Landslide in Montepadavu: Woman dead, mother, two children trapped under debris
Montepadavu: A tragic landslide triggered by heavy rains struck early Friday morning around 4:00 AM in Montepadavu, a village in Manjanady, Dakshina Kannada district. The incident occurred at the residence of Kanthappa Poojary in Montepadavu's Hitthilu Kodi. The landslide flattened the entire house, resulting in the death of one woman and trapping three others under the debris.
The deceased has been identified as Prema (58), wife of Kanthappa Poojary. Those trapped under the rubble include Ashwini, wife of Kanthappa's son Seetharam, and her two young children aged 3 and 2. Both Kanthappa and Seetharam were rescued, though Kanthappa sustained serious leg injuries and has been admitted to a hospital.
Rescue teams reported hearing the cries of one of the children and faint communication from Ashwini under the debris, raising hopes that the trapped victims may still be alive.
The rescue operation has been hindered by the complete collapse of the house and the lack of proper access routes to the site. Continuous rain has also posed a significant challenge.
Emergency response teams including personnel from the NDRF, SDRF, fire services, and police are on-site conducting intense rescue efforts. Local officials including ADC Santosh, Tehsildar Puttaraju, DCP Siddharth Goyal, and Disaster Management Officer Vijay are supervising the operations. Also present at the location are local panchayat leaders and prominent residents.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with authorities and volunteers striving to save the trapped mother and her children.
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Justice Nagarathna dissents on SC collegium’s recommendation of Justice Pancholi
Dissent cites seniority concerns, Gujarat High Court’s over-representation
New Delhi: Supreme Court judge B.V. Nagarathna has recorded a dissent note against the collegium’s recommendation to elevate Patna High Court Chief Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi to the apex court, The Indian Express reported.
The five-member collegium, comprising Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, J.K. Maheshwari, and Nagarathna, reached the decision with a 4–1 split. Justice Nagarathna, the lone woman on the bench, opposed Pancholi’s elevation, citing concerns over seniority and regional representation.
Justice Pancholi ranks 57th on the all-India seniority list of high court judges. Justice Nagarathna reportedly objected to the move, noting that it came less than three months after another judge from the Gujarat High Court, Justice N.V. Anjaria, was elevated to the Supreme Court. She argued that advancing Pancholi would bypass several senior judges and further increase Gujarat’s representation at the top court, while other high courts remain underrepresented.
Her dissenting note, according to reports, emphasized that such decisions could undermine the credibility of the collegium system and have long-term consequences for the administration of justice.
Justice Pancholi, who served nearly two decades in the Gujarat High Court, was transferred to Patna High Court in July 2023 and appointed its Chief Justice in July 2025. His elevation, along with that of Justice Anjaria, was intended to maintain Gujarat’s representation in the Supreme Court following the retirements of Justices M.R. Shah and Bela Trivedi earlier this year.
With a sanctioned strength of 34 judges, the Supreme Court follows criteria of seniority, merit, integrity, and regional balance in appointments. Justice Nagarathna’s dissent highlights ongoing debates about diversity and fairness in judicial elevations.
