8 Meghalaya ministers resign ahead of cabinet reshuffle
Shillong (PTI): Ahead of a reshuffle in the Meghalaya cabinet to be held later on Tuesday, eight of the total 12 ministers, including senior leaders AL Hek, Paul Lyngdoh and Ampareen Lyngdoh, have resigned from their posts, officials said.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who heads the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, met Governor C H Vijayashankar at Raj Bhavan here and submitted the resignations of the ministers, they said.
The new entrants in the cabinet are scheduled to be sworn in as ministers at Raj Bhavan at 5 pm on Tuesday, one of the officials said.
"Eight ministers, who have resigned from their posts, are Ampareen Lyngdoh, Comingone Ymbon, Rakkam A Sangma and Abu Taher Mondal of the NPP, Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla of the UDP, Shakliar Warjri of the HSPDP and AL Hek of the BJP," another official said.
According to the rule, Meghalaya, with a 60-member assembly, cannot have more than 12 ministers, including the CM.
Ampareen Lyngdoh was in charge of the agriculture and law, while Ymbon and Rakkam A Sangma looked after cooperation and education, respectively.
Mondal was the power minister, Paul Lyngdoh was in charge of tourism, and Kyrmen Shylla had the portfolio of revenue and disaster management.
Shakliar Warjri was in charge of the sports and AL Hek of animal husbandry.
The resignation of these ministers paved the way for the induction of new ministers in the cabinet, the officials said.
National People's Party (NPP) legislators Wailadmiki Shylla, Sosthenes Sohtun, Brening A Sangma and Timothy D Shira are set to join the cabinet, party sources said.
United Democratic Party (UDP) chief Metbah Lyngdoh and former minister Lahkmen Rymbui are likely to be sworn in, they said.
Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) legislator Methodius Dkhar is set to replace Shakliar Warjri in the cabinet, while Sanbor Shullai of the BJP will replace AL Hek, the sources added.
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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.
