New Delhi, January 16: The high-powered selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on January 24 to appoint the new CBI director, reports said on Wednesday. The panel will comprise of Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, apart from PM Modi.

The decision to convene the selection committee next week comes in the backdrop of CBI chief Alok Verma's controversial removal from the top post. The panel, on January 10, decided to remove Verma citing the report on graft charges submitted against him by the Central Vigilance Commission. Alok Verma Removed as CBI Director: Know What Happened at PM Narendra Modi-Led Selection Committee’s Meeting.

The lone dissenting voice in the three-member panel, Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge, said the Prime Minister acted in a haste by not allowing Verma to defend himself before the selection committee. He further pointed out that Justice AP Patnaik, who monitored the CVC inquiry against Verma, has not concurred with the report submitted by the Commission.

CJI Gogoi, who had recently ruled in Verma's favour on a petition challenging his midnight ouster on October 23 last year, had recused himself from the panel in its last sitting. Instead, he had nominated Justice AK Sikri to represent him. Nageswara Rao's Re-Appointment as CBI Interim Director Challenged in Supreme Court by Prashant Bhushan.

Justice Sikri came under criticism after he sided with PM Modi at the selection panel. A section of Opposition leaders and judicial activists expressed fear of quid pro quo, as the judge was last month offered a top post-retirement post by the government.

Under flak, Justice Sikri on Monday wrote to the Law Secretary, informing the government that he would not be accepting the post to be a member of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (CSAT).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 16, 2019 06:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).