Vivekananda Reddy murder case: SC issues notice on plea challenging anticipatory bail to YSR Cong MP
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from YSR Congress Party MP Y S Avinash Reddy and the CBI on a plea moved by the daughter of late MP Y S Vivekananda Reddy, challenging a Telangana High Court order that granted him anticipatory bail in the murder case of the former parliamentarian.
A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and M M Sundresh listed the matter for hearing on July 3.
The Telangana High Court granted anticipatory bail to Avinash Reddy on May 31 and directed him not to leave the country without the CBI's permission till the investigation was complete.
"The petitioner shall cooperate with the investigation and appear before the CBI every Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm till the end of June 2023, and shall regularly appear as and when he is required for investigation," the high court had said.
The petitioner shall be released on bail in the event of his arrest by the CBI on the execution of a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh with two sureties for a like sum each to the satisfaction of the federal agency, the high court order had said.
Avinash Reddy, a cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, is under the CBI scanner and has been examined by the agency several times this year.
Avinash Reddy's father Y S Bhaskar Reddy was arrested by the CBI on April 16 in connection with the killing of Vivekananda Reddy.
Vivekananda Reddy, one of the brothers of late Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was found murdered at his residence in Pulivendula in Kadapa district on the night of March 15, 2019, weeks before the Assembly polls in the southern state.
The case was initially probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the state Crime Investigation Department (CID), but was handed over to the CBI in July 2020.
The CBI filed a charge sheet in the case on October 26, 2021 and followed it up with a supplementary charge sheet on January 31, 2022.
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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.
