Dhinakaran defends walking out of NDA
Thanjavur (PTI): Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam chief TTV Dhinakaran on Tuesday defended walking out of the National Democratic Alliance and hit out at AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Speaking to reporters here, Dhinakaran said his party, the AMMK, had been a part of the NDA in Tamil Nadu when the AIADMK was not a part of it.
After the AIADMK revived its alliance with the BJP this year in April, the AMMK continued to be with the NDA for about 4 months before finally deciding to snap ties.
Such a move to wait and stay put in the NDA, despite Palaniswami-led AIADMK's entry into the alliance, was considering feedback from well-wishers and in the hope of certain positive developments.
"That was the reason, otherwise how could we accept Palaniswami? Can AMMK accept it? Further, he said: "We are very clear. We went to the NDA when Palaniswami (AIADMK) was not part of it."
Supporters of Palaniswami are aware of the reason for AIADMK's defeat in the 2021 Assembly election, he said, adding AMMK's presence in the electoral race resulted in the defeat of the AIADMK in at least 29 constituencies in 2021 Assembly election.
He said the reason for the AIADMK's defeat was the expulsion of leaders, including O Panneerselvam.
Dhinakaran said: "Palaniswami's work (like refusal to take back expelled leaders) will be favourable to the DMK and that is why Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin has said that Palaniswami should continue as AIADMK chief and that, it will make the DMK's task easy. Udhyanidhi has nicely summarised the situation...the reason for all the problems is Palaniswami."
Dhinakaran said that in 2017, the 18 AIADMK MLAs, who supported him, had only batted for dropping Palaniswami.
At that time, Palaniswami was the chief minister and the 18 MLAs were for choosing another leader for the position of chief minister.
Such MLAs, hence, had not gone against the AIADMK government but only lost confidence on Palaniswami, he said.
Also, seeking to rebut Palaniswami's comment thanking the BJP (Centre) for protecting the AIADMK government following J Jayalalithaa's demise in 2016, Dhinakaran said it was the party's 122 MLAs who saved the government.
On September 15, Palaniswami ruled out the possibility of re-induction of expelled leaders like O Panneerselvam.
"You want others to be inducted into the party again? AIADMK is the worker's asset. Another person-- you abducted 18 of our party MLAs to topple the AIADMK government. They want to be included in the party. Who will accept this?" he said, in a veiled reference to Dhinakaran, with whom 18 dissident AIADMK MLAs had sided.
Also, Palaniswami had said that after Jayalalithaa's death some attempted to swallow the party and topple the AIADMK government (apparently targeting Dhinakaran) and it was those at the Centre who guarded the party.
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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.
