Any effort for peace must take place in Manipur: Congress on all-party meet called by Amit Shah
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday termed the all-party meeting convened by Home Minister Amit Shah on the Manipur situation as "too little, too late," and said efforts to bring warring factions on the discussion table will lack seriousness if they are done sitting in Delhi.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the entire nation expects a serious intervention from the Union Government.
"Any effort for peace must take place in Manipur, where the warring communities are brought on the discussion table and a political solution is arrived at. This effort will lack seriousness if it is done sitting in Delhi," he said on Twitter.
After 50 days of death and destruction in Manipur, he said, "Home Minister Amit Shah's call for an all-party meeting is too little, too late".
The government only woke up after Sonia Gandhi's address to the people of Manipur, he said.
Shah has called an all-party meeting on the situation in Manipur on June 24.
"At the outset, the PM's absence from such a serious meeting shows his 'cowardice' and 'unwillingness' to confront his failures. Even when multiple delegations sought meetings with him, he had no time for them," the Congress leader alleged.
Noting that the Home Minister himself has presided over this situation and made no progress, he said in fact things have "worsened" since his visit.
"Can we expect genuine peace under his stewardship," he asked.
"Moreover, the continuation of the partisan state government and non-implementation of President's Rule is a travesty," Venugopal charged.
The Congress has been seeking the Centre's immediate intervention in bringing peace to the north eastern state which has been struck by violence since May 3.
The party has also blamed the alleged divisive politics of the BJP for the current situation in Manipur.
Violent clashes broke out in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
So far, nearly 120 people have lost their lives and over 3,000 are injured.
Shah had also visited the state for four days last last month and met a cross sections of people in his efforts to bring back peace in the northeastern state.
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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.
