CBI unhappy, spells out autonomy terms
The CBI on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction with the Centre’s recommendations on making the agency autonomous and free of political influence in its response filed before the Supreme Court.
The investigative agency has told the apex court that its director should be given powers equivalent to those of a secretary in the government of India and should also be given more financial and administrative independence. The CBI said its director should have a minimum tenure of three years instead of the two years recommended by the Centre. It has also rejected the government’s suggestion that an accountability committee look into complaints against CBI officers, saying it would create an “anomalous situation” and that there is an internal mechanism to deal with its errant officers.
In a 14-page affidavit filed before the apex court, the CBI said the Centre’s proposal is insufficient to ensure the autonomy of the agency and insulate it from extraneous influence. “A director who is free to take routine administrative and financial decisions within prescribed rules is necessary for the CBI to remain insulated to discharge its core function without fear or favour,” the agency said. “In the present arrangement, administrative, disciplinary and financial powers of the director are limited — it is necessary that the director should be vested with ex-officio powers of a secretary of government of India reporting directly to the minister without having to go through the Department of Personnel and Training. This will also mean that the budget for the CBI may be separately put up through the minister to the Department of Expenditure,” said the affidavit, filed in response to the Centre’s recommendations.
The CBI said that under this system the director would be independent of the ministry as far as investigation is concerned and would continue to be accountable to the minister for administrative and financial matters.
The agency, however, agreed with the Centre’s
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