Govt can’t remove CBI chief midterm, Verma tells court

VERMA’S COUNSEL FALI S NARIMAN ARGUED THAT DIVESTING THE CBI CHIEF OF HIS POWERS WAS AKIN TO TRANSFERRING HIM

The case in the Supreme Court over the government divesting Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Alok Verma of his powers saw arguments on Thursday between the petitioners (including Verma) and the government (represented by the attorney general) on the scope of powers of the selection committee that appoints the CBI chief and whether divesting the CBI chief of his powers was tantamount to transferring him.

Defending the government’s decision, attorney general KK Venugopal said that the central government was the appointing authority in the case of the CBI director and it was not incumbent upon it to consult the selection committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India (CJI) before divesting him of powers. Drawing a distinction between the roles played by the selection committee and the appointing authority, Venugopal contended that the former’s responsibility was to only recommend a suitable candidate with the final appointment being made by the government.

“The committee selects a group of candidates for the appointment of director of CBI, and puts it up before the government. Then it is the government which appoints the right candidate out of these; selection does not mean appointment,” Venugopal said.