Muslims should get reservations, says Lalu
Patna (PTI): RJD president Lalu Prasad on Tuesday said he was in favour of extending reservation benefits to Muslims.
He alleged that the ruling BJP at the Centre wanted to do away with reservations by scrapping the Constitution.
"The BJP is against the provision of reservations made in the Constitution. Hence, it wants to do away with both", Prasad told reporters at the legislative council premises.
The ailing septuagenarian, who nowadays prefers to stay indoors, was attending a swearing-in ceremony where his wife Rabri Devi took oath as an MLC.
Others who took oath included Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Prasad's arch rival who heads the JD(U).
Altogether 11 people were elected unopposed to the Upper House of legislature in Bihar in the biennial polls held earlier this year.
On BJP's charge that if voted to power, the Congress, RJD and other allies would "steal" reservations meant for OBCs and divert these to Muslims, Prasad said, "but should not Muslims get the benefit of reservations? (Aarakshan to milna hi chahiye Musalmanon ko)".
He also said the BJP was indulging in scaremongering (bhadka rahe hain) by raising the bogey of "jungle raj" at election rallies.
He also mocked the "abki baar 400 paar" claim of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying "woh khud hi paar ho gaye hain (he is on his way out). The poll outcome will be in our favour".
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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.
