Couple kill children before attempting suicide in Hoskote
Hoskote (PTI): A couple allegedly strangled their two children to death before attempting to take their own lives due to mounting financial troubles, police said on Monday.
The incident occured in Gonakanahalli in the outskirts of the city on Saturday evening, they said.
After killing his daughter and son aged 11 and 7, Shivakumar (32) also hanged himself, police said, adding that his wife, Manjula (30), survived as she was rescued timely.
However, Manjula has been arrested on charges of murder.
According to police, Shivakumar sustained serious injuries to his legs in an accident some time ago, and his wife, who earned meagre earnings through odd labour jobs could not make ends meet.
They had also borrowed money for his treatment and were under financial stress. So, the couple decided to end their lives and also kill their children so that they don't become orphans, he said.
So, while the two children were occupied with daily chores in their flower plantation at the backyard of the house, the couple first called their daughter home and strangled her, later they called their son and strangled him as well, a senior police officer said.
Before attempting to kill themselves, Shivakumar reportedly asked her to get some snacks to drink alcohol. In the meantime, she decided to visit her parents one last time. However, she returned and found he had hung himself, he said.
The neighbours discovered the bodies and alerted the police, helping rescue Manjula just in time before she tried to take her own life, he added.
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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.
