Supreme Court to Decide if Enforcement Directorate Can File Writs Under Article 226

The Supreme Court is set to examine whether the Enforcement Directorate (ED) qualifies as a 'juristic person' entitled to file writ petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution. This follows appeals by Kerala and Tamil Nadu challenging a Kerala High Court ruling that upheld the ED's locus standi to seek relief against a state-ordered judicial inquiry into the 2020 gold smuggling case. The inquiry was initiated after allegations that ED officials coerced accused persons to implicate political leaders. The states argue that as a government agency, ED cannot independently invoke such constitutional remedies, while the ED maintains its right to enforce its legal interests through the courts.