JOIN USPrime Minister Narendra Modi will convene a meeting of the selection panel to choose the new CBI Director on Tuesday, the same day incumbent Ranjit Sinha is retiring.
The decks have been cleared for the meeting after President Pranab Mukherjee signed the amended Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, under which the leader of the single-largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha will be included in the selection panel.
Besides the Prime Minister, the members of the selection panel for CBI chief are the Chief Justice of India or his representative and the leader of the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha. Earlier, the Opposition Leader was a member in the panel but with Congress not recognised as Leader of Opposition, the need arose to amend the bill.
Sources said timing of the meeting would be decided late on Monday night. Modi, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Chief Justice of India H L Dattu or his nominee are the members of the panel.
Omendra Bhardwaj, a 1977-batch IPS officer who is the Rajasthan Director General of Police, NIA Director General Sharad Kumar, a 1979-batch officer from Haryana cadre and Special Secretary (Internal Security) Prakash Mishra are among the front-runners for the post.
Other names, which could be considered, include Abhayanand, 1977 batch officer, Anil Sinha and Krishna Choudhary, both 1979 batch. Sinha is currently Special Director and No 2 in CBI while Choudhary is currently posted on central deputation as Director General of Railway Protection Force.