Bollywood actor faces 'Go back Kangana, you are late' slogan in Himachal's rain-affected area
Shimla (PTI): Slogans of 'Go back Kangana, you are late' rent the air on Thursday when the Bollywood actor and BJP MP from Mandi, Kangana, visited a rain-affected area in Himachal Pradesh's Manali.
Videos of locals expressing their resentment against Kangana Ranaut's visit to Patlikuhal area of Manali in Himachal's Kullu district went viral on the internet. In the video, local people holding black flags, shouting slogans are seen near the carcade of the actor-politician.
Heated arguments were also witnessed when BJP leaders and others accompanying Kangana tried to pacify the residents, and police had to intervene to restore peace.
Heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods at several places in Kullu and Manali on August 25 and August 26, with strong currents of the Beas river washing away a multi-storey hotel and four shops.
Stretches of Chandigarh-Manali National Highway and Manali-Leh Highway were washed away due to the rising water level of Beas River. Right Bank Road of Manali connecting Kullu city, bus stand and Bindu Dhank also suffered extensive damage.
A house was damaged in Ramshele area in Kullu, water entered houses in the 14 Mile area near Manali and a fish farm was damaged in Patlikuhal as rivers and drains were in spate.
Earlier in the day, Kangana visited the disaster-affected areas of Solang and Palchan in Manali subdivision, interacted with the affected people and took stock of the situation.
She was briefed about the infrastructural and other losses by BJP leader and former MLA from Manali, Govind Singh Thakur, and residents. Singh said that families of 15-16 endangered houses have been shifted to safer places.
They informed the MP that the whole Solang village is on the verge of sliding as the Beas River is cutting the mountain on which the village is located. Diverting the course of the river by channelising the water is the remedy, they said.
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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.
