Supreme Court questions ED's right to sue states, Kerala and TN lead challenge
The Supreme Court has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to respond after Kerala and Tamil Nadu challenged its right to file writ petitions in High Courts.
The states argue that the ED, which investigates money laundering, shouldn't get special legal powers meant for protecting fundamental rights.
Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal argued that the ED, not being a juristic person, cannot invoke Article 226 like individuals or states can.
Why does this matter?
This case could change how much power federal agencies like the ED have when dealing with state governments.
If the Supreme Court sides with Kerala and Tamil Nadu, it might limit how central agencies take legal action against states—affecting big cases such as the ED matter involving I-PAC and Pratik Jain in West Bengal.
For anyone following how state vs. central government power plays out in India, this is one to watch.