Mumbai billboard collapse: Search and rescue operation continues after over 21 hours
Mumbai (PTI): More than 21 hours after a huge billboard collapsed in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area due to gusty winds and unseasonal rains, killing at least 14 persons and injuring 75 others, the search and rescue operation is still on, civic officials said on Tuesday.
So far, 89 persons were pulled out from under the collapsed hoarding, of whom 14 were declared dead and 75 others injured. They were admitted to six hospitals in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane, the officials said.
Of the injured persons, 32 have so far been discharged from hospitals till now. Twenty-five of them were admitted to the Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, four to M J Hospital Vikhroli and three to HBT Hospital in Jogeshwari. The condition of one of the injured persons admitted to the Rajawadi Hospital is critical, an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.
At least 12 fire engines and other vehicles have been involved in the search and operation since around 4.50 pm on Monday. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising 100 personnel, also joined the operation at 7.10 pm on Monday evening, he said.
According to the BMC official, two heavy duty cranes and two hydra cranes are being used in the operation for the search and rescue along with two JCBs, two gas cutter teams, 25 ambulances. More than 125 workers -- 75 of the BMC and 50 of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) -- were involved in the operation.
After the 120 x 120-feet billboard collapsed on a Chheda Nagar-based petrol pump around 4 pm on Monday, the authorities had said that more than 100 persons were feared trapped under it.
According to civic officials, the billboard was illegal and no permission was taken to install it.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the incident spot late Monday evening and ordered a structural audit of all hoardings in the city.
The city police have registered a case against the owner of Ego Media and others for installing the hoarding that collapsed on the petrol pump. The owner, Bhavesh Bhinde, and others were booked under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 337 (causing hurt to another person by acting rashly or negligently) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), an official said.
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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.
