Supreme Court to decide if NIA Act permits central takeover
The Supreme Court is set to hear a big question: does the National Investigation Agency Act (NIA Act) let the central government overstep and take over state investigations without permission?
Mohammed Mubarak Ali from Kerala, who is currently being investigated by the NIA, says this law messes with the balance of power between states and the center.
The court has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to file its response in four weeks, and the matter will next be heard on July 14.
Petition says Section 8 threatens federalism
Ali's petition targets Section 8 of the National Investigation Agency Act (NIA Act), which lets the center hand cases to the NIA without needing state approval, a step not even the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) can take.
His lawyer, Siddharth Dave, argues this could lead to a national police force that sidelines state authority and threatens India's federal structure.
The case is about making sure states keep their say in investigations that affect them.