UP govt started CAA process, identified over 32,000 refugees in 21 Districts: Minister
Lucknow, Jan 13: The state government has started the process to identify refugees for the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, said UP minister Shrikant Sharma here on Monday.
"The notification for the CAA (by the Centre) has been issued and all district magistrates in UP have been asked to collect data," Sharma told PTI.
In the first list, over 32,000 refugees have been identified in 21 districts of the state and the exercise is going on in the entire state as per information I have from the state Home Department, Sharma added.
There are 75 districts in the state.
When asked about the countries they belong to, Sharma said,"They are from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh."
The districts from where the first list has arrived included Sahranpur, Gorakhpur, Aligarh, Rampur, Pratapgarh, Pilibhit, Lucknow, Varanasi, Bahraich, Lakhimpur, Rampur, Meerut, Agra.
Sources said Pilibhit has the maximum number of refugees. However, the exact number is yet to be disclosed by the state government.
"The exercise is going on and as the data comes, we will update figures," Sharma said.
An NGO, Nagrik Adhikar Manch, has also prepared a 116-page report, "Uttar Pradesh Mein Aaye Pakistan, Afghanistan Evam Bangladesh ke Sharnarthiyon ki Aapbeeti (Unke Utpeedan ki Kahani)" and sent it to the state and the Centre.
The state government has not confirmed whether it was taking the report into account or not.
"We have got the report of the Nagrik Adhikar Manch," a senior Home Department official said, who refused to elaborate.
The Centre last week had issued a gazette notification announcing that the CAA has come into effect from January 10, 2020.
The Act grants citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (47 of 2019), the Central government hereby appoints the 10th day of January, 2020, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force," the notification said.
The CAA was passed by Parliament on December 11.
According to the legislation, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 due to religious persecution will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.
There have been widespread protests against the Act in different parts of the country.
In UP, at least 19 persons were killed in anti-CAA protests.
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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.
