Azam Khan acquitted in 2008 public property damage case
Moradabad (PTI): Incarcerated Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan has been acquitted by a special MP-MLA court here in a 17-year-old case related to road blockade and damage to public property, his lawyer said on Wednesday.
The former Uttar Pradesh minister was granted the relief on Tuesday.
"We produced seven witnesses in favour of Azam Khan while prosecutor Mohan Lal Vishnoi produced only one. Which led to victory for Azam Khan," Khan's defence counsel Shahnawaz Sibtain Naqvi said.
The case dates back to 2008, when Khan allegedly created disturbance near Chhajlet police station after police removed the hooter from his car.
He, along with his supporters, blocked the road causing a traffic jam.
The protest turned violent and some electric poles were damaged, leading to the registration of a case against Khan.
Police later filed a charge sheet and the matter went to trial. Despite several court orders, Khan did not appear in court and avoided surrendering for years before the trial finally concluded.
While Khan remains lodged in Sitapur jail, the MP-MLA court acquitted him of all charges after hearing arguments from both sides and reviewing the evidence on record, Naqvi 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.
