Even as the new government defended its predecessor UPA’s controversial decision to appoint senior IPS officer Archana Ramasundaram as CBI’s additional director, the SC Monday questioned how she could join the premier agency without her parent cadre, Tamil Nadu government, relieving her.
“An IPS officer will not join without her having been permitted to. If the state has not given her the permission to join, her joining is meaningless,” a bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha told attorney general Mukul Rohatgi.
The court pointed out to the “flaw” in Ramasundram’s appointment after counsel for Tamil Nadu informed the court that she had left the state job without government consent. “As a result we have put her under suspension. She cannot join until we relieve her to,” senior counsel Shekhar Naphade told the court on behalf of the state.
SC declined Rohatgi’s request to vacate its stay order issued on May 9 restraining Ramachandran from discharging her duty.
“Continuation of the stay order is justified in light of the contentions raised by the state government,” it said, giving three days time to the Centre, ministry of home affairs, department of personnel and training, and Ramasundaram to respond.
It fixed July 21 to hear the PIL filed by journalist Vineet Narain challenging Ramasundaram’s appointment on the ground that it violated the guidelines laid down by the SC in appointing senior CBI officers.
{{/usCountry}}It fixed July 21 to hear the PIL filed by journalist Vineet Narain challenging Ramasundaram’s appointment on the ground that it violated the guidelines laid down by the SC in appointing senior CBI officers.
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