No internal rift, ruling Cong is united in Karnataka, asserts CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday denied any internal rift within the ruling Congress in the state, and asserted that the party was united.
"Where is the rift within us? Is there a fight among us? They (BJP) saying it is different, they say it for politics....where is the internal rift?" Siddaramaiah asked reporters, responding to a question on state BJP leaders' statements that the Congress government will fall because of its internal rifts.
He said, "There is no internal rift among us. If there was internal rift, could we have done (faced) Parliament elections unitedly? There is no rift, neither inside, nor outside."
Reacting to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's reported statements regarding efforts to replicate the 'Maharashtra model' to topple the Congress government in Karnataka, the CM said, "They (BJP leaders) have been making such claims for a year now."
"He (Shinde) is Maharashtra Chief Minister, instead of speaking about our government, let him save his government first," he added.
BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Monday said his party will not make any attempt to pull down this government, but he cannot now itself predict the kind of unrest that will get created within the ruling Congress, after the Lok Sabha poll results are declared.
"As the party's state President I'm saying -- BJP is successfully functioning as a responsible opposition and we will continue to do so," he had said, adding that "there is no question of any operation, but we will not be responsible for the impact that the poll results will have on the ruling party."
BJP and JD(S) leaders in the state have several times predicted the collapse of the government, hinting at a possible power tussle within the Congress, amid persistent rumours about leadership change in the ruling party in the state after Lok Sabha polls or mid-way of the current Assembly's tenure.
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the CM's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the deputy chief minister.
There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.
Shivakumar has made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, while Siddaramaiah had sought public support during the Lok Sabha polls so that the Congress wins maximum number of seats in the state, which would strengthen his position.
Siddaramaiah also expressed confidence about Congress winning the biennial election to six seats (three each from graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies) of the Karnataka Legislative Council on June 3.
"The atmosphere is good, the Congress party has taken this election seriously. We had announced candidates six months prior, so candidates got time to meet the voters," he said, adding that there will be no effect of the BJP-JD(S) alliance on the MLC polls, as they had been in alliance in the Parliamentary polls too.
Asked whether the pen-drive case (sex scandal involving JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna) will have its impact on MLC polls, particularly in the old Mysuru region, he said, "Pen-drive case has nothing to do with the polls, as voters here are graduates and teachers. They are politically aware voters, they have the strength to decide who is right and who is not, they do the comparison of Congress governments achievement here and the BJP at the Centre."
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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.
