Thackeray agreed to give more FSI to mosques to stop namaz on roads: Sanjay Raut
Mumbai: Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray asked the government to grant more FSI to mosques when he was told that Muslims are forced to offer namaz on roads because of lack of space, Sena MP Sanjay Raut said on Saturday.
Speaking at an event at Belgaum in Karnataka, Raut also said that if religion became the basis of government, "India would become another Pakistan".
Thackeray, the late Sena patriarch, was known for aggressive Hindutva politics.
"Balasaheb Thackeray was highly critical of namaz being offered on roads in Bandra, Bhendi Bazar (in Mumbai). He called representatives of the Muslim community and asked how it can be stopped," Raut said.
"He was told that Muslims don't have any other place to offer prayers. Muslim leaders said the state government should give additional FSI (building rights) to mosques, and Balasaheb agreed," Raut recalled.
Floor Space Index or FSI denotes how much construction is permissible per square unit of land. "Today, namaz is not offered on roads and traffic is not blocked," the Sena leader said.
Raut also claimed that the Shiv Sena always believed that Muslims need to become part of the mainstream of society.
"If governments are run on the basis of religion, India will become another Pakistan," he said.
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.
