Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan meets JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh in Delhi
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 11: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday met Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Aishe Ghosh and said the whole country was with them in their protest against the fee hike in the institution and Citizenship Amendment Act.
Vijayan met Ghosh at Kerala House in New Delhi, expressed solidarity with their protest and also gifted her a book, 'Halla Bol: The Death and Life of Safdar Hashmi' by Sudhanva Deshpande.
Ghosh had suffered head injuries during the January 5 attack on JNU students in the campus by a group of masked assailants.
"The whole country is with the JNUSU in their fight for justice. Everyone knows about your protest and also about what has happened to you in the fight for justice," Vijayan told Ghosh after enquiring about her health and that of other students, who were injured.
In a Facebook Post, the CPI(M) veteran wrote that the JNU students were fighting an "epic battle" against the Sangh Parivar.
"Sangh Parivar was hoping to overcome the dissenting voices from JNU using muscle power. However, the JNU has put up an uncompromising fight against them.
Aishe Ghosh has been leading this battle with her injured head," Vijayan said.
Ghosh, after meeting Vijayan, thanked the people of Kerala for standing with JNU when the campus was under attack.
"Comrade Pinarayi has said go ahead and that is the inspiration I take and we will take this fight ahead.
Whether it is the fight for rolling back the fee hike or against the CAA, I would like to thank, again and again, the people of Kerala who stood by us during all these attacks that we are continuously facing," Ghosh told the media.
Ghosh reached Kerala House after her daily check up at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
Violence had broken out at the JNU on January 5 night as a group of masked people, allegedly belonging to the ABVP, the students wing of the BJP, armed with sticks attacked students and teachers besides damaging property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in the police.
Met the JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh (@aishe_ghosh). Expressed our solidarity to the students who are fighting for justice. Enquired about the condition of injured students. We believe in their resolve. Their fight will not go in vain. pic.twitter.com/X2g8t42Eqk
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) January 11, 2020
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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.
