SC extends ED director SK Mishra's term till September 15

Digital Desk: In a significant development, the Supreme Court allowed ED Director SK Mishra to continue as ED Director till 15 September. The Central Government had moved the Supreme Court seeking extension of the tenure of Enforcement Directorate Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra. At the same time, the Supreme Court has approved the extension of the tenure of SK Mishra as ED Director.

During the hearing, the Supreme Court questioned the Centre's request for an extension, expressing concern about the perception of the entire department's competency, apart from the incumbent chief. The bench questioned whether the portrayal is that there are no capable individuals within the department.

The Centre's Solicitor General Tushar Mehta claimed that Mishra's continuity is critical for the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) peer review process, and his rating from this review is vital. While recognizing that Mishra is "not indispensable," Mehta emphasized that his presence is critical to the success of the peer review process.

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Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the ED, emphasized the need for Mishra's continued presence, adding that certain surrounding nations aim to place India on FATF's 'grey list,' making the ED chief's presence critical to oppose such efforts.

The Supreme Court's decision comes after it had considered Mishra's two consecutive one-year extensions "illegal" and reduced his prolonged tenure to July 31 from November, following the court's earlier requirement that the IRS official be given no additional term.