STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed the crucial CBI Bill moved by Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space. The Bill under the nomenclature “The Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021” seeks to incorporate provision to extend the tenure of CBI Director to a maximum of five years beyond the minimum term of two years. The tenure however will have to be extended only by one year at a time and through the same process by the Selection Committee comprising of the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Chief Justice of India. The Congress and TMC MPs opposed and walked out, in response to which, Dr Jitendra Singh expressed regret and said “”History may not forgive those of us who have chosen to abstain from this discussion and history may also accuse us of having something to hide and therefore shying away from this discussion. ” The Minister said, it gives me pain to notice that in their misguided enthusiasm to oppose Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, they have gone to the extent of showing irreverence to an institution which enjoys the reverence of each and every citizen of India across the country. He reminded the House that soon after taking over as Prime Minister on 26 May 2014, in the very first cabinet meeting Prime Minister Modi had constituted an SIT to investigate against the black money and today’s Bill is a reiteration of the reletlenlles crusade against corruption with the spirit of zero tolerance against the corruption. Hitting out hard at certain State governments who have withdrawn the general consent to CBI from investigating cases in their respective States, Dr Jitendra Singh said, they owe to the nation whether they trust or do not trust the CBI because they continue to give selective consent in cases which are directed against their adversaries.
Citing the example of Narendra Modi when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Minister recalled that the then UPA government had registered a series of cases against the Gujarat government and its ministers but the Modi Government in the State did not withdraw consent to CBI and instead preferred to cooperate with the investigation at every step.
Dr Jitendra moved the bill in the Upper House, saying it was necessary to curb corruption-based cases which have drastically gone down in the last seven years since Prime Minister Modi led government came to power at the Centre.
The Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote as the entire Opposition had walked out of the House earlier seeking revocation of suspension of 12 suspended MPs. Lok Sabha had also passed the bill on December 9.
The ‘Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ seeks amendment in the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946. The Bill also replaces the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 which was promulgated on November 14. The ordinance inserts the provision in the DSPE Act, “Provided that the period for which the Director holds the office on his initial appointment may, in the public interest, on the recommendation of the Committee under sub-section (1) of section 4A and for the reasons to be recorded in writing, be extended up to one year at a time.
“Provided further that no such extension shall be granted after the completion of a period of five years in total including the period mentioned in the initial appointment,” it stated. In simple words, the ordinance seeks to extend the tenure of the CBI chief to a maximum of five years from the present two years.