Non-BJP states join hands against CBI, withdraw general consent to the federal agency

8 Opposition-ruled states have now revoked the general consent extended to the Central Bureau of Investigation to conduct investigations in that particular state and effectively shut their gates to the agency.

The federal agency will now require the approval of that particular state’s government to launch a probe that falls within the boundaries of state despite being the biggest central agency of the country.

CBI comes under the DSPE Act and it requires states to give the agency a general consent to act against central government employees within a state as public order and police come under the state governments, which routinely renew this permission.

This move by several non-BJP ruling states has appeared as a move to suppress the Law and order in the nation and affects the very basis of how every country has a federal agency which doesn’t have to seek sanction from any authority.

Congress-ruled Jharkhand on Thursday became the latest state to revoke the general consent, a day after Kerala also withdrew the privilege.

Earlier, several other opposition-ruled states, including Bengal, Chhattisgarh and more recently, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, had withdrawn general consent, alleging that the BJP-led government at the centre was misusing the agency to harass political opponents.
Tripura and Mizoram also have revoked the general consent in the past.