Mangaluru: KSRTC conductor held for sexual harassment on bus
Mangaluru, April 24 (PTI): A contract conductor with the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has been arrested for "sexually harassing" a woman passenger onboard a public bus, after a video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage.
The accused, identified as Pradeep Kashappa Naikar (35) from Bagalkote, was taken into custody by Konaje police on Thursday.
According to police, Naikar was caught on video "misbehaving" with a woman commuter while she was asleep.
The video, filmed by another passenger, was circulated widely online, drawing sharp condemnation and prompting swift police action.
The incident took place on Wednesday on a KSRTC bus operating along the Mudipu–State Bank route near Mangaluru.
Following a preliminary inquiry, police arrested Naikar and registered a case.
Further investigation is underway.
KSRTC has not yet issued an official statement on the status of Naikar’s contractual employment.
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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The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.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.
