Hassan Ganesha procession accident toll rises to 10; CM, PM condole
Hassan (PTI): The toll in the Ganesha procession accident in Hassan district has gone up to 10 on Saturday, police sources said.
Tragedy struck on Friday night at Mosale Hosahalli village in the district when a group of youths were taking out a Ganesha procession.
According to police, the driver lost control of the vehicle and ploughed it into the crowd, killing four people instantaneously, while four others died in the hospital on Friday night.
The toll went up to 10 on Saturday as two more injured succumbed to their injuries.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragedy.
Condoling the deaths, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh from Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000, he said.
The opposition BJP demanded that the compensation given by the state government be enhanced somewhere between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 25 lakh, saying Rs 5 lakh was way too less.
JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda announced a compensation of Rs one lakh to the families of those killed in a road accident at a village in Hassan district.
Deve Gowda further announced that Rs 25,000 would be given as compensation to those who were seriously injured and Rs 20,000 to those with minor injuries.
He urged the state government to enhance the compensation to Rs 10 lakh to next to the kin of the deceased.
The former PM said he would write to the Chief Minister in this regard.
Reacting to the opposition's demand, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said his government gives an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each deceased in Hassan accident to express condolence, not in a bid to equate the value of human life with the compensation.
"The government giving compensation to the families of the deceased does not mean it is equal to the value of life. The compensation is given to express condolence to the bereaved families," Siddaramaiah told reporters at Mysuru airport.
Referring to Friday's tragic accident in Hassan, he said, "We have formulated the Road Safety Act. If an accident happens due to the mistake of truck drivers, how can the government be held accountable? I offer my respect to those killed in the accident."
Siddaramaiah also said that he has asked district in-charge minister Krishna Byre Gowda to visit the families of the victims and announce the ex gratia.
"He went there and consoled the families," Siddaramaiah said.
Rejecting BJP's demand to enhance the compensation to Rs 10 lakh, Siddaramaiah asked, "How much did they give during their tenure in government? If they had given then, we too would have considered it."
"We give compensation keeping in mind the financial condition of the economically weaker sections. It must be given equally in all such cases," 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.
