Oli breaks silence, denies giving any shooting orders during 'Gen Z' protests in Nepal
Kathmandu (PTI): Nepal's deposed prime minister K P Sharma Oli on Friday denied that he had given any shooting orders during the 'Gen Z' demonstrations, saying bullets were fired at protesters from automatic guns that the police did not possess and called for a probe into the matter.
In his first public statement since his ouster on September 9, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) chairman blamed the infiltrators for the violence during the "peaceful protest" by Gen-Z.
“The government didn’t order to shoot at the demonstrators,” 73-year-old Oli said in a message issued on the occasion of Constitution Day.
“The bullets were fired at the protesters from automatic guns, which were not possessed by the police personnel, and this must be investigated,” Oli said.
Seventy-four people, including 3 policemen, were among the dead during the youth-led violent protests on September 8 and 9 against corruption and a ban on social media.
Claiming that there was "infiltration" in the "peaceful protests", he said, "The infiltrating conspirators turned the agitation violent, and this way our youths were killed.”
Expressing grief over the loss of lives, Oli demanded an inquiry into the incident.
"The Singhdurbar Secretariat and Supreme Court were set on fire, Nepal's map was burnt, and many important government buildings were set on fire after I resigned from the post," he said.
"I don’t want to elaborate on the conspiracies behind these incidents; time will speak for itself,” he added.
He also recalled the challenges the country had faced while promulgating the Constitution.
"The Constitution was promulgated in the midst of a border blockade and challenges against national sovereignty,” said Oli, who did not appear at the Constitution Day event organised at the UML's central party office.
"All generations of Nepalis must unite — to confront the assault on our sovereignty and to defend our Constitution,” he added.
Oli had flown to the army barracks, probably in Shivapuri forest area in the North of Kathmandu, as soon as the Gen Z protest turned violent, even as he quit the post on September 9.
After spending nine days under the Nepal Army's security, Oli recently moved to a private place. However, the place where he is staying now has not been made public. According to media reports, Oli has moved to a private house in the Gundu area of Bhaktapur district, 15 km east of Kathmandu.
The Gen-Z protesters had burnt his house at Balkot in Bhaktapur to ashes during the second day of the protest. Oli was at the official residence of the Nepal PM when the protesters partially burnt the Prime Minister’s Office at Balkot.
However, Oli safely escaped with the help of the Nepal Army, who sent a helicopter to rescue him.
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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.
