BJP's Bopaiah Pro-Tem Karnataka Assembly Speaker for floor test
Bengaluru, May 18: Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala on Friday appointed BJP legislator K.G. Bopaiah as Karnataka Assembly's Pro-Tem Speaker for administering oath to all newly elected legislators on Saturday ahead of the floor test directed by the Supreme Court, a party official said.
"The Governor appointed and administered the oath to Bopaiah as the Pro-Tem Speaker at the Raj Bhavan," BJP Spokesman Vamanacharya told IANS here.
Bopaiah, 62, is a three-time legislator from Virajpet seat in Kodagu region, 260 km from Bengaluru. He was Speaker during the Bharatiya Janata Party rule in the state from 2008-13.
All newly-elected legislators will be administered oath in the Assembly premises.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court ordered the floor test in Assembly at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
In the May 12 elections held in 222 constituencies across the state, 104 seats were won by the BJP, Congress (78), JD-S (37), one by independent, one by Bahujan Samaj Party and one by regional Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party.
Though the JD-S won 37 seats, its effective strength is 36 since its state President H.D. Kumaraswamy won from Channapatna and Ramanagara segments but has only one vote.
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.
SC will share cause lists, info about filing and listing of cases through WhatsApp: CJI
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court will start sharing information relating to cause lists, and filing and listing of cases to advocates through WhatsApp messages, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud announced on Thursday.
The announcement was made by the CJI before a nine-judge bench headed by him commenced the hearing on a vexed legal question arising from the petitions whether private properties can be considered "material resources of the community" under Article 39(b) of the Constitution, which is a part of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP).
"In the 75th year, the Supreme Court launches an initiative to strengthen access to justice by integration of WhatsApp messages with the IT services of the Supreme Court," the CJI said.
Now, the advocates will receive automated messages about filing the cases, he said, adding that the members of the bar will also get the cause lists, as and when they are published, on mobile phones.
A cause list features the cases to be heard by a court on a given day.
"This is another revolutionary step...," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said.
The CJI also shared the top court's official WhatsApp number and said it will not be receiving any messages and calls.
"This will bring a significant change in our working habits and will go a long way in saving papers," Justice Chandrachud said.
The top court under the leadership of CJI Chandrachud has been taking steps to digitise the functioning of the judiciary.
He said the Centre has sanctioned Rs 7,000 crore for the e-court project.
The solicitor general shared the views of the central government and said it was committed to the digitisation of the judiciary to enhance the access for common litigants and lawyers.
