Security printing press CMD's extension denied: Centre to HC

The Centre today informed Delhi High Court that they are not extending the tenure of the chief of the country's security printing press.
The submission was made by Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain before a bench of justices B D Ahmed and Ashutosh Kumar that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) had denied extension of tenure of the CMD of Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Ltd (SPMCIL), M S Rana.
The Centre's submission came in the backdrop of the PIL challenging the appointment and extension of tenure of Rana, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of SPMCIL.
The public sector organisation produces bank notes, coins, postage stamps, non-judicial stamps and other government related documents.

The PIL filed by Ramakant Dixit had argued that Rana was ineligible to continue in the post because when he applied in 2008, he was a chief engineer - a joint secretary level post - on deputation to Konkan railways. However, for the CMD post, one has to be at least an additional secretary rank officer.
The PIL also alleged that Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) did not grant clearance for extension of Rana's tenure that ended in March last year.
Contesting the charges, Rana had filed an affidavit and accused Dixit of being a rival gunning for the CMD post and submitted that the issue cannot be treated as a PIL.

The CMD had said the Finance Ministry had vetted his record and all necessary clearances were in place before his appointment was cleared.