Arrested officer amassed wealth 400 times more than income: Assam CM
Guwahati (PTI): An Assam Civil Service (ACS) officer, arrested for allegedly possessing wealth disproportionate to her income, had amassed assets 400 times more than her known sources of income, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday.
He said penal measures beyond suspension or dismissal from the job are being pursued to ensure that the officer is held accountable as per law.
ACS officer Nupur Borah was arrested by the CM’s Special Vigilance Cell after searches at her residences led to the recovery of over Rs 92.50 lakh in cash and ornaments worth nearly Rs 1.5 crore on Monday.
Borah was posted as Circle Officer in Goraimari in Kamrup district at the time of her arrest.
“She had amassed wealth 400 times more than her known sources of income. We think that not just suspension or dismissal from the job would suffice. We have to ensure penal measures through the legal process,” Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of a programme in Baksa district.
Several others were also involved, and they are being questioned, the chief minister said.
“It is my request to the public to be vigilant and inform us if any official asks for bribes,” he added.
Sarma said Borah had been under survelliance for the last six months when she had authorised an illegal land transfer deal while posted as Circle Officer in Barpeta, for which she was shifted out of the district later.
Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police, CM’s Special Vigilance Cell, Rosie Kalita, said in Guwahati that Borah has been arrested on the basis of a preliminary inquiry.
“We had searched her flat in Guwahati and a rented accommodation in Barpeta, recovering over Rs 92.50 lakh in cash. It is the largest amount of cash recovered by our cell so far,” she said.
Kalita said the arrested officer has two plots and three flats in her name in Guwahati, besides the recovered cash and jewellery.
“These are all preliminary findings. Investigations are ongoing,” the SSP 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.
