PM Modi should have thought of visiting Manipur much before: Cong MP Priyanka Gandhi
Wayanad (Kerala), Sep 13 (PTI) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said that she is "glad" that Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to visit Manipur two years after the widespread violence in that state, but he should have thought of it before.
Vadra also termed it "unfortunate" that the PM allegedly "allowed what is happening there to continue for so long and for so many people to get killed".
"I’m glad that he has decided after two years that it’s worth him visiting. He should have visited much long before. It is very unfortunate that he has allowed what is happening there to happen for so long and for so many people to get killed, so many people to go through so much strife before he decided to visit," she said while speaking to reporters here.
The Congress MP from Wayanand said whenever there was pain and suffering, the prime ministers in India would visit such places and it has been followed traditionally.
"Right through, no matter which party, wherever there was pain and suffering, they would go. And that has been the tradition since independence. So, he is fulfilling it after two years. I think he should’ve thought of it before," Vadra, who has been in Wayanad since Thursday night, said.
Modi reached Imphal, the state capital of Manipur, on Saturday on his first visit to the state after ethnic violence broke out there in May 2023.
The PM's visit comes amid repeated criticism by opposition parties for not visiting Manipur following the ethnic strife between the Kuki and Meitei communities, which has left over 260 people dead and thousands homeless since May 2023.
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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.
