On the conclusion of the incumbent Sanjay Kumar Mishra’s term, IRS officer Rahul Navin has been appointed as the in-charge director of the Enforcement Directorate, officials reported.
As per an official decree, Rahul Navin, a 1993-batch IRS officer, will assume the role until the appointment of a permanent director or until further directives are issued. Presently, Navin serves as the ED’s special director. The presidential order has stated, “The President is pleased to order the cessation of tenure of Sanjay Kumar Mishra… as Director of Enforcement in the Enforcement Directorate on 15.09.2023.”
On July 26, the Supreme Court extended ED chief Mishra’s tenure until September 15, while firmly declaring that there would be no additional extension. This decision by the Supreme Court followed its earlier pronouncement that termed as “illegal” the two successive one-year extensions granted to ED director Mishra, an IRS officer of the 1984 cadre. The Court contended that these extensions violated its 2021 directive, which had ruled out further extensions for the IRS officer. As per the government’s notification, the 1984-batch IRS officer was originally slated to remain in office until November 18, 2023.
The verdict on several petitions, including those filed by Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala and Jaya Thakur, as well as TMC leaders Mahua Moitra and Saket Gokhale, contested the extensions provided to Mishra. Initially, Mishra was appointed as the ED director for a two-year term on November 19, 2018. Subsequently, through a November 13, 2020 order, the central government retroactively altered the appointment letter, extending his two-year term to three years.
End of Report
