an elected autocracy,” tweeted TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien.