New Delhi: The Centre told the Supreme Court on Friday that a high-level Selection Committee will be meeting to decide on a new Central Bureau of Investigation Director later in the day.
The government was responding to the apex court’s question as to how long the situation of interim Director of the CBI will continue.
A Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Naveen Sinha told the Centre that the post of CBI Director was sensitive and the government should have appointed a regular director by now.
Attorney General K.K. Venugopal told the court the high-level Committee, comprising of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge will be meeting later to decide the new Director.
The bench was hearing a petition by NGO Common Cause challenging the appointment of M. Nageswara Rao as the CBI interim chief following the removal of former Director Alok Verma under controversial circumstances.
The bench said the process of appointment should have been over by now as it was already known that Verma was going to retire in January.
Venugopal also informed the court that the Centre had taken the approval of the Committee before appointing IPS officer Rao as the interim chief.
The Supreme Court posted the matter for next hearing on February 6.
[source_without_link]IANS[/source_without_link]