Supreme Court Gives Centre Four Weeks To Respond To Plea Challenging NIA Act Validity

New Delhi, July 14: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the Centre four weeks’ time to file its response on a petition challenging the constitutional validity of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, 2008. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta allowed the Centre’s request for additional time after Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the court that the government needed more time to submit its counter affidavit. The court said the petitioner may file a rejoinder within two weeks after receiving the Centre’s response and scheduled the matter for hearing after six weeks. The Supreme Court had earlier, on April 21, sought responses from the Centre, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other parties, observing that the issues raised in the petition were of significant importance. The plea seeks to strike down the NIA Act, 2008, claiming that it violates Article 14 of the Constitution and exceeds the legislative powers of Parliament. The petitioner has argued that “police” is a subject under the State List and questioned provisions that allow the Centre to direct the NIA to investigate scheduled offences. The NIA was established under the 2008 Act following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as India’s central counter-terrorism investigation agency.