GUWAHATI: In a recent development, the Supreme Court has granted an extension to SK Mishra, the Director of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), until September 15.
This decision comes in the "larger public interest" despite a previous judgment on July 11 that deemed the officer's previous extensions as illegal.
The court, comprising Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, and Sanjay Karol, partially accepted the Centre's plea to extend Mishra's term until October 15, 2023. However, they emphasised that no further extensions would be permitted after this.
The extension was requested by the Centre, citing Mishra's involvement in the review of India's anti-money laundering mechanisms by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global peer review body.
The FATF review has been ongoing for the past five years, and its outcome will have significant implications for the country's credit rating and financial assistance from international bodies like the World Bank. The FATF committee is scheduled for an on-site visit on November 3.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court bench questioned the Centre's reliance on a single person, expressing concern that it might portray the entire department as incompetent if it cannot function without one individual. The court acknowledged that they allowed the extension until July 31 to facilitate a smooth transition but stressed that no further applications for extension would be entertained.
The Centre argued that the continuity of Mishra's tenure was crucial for effective representation before the international body during the FATF review.
With the latest decision, SK Mishra will serve as the Director of ED until September 15, 2023, after which he must step down from his position.