On Wednesday, The Lok Sabha passed a bill to amend the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act to include leader of the single largest opposition party as a member of the selection committee to choose the CBI chief, instead of the leader of opposition. The amendment will also do away with the requirement of quorum in the high-powered committee to select the Central Bureau of Investigation chief.
The bill, which assumes significance as current CBI director Ranjit Sinha’s term ends Dec 2, was passed amid stiff opposition from the Congress, who alleged that it was aimed at keeping the largest opposition party out of the selection process. With the amendment, the search panel for the CBI chief will comprise of the prime minister, chief justice of India and the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha.
