'Ask deputy CM', says Nitish Kumar on possibility of Bihar cabinet expansion
Jamui (Bihar), Feb 11: "Ask deputy CM" was Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's reply to queries about the possibility of a state cabinet expansion with the Congress, a junior ally in the ruling 'Mahagathbandhan', seeking a few more berths.
The Congress, which has 19 MLAs in the 243-member state assembly, currently has two ministers in the government, which was formed after Kumar dumped the BJP in August last year.
The Bihar cabinet can have a maximum of 36 berths, and five of them are now lying vacant.
"You people ask this question to the deputy CM," Kumar said, responding to questions from journalists who sought his views on speculations about a state cabinet expansion and the Congress' demand for two more berths in the council of ministers.
"A delegation of Congress leaders recently met me in this regard. I told them to meet the deputy CM in this connection. Let them finalise it among themselves. Whatever they decide will be considered," Kumar, the de facto supremo of the JD(U), said during his 'Samadhan Yatra' in Jamui district.
The state cabinet has now 29 members with the RJD, to which Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav belongs, enjoying the lion's share even after two of its ministers have resigned.
Notably, Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad had recently claimed that "the CM said more ministers will be made from our party".
"Everyone knows that the Congress has 19 MLAs and four MLCs. The number of legislators from other parties, who are in the cabinet, is three to four. We can have four ministers. I have spoken to the CM on the matter and he has agreed," Prasad had said.
Kumar was also asked about former CM and Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi's plan to commence Garib Sampark Yatra' from February 12 in the state.
"Leaders, belonging to any political party, are free to launch their own yatra," the CM said.
HAM is an ally of the 'Mahagathbandhan' government in the state.
When asked about RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who underwent a kidney transplant surgery in Singapore in December 2022, returning to India tonight, Kumar said, "He (Lalu) is perfectly alright. He is coming to Delhi . later, he will come to Patna".
Lalu's daughter Rohini Acharya, who donated a kidney to her father, shared an emotional post on Twitter on Friday and said that the RJD chief would leave for India on Saturday.
"An important thing to say. This important thing is about the health of our leader Lalu ji. Papa is going to India from Singapore on February 11. I am doing my duty as a daughter...I am sending him to all of you. Now you all will take care of my father," Acharya tweeted.
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K’taka HC judge whose controversial remarks triggered controversy expresses regret before open court
Bengaluru: Karnataka High Court judge, Justice V Srishananda, on Saturday expressed regret in open court after facing backlash over his controversial remarks in his recent court hearings, reported Bar and Bench.
Two purported video clips from Justice V Srishananda’s court hearing that show him making inappropriate comments went viral across social media platforms.
On Saturday, Justice Srishananda invited members of the Advocates Association, Bengaluru, and senior lawyers to his courtroom at 2:30 PM, where he read out a note expressing regret for inappropriate comments.
Quoting Advocates Association President Vivek Subba Reddy, Bar and Bench wrote, “He expressed regret for the comments and clarified that it was not his intention to offend any community or members of the Bar. He also requested the association to relay this message to all members of the Bar.”
Reddy further stated, “We also advised him to encourage young lawyers in the courtroom and refrain from making any irrelevant remarks during hearings.”
Another senior lawyer present during the session confirmed to the legal news portal that Justice Srishananda also addressed comments directed at a woman lawyer, who was seen in one of the videos being reprimanded by the judge. The judge Justice Srishananda clarified that his remarks were not intended to target her (woman lawyer) specifically, but rather pertained to the appellant she was representing. “He explained that his comment was meant to imply that the appellant seemed to know a lot about the other party,” said the lawyer.
In addition, Justice Srishananda assured those present that he would avoid making such comments in the future.
The controversy came to light on September 19, when a video clip from an August 28 Court hearing surfaced on social media, showing Justice Srishananda referring to a Muslim-majority sub-locality in Bengaluru’s Goripalya as "Pakistan." Hours later, another video from the same courtroom emerged, in which the judge was seen making a gender-insensitive remark.
Following outrage over the viral videos, a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy, on September 20 took a suo motu cognizance and sought a report from the Karnataka High Court Registrar General in connection with the viral video.
