Jharkhand follows other non-BJP ruled states; withdraws general consent given to CBI

The JMM-led government in Jharkhand on Thursday withdraw the general consent accorded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases, becoming the sixth state to do so in the recent past. Most of the non-BJP ruled states have taken away the consent given to CBI, which means that the central agency has to seek permission from
the state government to probe each case. Jharkhand Chief Minister's Office issued a statement saying that the Home department withdrew its consent granted on February 19, 1996 by the then Bihar government to the CBI to conduct investigations and raids.

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Under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, all states except Delhi and the union territories have the discretion to give their consent to the CBI for a probe in the state. 

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Other states that have withdrawn general consent

On October 21, in a significant development, the Uddhav Thackeray led-Maharashtra government withdrew the general consent given to the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe cases in the state. The state government's move assumes significance as there was speculation that the CBI could expand its scope to the alleged TRP scam being probed by the Mumbai Police. While general consent is normally given by all states to facilitate the CBI conduct a seamless investigation into cases of corruption against central government employees in the concerned state, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh have withdrawn it in the recent past.

Following suit, Kerala on Wednesday decided to withdraw the general consent accorded to the CBI. Kerala, ruled by the CPI(M)-led LDF, became the fifth state after Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh to withdraw the general consent. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, an official statement said. The lone Left-ruled state in the country took the key decision at a time when the CBI was probing various alleged irregularities in its ambitious Life Mission project, a housing initiative for the poor.

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