GoM to submit affidavit on CBI autonomy to SC today

A Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram is likely to submit an affidavit on CBI autonomy to the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The affidavit contains proposals by the GoM to grant greater autonomy to the CBI.

The group was formed on the Supreme Court's orders. The court gave the government time till July 3 to come up with proposals for greater autonomy to the CBI. The court had indicted the government for its interference in the agency's functioning and asked it to come up with an affidavit on steps to make the CBI autonomous.

Also Read: CBI autonomy: Proposal not in conflict with legal

The Cabinet had last week approved a recommendation by a Parliamentary panel that the CBI Director should be selected by a collegium comprising of the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha. BJP alleged the Congress-led UPA government has misused and abused CBI not only against political opponents but also to make its allies fall in line.

The move has not impressed BJP which alleged the government is not serious about granting autonomy to the probe agency and continues to misuse it for its political gains. "We believe that the government move's to give autonomy to CBI is not only much delayed but is also far from perfect. Government should ensure real and effective autonomy to CBI as per the wish of the people, indicated by the courts and recommended by the Parliamentary committee," BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters in Delhi.

BJP said it appears unlikely that the government will be able to give a convincing opinion on July 3 to the Supreme Court on providing real autonomy to CBI. "The massive misuse of most constitutional institutions and especially CBI that this Congress-led UPA government has made is unprecedented and condemnable," Trivedi charged.