Sanjivani scam: Union minister Shekhawat challenges Gehlot to open debate on corruption charges
Jaisalmer (PTI): Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has challenged Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to an open debate on the allegations levelled by the latter against him on the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam matter.
Gehlot has repeatedly accused Shekhawat, who is an MP from Jodhpur, of being involved in the scam in which a large number of investors were duped of crores of rupees.
Shekhawat has dismissed allegations linking him to the credit society and has also filed a defamation case in a Delhi court against Gehlot
"I challenge him and his lawyers to stand on any platform in India and argue in front of me," he told reporters in Jaisalmer on Thursday when asked about the allegations levelled by Gehlot.
Shekhawat said the chief minister levelled the allegations against him because of the defeat of his son Vaibhav Gehlot in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Union minister had defeated Vaibhav Gehlot in the Jodhpur Lok Sabha seat. Jodhpur is the hometown of CM Gehlot.
The BJP leader also said that he will prove the corruption allegations levelled by BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena against Gehlot and his son.
"They do the work of converting black money worth crores of rupees into white," he charged.
No immediate reaction was available from Gehlot to the charge.
Shekhawat also said that the Centre has done remarkable work with the theme of service, good governance, and welfare of the poor.
As a result of the working of the Modi government, people today have faith in the system, he asserted.
"The poor realise that the government works for them. If the right party is chosen in democracy, then the right work is done," he 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.
