Reconstituted Bench to examine SC’s decision on ED’s broad powers

• The Supreme Court has reconstituted a three-judge Bench to review a two-year-old judgment that gave the Enforcement Directorate unrestricted powers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

• The reconstituted Bench includes Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan, and N. Kotiswar Singh.

• The case, which has seen multiple adjournments, is expected to be heard on May 7.

• The petitioners argue the judgment deprived an accused person’s basic rights by denying access to the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and shifting the burden of proof to the accused.

• The judgment upheld the PMLA’s controversial “twin conditions” for bail, which required a trial court to give bail only if the accused could prove his innocence against money laundering charges.