CEC Gyanesh Kumar stop giving excuses, release evidence to Karnataka CID: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress accused the Election Commission (EC) on Thursday of blocking the Karnataka CID's investigation into alleged voter deletions by refusing to release data, with Rahul Gandhi terming the poll body's response to his allegations as "excuses" and urging it to provide the information sought.
The EC dubbed as incorrect and baseless the allegations made by Gandhi that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is protecting "vote chors" (vote thieves). No deletion can take place without giving an opportunity of being heard to the affected person, the poll panel asserted.
Gandhi accused Kumar of protecting "vote chors" and people who have destroyed democracy, and cited data from a Karnataka Assembly constituency to claim that votes of Congress supporters were being systematically deleted ahead of elections.
Later, after the EC's response to his allegations, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said in a post on X, "After our Aland candidate exposed the fraud, the local EC official filed an FIR, but the CID investigation has been -- BLOCKED by CEC. The Karnataka CID has written 18 letters in 18 months requesting all incriminating evidence -- BLOCKED by CEC."
"The Karnataka EC has sent multiple requests to ECI to comply with the investigation -- BLOCKED by CEC. Details of destination IP, device ports, and OTP trails have been withheld -- BLOCKED by CEC," he alleged.
If this vote theft was not caught and the 6,018 votes were deleted, the Congress candidate could have lost the election, Gandhi argued.
"CEC Gyanesh Kumar -- stop giving excuses. Release the evidence to the Karnataka CID. NOW," the former Congress chief said.
The Congress accused the EC of blocking the Karnataka CID's investigation into alleged voter deletions by refusing to release data for 18 months and claimed that this is clear proof that the the poll body is protecting "vote chors".
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared the letter written by the Karnataka chief electoral officer (CEO) to the EC, forwarding the Karnataka CID's request seeking information, such as the destination IP from where applications for deletions were filled and OTP trails.
"It includes, as attachments, letters written by the Karnataka CID to the ECI," Ramesh said.
"It shows:-- multiple requests by the CID for complete information including destination IP IDs, OTPs, etc. -- multiple reminders by the Karnataka CEO to the ECI for the same. Why is the ECI in Delhi blocking the investigation by refusing to release data to the police for 18 months?" he asked.
This is clear proof that the EC is blocking the investigation so that "vote chors" are protected, the Congress leader said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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.
