5 die due to intense heat in Bihar's Bhojpur
Bhojpur/Patna, Jun 19: Five people died due to heat stroke in Bihar's Bhojpur district, officials said on Monday.
The post-mortem examination of the bodies confirmed heat stroke as the cause of death, the Disaster Management Department said in a statement.
"Two more deaths have taken place in certain parts of the district, but their post-mortem examination reports are awaited," it said.
The mercury crossed the 43-degree Celsius mark or more at several places in the state on Monday, with Aurangabad recording the highest maximum temperature of 44.7 degrees Celsius.
The DMD has also asked districts across the state to report any death that may have taken place because of the searing heat.
"The entire state is currently in the grip of a scorching heat wave. The situation is being monitored by the DMD. We have also advised the authorities to monitor the situation in their respective districts," Bihar Disaster Management Minister Shahnawaz Alam said.
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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The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.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.
