Bengaluru: 31 held, including Chinese national, for drug use at birthday party
Bengaluru, May 25 (PTI): Thirty-one individuals were arrested here during a birthday party for possessing and using narcotic substances, police said on Sunday. Among them were seven women, including a Chinese national.
According to police, they raided a farmhouse near Kannamangala Gate at 5 am, acting on information about a party taking place.
Almost all attendees are said to work in the IT sector.
Verification revealed that narcotic substances were used during the overnight birthday party, police added.
"A total of 31 people have been arrested. One of the women is a Chinese national," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru North East Zone, V J Sajeeth told PTI.
The arrested include both peddlers and consumers. Their blood and urine samples have been collected and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), he added.
Asked about the total number of attendees at the party, Sajeeth said, "Prima facie, we have found that 31 people attended. Small quantities of cocaine, hashish, and a narcotic substance called hydro ganja were seized from some of them. Almost all are private-sector employees working in the IT industry."
A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the investigation is underway.
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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.
