BJP MLA Yatnal hints at 'historical changes' in Karnataka after Sankranti
Bengaluru: Amid talks that the Karnataka cabinet expansion or reshuffle is likely next month, senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who had earlier claimed that B S Yediyurappa will not remain Chief Minister for long, on Friday hinted at 'historical changes' in the state after Sankranti.
He indicated that 'Uttarayana', the period after Sankranti, may prove good for the northern part of the state.
"...whether it will be cabinet expansion or reshuffle or something else...for all these things- there is possibility of historical changes after Makara Sankramana (Sankranti)," the Vijayapura MLA told reporters in that city.
Reiterating that he was not aspiring for any Ministerial post, he said the high command would take a good decision and do justice to Vijayapura district, "as injustice has happened for so long."
Yatnal had in October claimed that Yediyurappa will not remain CM for long and the high command has decided that his successor will be from the north Karnataka region.
He had even accused the Chief Minister of taking all the development work to his home district of Shivamogga, while taking back funds allocated to MLAs of other constituencies.
Reacting to Yatnal's comments, Union Minister Sadananda Gowda said the former was just an MLA and does not hold any official party position to speak on such matters.
"When the right people speak on issues at the right forum, it will be meaningful and will earn respect.
Who is Basangouda Patil Yatnal? He is neither the national leader of our party nor its Karnataka unit president. He is not even in a position to speak on such matters.He is just an ordinary MLA," Gowda said.
The Union Minister said it was not right on the part of Yatnal to issue statements to the media daily and added that if he wished to raise issues, he could speak to the national president, the state president or the CM.
"Making such statements publicly will not do good for his political future," he said.
There have been speculations in some quarters in recent times that the BJP high command was mulling over a change in leadership, considering Yediyurappa's age.
However, the state BJP had recently strongly refuted reports about replacing the 77-year-old Lingayat strongman.
Talks about cabinet reshuffle or expansion have resurfaced in BJP circles amid reports that senior party leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to visit the state on January 15 or 16.
Yediyurappa has been waiting for some time now to carry out the cabinet exercise, as he was asked by BJP national president J P Nadda at their November 18 meeting in New Delhi to wait for the clearance from the central leadership.
The cabinet expansion or reshuffle is expected to be a tightrope walk for the Chief Minister, considering that there are too many aspirants, from the party old guard to Congress- JD(S) rebels who are now BJP legislators.
The cabinet currently has 27 members, and seven berths are still vacant.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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.
