Raise Shivajinagar metro station naming issue with Centre: Siddaramaiah tells Maharashtra CM
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday asked his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis to take up with the central government any objections regarding the proposal to name the upcoming metro station near Shivajinagar in the city after St Mary.
The chief minister was responding to Fadnavis’ objection to the Karnataka government’s plan, which he termed “an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”
“Let him (Fadnavis) speak to the Government of India. We will send (recommendation on naming) to them (Centre); let him speak to them,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here in response to a question.
Siddaramaiah’s positive response earlier this month to the proposal has elicited objections from some sections, including the opposition BJP, which has termed the move as appeasement.
Participating in the inauguration of the annual feast at St Mary’s Basilica on September 8, Siddaramaiah said his government would recommend the naming to the Centre. The metro station is part of the under-construction Pink Line in the city.
Reacting to Fadnavis’ remarks, state Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday asked, “Why is Fadnavis interested in Karnataka and Bengaluru’s matter all of a sudden? I don’t know.”
He added, “Decision regarding naming metro stations will be taken by the in-charge of Bengaluru development and Deputy Chief Minister (DK Shivakumar), as it is a matter related to Bengaluru.”
Accusing the Congress government of “appeasement politics,” Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy on Thursday said the naming should not be based on religion and that his party would oppose it.
“Will they remove the name Shivajinagar? They should not go beyond the limits to please someone. Appeasement has become the first choice of the Congress party. Because of appeasement, the party has gone to the dogs now; still, they are doing appeasement politics. It will not work. We will not allow it,” the BJP leader told reporters.
There have also been objections on social media to the naming on religious grounds, with some demanding that metro stations should be named after the locality or notable personalities.
Some have suggested naming the station after the late Kannada actor Shankar Nag, who is credited with envisioning Bengaluru’s rapid transit system in the 1980s.
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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.
