New Delhi, February 1: The high-level Selection Committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet later today to decide on the new Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The decision is likely to be finalised today, said reports citing top sources. Two previous meetings of the panel had remained inconclusive.

Attorney General KK Venugopal told the Supreme Court on Friday that a meeting would be convened by the Prime Minister with Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge later in the day. The three-member panel will scrutinise the list of probable candidates for the top post. Nageswara Rao's Re-Appointment as CBI Interim Director Challenged in Supreme Court by Prashant Bhushan.

The apex court bench, headed by Justices Arun Mishra and Naveen Sinha, questioned the Centre over the delay in appointing the new CBI chief. The court stated that the selection process should had been concluded by now, as Alok Verma's tenure was scheduled to conclude in January this year -- irrespective of the corruption charges levelled against him.

The bench noted that a crucial institution like the CBI should not be headed by an interim head for a prolonged period. The court's observation came while hearing the petition filed by NGO Common Cause -- which has alleged irregularities in the appointment of IPS M Nageswara Rao as the interim chief.

Rao, an Odisha-cadre officer, was given the charge last month after the selection panel decided to transfer the incumbent CBI Director Alok Verma, in the wake of graft allegations levelled by his former deputy Rakesh Asthana.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 01, 2019 05:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).