UAE Princess slams Sudarshan TV's Suresh Chavhanke over Tweet on secularism
Says, learn from the religion of peace how to be respectful of others
Dubai: Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi, a princess from the royal family of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), responded strongly to a tweet by Sudarshan TV's Editor-in-chief, Suresh Chavhanke, regarding secularism. Chavhanke claimed that passengers were left waiting outside a bus in the UAE because the Muslim driver was performing prayers.
Chavhanke, known for his far-right extremist ideology, alleged that passengers had to endure the heat while the Muslim driver prayed inside an air-conditioned bus. In response, Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi shared a tweet from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) that clarified the incident. According to the RTA, the bus was outside its operational hours at the time, and for safety reasons, no one is allowed to enter the bus before or after the scheduled trip.
Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi strongly criticized Chavhanke, emphasizing that the UAE is not a secular country and urged him to have accurate information. She supported the bus driver, stating that he was praying after work hours in a Muslim country that embraces religious tolerance. She further highlighted that the driver was not engaging in harmful actions such as evicting people from their homes or businesses, unlike certain neo-Nazis who continue to perpetrate such acts. She concluded by advising Chavhanke to learn how to respect others who do not share his religion or political beliefs, drawing from the principles of peace in her own faith.
Chavhanke has a history of making Islamophobic remarks, amounting to hate speeches, on his television channel and other public platforms. His inflammatory statements have the potential to incite disharmony and communal tension.
He was praying after work hours in a bus he is responsible for in a Muslim country that is tolerant of other religions. The Emirates is NOT a secular country, just to remind you to get your facts straight. He was not killing and kicking out people from their homes and shops like… pic.twitter.com/Unohz4BWJN
— Hend F Q (@LadyVelvet_HFQ) June 13, 2023
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Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
