BJP LS candidate Madhavi Latha booked for asking Muslim women to reveal faces to check identity
Hyderabad, May 13: A case was registered by election authorities against BJP candidate for Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat K Madhavi Latha on Monday after a video clip in which she was purportedly asking burqa-clad women voters to reveal their faces and check their ID cards surfaced.
In the video, Latha was seen asking the women voters at a polling booth to lift their veil and show their face so that she could verify their identity.
In a post on X, the Hyderabad Collector said, "A case is registered in Malakpet police station against Madhavi Latha, contesting candidate, BJP, under Sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of IPC and Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act."
Section 171C deals with interference or attempts to interfere with the free exercise of any electoral right.
Section 186 is related to voluntarily obstructing any public servant in the discharge of public function, while 505 is applied for inciting or likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community.
Latha was also seen telling the policemen to allow voters into polling booths only after a thorough check.
She clarified that she only requested the woman to show her ID card, to which the latter obliged.
"Why I had to ask her? Because, the female police officer at the polling booth was not interested in checking (the voters). When questioned, they said that they had not received any such instructions. So, in such a case, one has to do it themselves,” she told PTI videos.
"What can we do? Should we let rigging take place? Then give us instructions that 'we will do rigging, you should let rigging happen'. Legalise rigging. Poverty will remain as it is. Unemployment will continue," she said.
Polling for the total 17 Lok Sabha seats was held in Telangana on Monday.
Madhavi Latha is taking on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the Hyderabad Lok Sabha segment.
BJP's #Hyderabad MP candidate Madhavi Latha ( @Kompella_MLatha ) was seen verifying voters IDs of #Muslim womens voters during #LokSabhaElection2024.
— Mohd Dastagir Ahmed (@Dastagir_Hyd) May 13, 2024
A case is registered in Malakpet Police Station against Madhavi Latha under sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of IPC and Section 132… pic.twitter.com/mu1AGK5dAs
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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.
