SC allows SK Mishra to continue as ED Director till Sept 15 against Centre's ask of Oct 15

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the extension of the tenure of Enforcement Directorate chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra till September 15. The order came after the Centre's plea on extending Mishra's tenure till October 15.

The court also pulled up the Centre asking, "Are there no other competent people in the department?"

The top court had held as "illegal" the repeated extensions granted to Mishra. The Centre had on Wednesday moved the apex court seeking his continuance till October 15, saying his absence during the ongoing FATF review will adversely impact India's national interests.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan is representing NGO 'Common Cause' which has challenged extensions granted to Mishra.

The court had on July 11 held as "illegal" two successive extensions of one year each granted to Mishra and said the Centre's orders were in "breach" of its mandamus in the 2021 verdict that the IRS officer should not be given further term. It had also curtailed Mishra's extended tenure to July 31 from November.

Mishra was first appointed the ED director for two years on November 19, 2018. Later, by an order dated November 13, 2020, the central government modified the appointment letter retrospectively and his two-year term was changed to three years. The 1984-batch IRS officer was otherwise to remain in office till November 18, 2023, according to the notification issued by the government.