The Supreme Court on Monday granted two weeks to the Centre to respond to the Tamil Nadu government’s application questioning the appointment of IPS officer Archana Ramasundaram as Additional Director of CBI. A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice R.M. Lodha and Justices Kurian Joseph and Rohinton Nariman also made it clear to senior counsel Amarendra Saran, appearing for Ms. Ramasundaram, that pendency of the present petition would not stand in the way of the government considering her promotion as Director General of Police.
Earlier, Mr. Saran said his client had been empanelled for the post of DGP and the pendency of this writ petition was affecting her chances. He requested the court to clarify that the recommendation for promotion after her empanelment should be considered uninfluenced by the pendency of the petition.
However, the CJI told the counsel that it was not necessary as in the very first order passed on May 9 it was made clear that the court was not expressing anything on her merits.
