Kerala police officer to face disciplinary action over fatal hit-and-run
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The Kerala police have decided to initiate disciplinary action against the Station House Officer (SHO) of Prassala police station after he was found involved in a hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of a 59-year-old man at Kilimanoor on September 7.
The Thiruvananthapuram Rural Police Chief conducted an internal inquiry and submitted a report against SHO P Anil Kumar to the Thiruvananthapuram Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG), who in turn forwarded it to the South Zone Inspector General (IG) for disciplinary action, officials said.
The South Zone IG’s office said the report has been received and that further action will follow.
He would be suspended as part of the internal inquiry and the police probe into the accident, police sources said.
Kumar, who was in Bengaluru as part of an investigation, returned to Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. Sources said Kilimanoor police would summon and formally arrest him after receiving clearance from higher officials.
According to the FIR, between 4 am and 6 am on September 7, a blue Maruti Alto car hit Rajan at Irattachira near Kilimanoor. The driver fled the spot without attending to the victim, who lay injured on the roadside for over an hour before being taken to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
CCTV footage examined by Kilimanoor police showed that the vehicle belonged to Kumar, and footage from a toll plaza confirmed he was behind the wheel at the time of the accident.
After the incident, Kumar allegedly shifted his car to a workshop in Neyyattinkara, from where it was later recovered by police.
The case has been registered under sections 281 and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 134(A) and 134(B) of the Kerala Police Act.
“The officer has not yet given an explanation regarding the incident. A report will be filed before the court arraigning him as an accused,” a police official 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.
