SC to give final order on suspension of ex-intelligence chief Rao today

Vijayawada: The Supreme Court will give a final order on Friday on the special leave petition filed by AP government challenging the high court stay on suspension of former intelligence chief Venkateswara Rao.

A division bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Abhay Oka and Ravi Kumar heard the SLP filed by the AP government on Thursday.

The former intelligence chief faces allegations of procurement of surveillance equipment in violation of norms.

The bench observed that the suspension order on the senior IPS officer had been in operation for a period of over two years. This, even as the Rule 3 (1C) of the ALL India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969 specified that the suspension should not exceed two years.

However, the bench said, “Indeed, the proviso enables the authority to extend the suspension period beyond two years. But, that exercise must be undertaken before the expiry of the initial two-year period, and considering the mandate of Rule 3 (1C) of automatic revocation of suspension order by efflux of time.”

Referring to petitioner’s counsel CU Singh stating that the recommendation had been sent by the authority to the review committee on March 27, 2022, the bench observed that it would be a case of making a recommendation after the expiry of two years, by which time, the suspension order automatically stood revoked in law.

The bench observed that though the petitioner’s counsel prayed for time to point out the status of the recommendation made by the concerned authority to the review committee, prima facie, that process cannot save the automatic revocation of suspension order on expiry of two years, having been initiated after two years period.