{"id":4982,"date":"2022-10-22T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-22T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/22-10-2022\/general-consent-to-cbi\/"},"modified":"2022-10-22T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-10-22T00:00:00","slug":"general-consent-to-cbi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/22-10-2022\/general-consent-to-cbi","title":{"rendered":"General Consent to CBI"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Recently, Maharashtra Government restored general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases in Maharashtra.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Key Points<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>About:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It reversed the decision of the state\u2019s previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Consequence:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">CBI will no longer require the permission of the state government to open investigations in the state, news agency PTI reported.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>CBI and Consent<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Mandatory consent:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">CBI is governed by The Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, and it must mandatorily obtain the consent of the state government concerned before beginning to investigate a crime in a state.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Section 6 of The DSPE Act:<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Consent of the State Government to exercise powers and jurisdiction.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Nothing contained in section 5 (titled \u201cExtension of powers and jurisdiction of special police establishment to other areas\u201d) shall be deemed to enable any member of the Delhi Special Police Establishment to exercise powers and jurisdiction in any area in a State, not being a Union territory or railway area, without the consent of the Government of that State.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Authority different from NIA:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The CBI\u2019s position is in this respect different from that of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">NIA is governed by <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>The NIA Act, 2008<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">, and has jurisdiction all over the country.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>General Consent<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The consent of the state government to CBI can be either:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Case-specific<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">General<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>General consent <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">is normally given by states to help the CBI in the seamless investigation of cases of corruption against central government employees in their states.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">CBI may begin investigations taking consent as having been already given.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">In the <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>absence of general consent<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">, CBI would have to apply to the state government for its consent in every individual case, and before taking even small actions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Withdrawal of consent<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Historical Practice:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Traditionally, almost all states have given CBI general consent.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">However, since 2015, several states have begun to act differently.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>States who have withdrawn the Consent:<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">In March, 2022,\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Meghalaya<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> became the ninth state to have withdrawn consent to the CBI \u2014 after Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and Mizoram.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Government in the States:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">All these states except Mizoram and Meghalaya are ruled by the anti-BJP opposition.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Maharashtra:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Out of the above 9 states, Maharashtra has now reversed its decision and restored general consent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Maharashtra has restored consent after the BJP returned to power in the state in alliance with the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Mizoram:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>first state<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> to withdraw consent was Mizoram in 2015. The state was ruled by the Congress at the time.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Reason given for withdrawal:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">At the time of withdrawing consent, all states alleged that the central government was using the CBI to unfairly target the opposition.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Implications of\u00a0 withdrawal of general consent\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">No registration of fresh cases :<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It means the CBI will not be able to register any fresh case involving officials of the central government or a private person in the state without the consent of the state government.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Loss of power:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">CBI officers will lose all powers of a police officer as soon as they enter the state unless the state government has allowed them.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>About Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">About:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It is the premier investigating police agency in India.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It is an elite force playing a major role in preservation of values in public life and in ensuring the health of the national economy.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It is also the nodal police agency in India, which coordinates investigations on behalf of Interpol Member countries.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Origin:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It has its origin in the Special Police Establishment set up in 1941 to probe bribery and corruption during World War II.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It was set up by a resolution of the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1963 after Santhanam committee recommendation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Ministry:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It functions under the Department of Personnel, Ministry of Personnel, Pension &#038; Public Grievances, Government of India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Creation of Independent umbrella institution:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">There is an immediate need for the creation of an independent umbrella institution, so as to bring various central agencies like the CBI, Enforcement Directorate and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office under one roof.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">This body is required to be created under a statute, clearly defining its powers, functions and jurisdictions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Independence:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The organisation should be headed by an independent and impartial authority, appointed by a committee akin to the one which appointed the CBI Director.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Its head could be assisted by deputies having specialisation in different domains.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Relationship between the State and Central agencies:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">There should be a harmonious relationship between the State and Central agencies and collaboration was the key, given that the goal of all those organisations was to secure justice.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Upgradation of knowledge:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">There is a need for regular upgradation of knowledge, deployment of state-of-the-art technology, and international exchange programmes to learn the best practices.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The role, jurisdiction and legal powers of the CBI need to be clearly laid down.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Source<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\">: <\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/everyday-explainers\/cbi-general-consent-eknath-shinde-maharashtra-government-8223269\/#:~:text=The%20consent%20of%20the%20state%20government%20to%20CBI%20can%20be,government%20employees%20in%20their%20states\" style=\"text-decoration-line:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\">IE<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In News Recently, Maharashtra Government restored general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases in Maharashtra. Key Points About:\u00a0 It reversed the decision of the state\u2019s previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Consequence:\u00a0 CBI will no longer require the permission of the state government to open investigations in the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4983,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[30],"class_list":["post-4982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-gs-2"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/5865447Screenshot_20221022-194007_Chrome.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4982"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4982\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}