Jitan Manjhi's HAM withdraws support to Nitish Kumar govt in Bihar
Patna, Jun 19: Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) on Monday withdrew its support to the Nitish Kumar government in the state and a letter to the effect was handed over to Governor Rajendra Arlekar.
Manjhi, who met the governor along with his son Santosh Suman, the national president of HAM, also said he will be in Delhi for the next few days during which he will try to meet leaders of the NDA, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to explore future options.
Scores of HAM supporters stood outside the Raj Bhavan, raising slogans against Nitish Kumar for the period during which Manjhi, Suman and MLAs of the party stayed inside.
The party has four MLAs, including Manjhi, while Suman, who resigned from the state cabinet a week ago alleging pressure from Nitish Kumar's JD(U) to merge HAM, is a member of the legislative council.
The ruling Mahagathbandhan, which comprises JD(U), RJD, Congress and three Left parties, is nearly 160 MLAs strong, well past the majority mark of 122 in the assembly where the total number of members is 243.
After coming out from the Raj Bhavan, Manjhi told reporters "Tonight I will go to Delhi where I will spend the next two-three days. I will be accompanied by Suman. I have to undergo a few medical tests. We will also try to meet political leaders to discuss the new scenario."
The former CM, whose meeting with Amit Shah in April this year is being seen as the proverbial straw in the wind, also said, "I will seek an appointment with the Union home minister. I may also try to get in touch with other NDA leaders."
Earlier, at a meeting of the party's "national executive", Suman was "authorised" to take all decisions on behalf of the party.
He announced the decision to withdraw support to the 'Mahagathbandhan; government in the state.
Notably, the JD(U) has admitted that it wanted HAM to merge. Its national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh "Lalan" ended up likening the eight years old party to a "tiny shop" which has evoked strong reactions from HAM workers.
The Bihar chief minister, who is the JD(U)'s supreme leader, had said that he suspected Manjhi of "spying" on Mahagathbandhan leaders at the behest of the BJP.
Kumar had defended keeping Manjhi out of the June 23 opposition meeting with the claim that "he would have leaked everything to the BJP".
Manjhi and Suman have maintained that though they were not averse to returning to the NDA, they were also exploring "other possibilities", including a "third front".
When Manjhi was asked by journalists outside the Raj Bhavan whether he would be meeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as well, he said "I will try to meet him. I will also try to meet (BSP supremo) Mayawati".
In his late 70s, Manjhi enjoyed a less-than-a-year-long tenure as the chief minister when Nitish Kumar stepped down in 2014, owning moral responsibility for the JD(U)'s drubbing in Lok Sabha polls.
Manjhi's eight months in power were mired in controversies and he had to eventually step down, making way for the return of the JD(U) supremo.
He subsequently quit the party and floated the HAM. The party is yet to taste significant electoral success and has changed alliances almost every two years.
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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.
