Poll affidavit: Modi's assets total Rs 3 crore, mostly fixed deposits
Varanasi (UP), May 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi possesses assets amounting to a little over Rs 3 crore, most of it in bank fixed deposits, according to his election affidavit.
As required, Modi submitted the affidavit while filing his nomination papers Tuesday as an election candidate from the Varanasi parliamentary constituency, a seat he has held twice earlier.
According to the affidavit displayed on the Election Commission website, his movable assets are worth Rs 3,02,06,889. Most of this amount is in the form of fixed deposits with the State Bank of India that total over 2.85 crore.
Other assets include four gold rings weighing 45 grams valued at Rs 2.67 lakh, cash in hand totalling Rs 52,920, National Savings Certificates worth Rs 9.12 lakh and income tax deduction of Rs 3.33 lakh for the past financial year.
Under “immovable assets”, the affidavit says "Nil". Typically, land and houses fall under this category.
Jashodaben is mentioned as Modi’s spouse. On assets held by her, the document says "Not known". The two live apart.
No criminal case is pending against Modi, nor has he been convicted of any crime, according to the document. There are no liabilities due to the government.
The prime minister is described as a resident of Ahmedabad, and his profession as public life and political activity.
He did his SSC in 1967, got a BA degree from Delhi University in 1978 and an MA from Gujarat University in 1983.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had declared assets worth Rs 2.5 crore including a residential plot in Gujarat's Gandhinagar, fixed deposits of Rs 1.27 crore and Rs 38,750 cash in hand.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he disclosed total assets of Rs 1.65 crore.
The PM has a website and is on Facebook, microblogging site X, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp, according to the affidavit.
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.
