New Delhi, May 12 -- A high-level panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on Tuesday evening to decide on the next Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, with the selection process drawing sharp disagreement from within the committee itself. The meeting, held at the prime minister's 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence, included Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. It lasted for over an hour, though no official statement on the deliberations was issued. Sources indicated that an announcement on the appointment is expected soon, as the tenure of incumbent director Praveen Sood ends on May 24, 2026.

The committee is tasked with finalising the appointment from a panel of senior Indian Police Service officers. Names understood to be under consideration include Parag Jain, Shatrujeet Kapoor, Yogesh Gupta, G P Singh and Praveer Ranjan, among others drawn from different states.

However, the meeting was marked by a strong dissent from Gandhi, who submitted a two-page note objecting to the manner in which the selection process was conducted. He alleged that the procedure had been reduced to a "mere formality" and declined to endorse what he described as a "biased exercise."

"By denying the Selection Committee crucial information, the government has reduced it to a mere formality.

The leader of opposition is not a rubber stamp," Gandhi wrote, adding that he could not "abdicate" his constitutional responsibility by participating under such conditions.

In his note, Gandhi also accused the government of using the CBI to target political opponents, journalists and critics. He said that the presence of the Leader of Opposition in the selection panel was intended to safeguard institutional independence, but claimed he had been denied a meaningful role.

The Congress leader stated that despite repeated requests, he was not provided with self-appraisal or 360-degree evaluation reports of candidates. Instead, he said he was expected to review records of 69 candidates during the meeting itself. "This deliberate denial of information, without any legal basis, makes a mockery of the selection process," he said, alleging that it ensured the selection of a predetermined candidate.

Gandhi also referred to earlier correspondence, including a dissent recorded in May last year and a letter sent in October suggesting reforms to improve transparency, which he said had not received a response.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.