Cong claims Kharge's helicopter checked in Bihar, says poll officials 'targeting' oppn leaders
New Delhi (PTI): Opposition leaders are being targeted by poll officials, the Congress alleged on Sunday, claiming that while its chief Mallikarjun Kharge's helicopter was checked in Bihar's Samastipur, leaders of the BJP-led NDA were being allowed to move "freely".
Kharge on Saturday addressed back-to-back Lok Sabha election rallies in Samastipur and Muzaffarpur in the state.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's helicopter was checked in Kerala and, now, party president Kharge's has been checked in Bihar's Samastipur, Congress leader Rajesh Rathorre claimed in a video message on X.
Rathorre, who is the chief spokesperson of the Congress' Bihar unit, also shared a video to claim that the chief electoral officer of Bihar is herself monitoring the checking of Kharge's helicopter in Samastipur.
The video showed a helicopter with officials, including from police, around it.
"The Election Commission (EC) should clarify whether such checking of choppers of Congress leaders is routine and whether similar checks were also conducted on top leaders of the NDA," Rathorre said in his video message.
"The EC should make all such records public, otherwise it will be construed that it is only targeting opposition leaders to stop them, and is letting NDA leaders go freely," he said.
The Congress spokesperson said the EC should put out videos of all leaders who have been checked.
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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.
