The Supreme Court Friday asked the Centre why it has not appointed a regular CBI director and said it was "averse" to the appointment of an interim chief for the agency for a long period.

Attorney General K K Venugopal told the court that a high-powered committee headed by the prime minister will hold a meeting Friday to select a new CBI director.

He also told the court that the Centre had taken the approval of the high-powered committee before appointing IPS officer M Nageswara Rao as the interim CBI director.

Taking account of the attorney general's submissions that the committee will hold a meeting on Friday, the apex court posted the matter for hearing on February 6.

The bench was hearing a petition of NGO Common Cause challenging the appointment of Rao as interim CBI Director.

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