Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension Jitendra Singh moved the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Upper House and cleared by voice vote. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 9.
Most of the opposition members in the Parliament had walked out of the House to protest the suspension of their 12 members prior to the bill being taken up. The Bill seeks to extend the tenure of the director of the Enforcement Directorate from two years to five years.
While introducing the Bill, Singh said the amendments are in the interest of national security and for the stability of the financial structure.
He further stated, "Enforcement director has a very crucial role even in money laundering cases, and is possibly the only agency of its kind available in India. But for India, most of the other countries have a much longer term. And here also, the term is not being made indefinite."
The clause on tenure which says "not less than two years" is just being amended to "'go up to five years" with a one-year extension on each occasion, he added.
