Hoskote independent MLA Sharath Bachegowda all set to join Congress
Bengaluru, Dec 17: Giving clear indications that he was all set to join the Congress, independent MLA from Hoskote assembly constituency Sharath Bachegowda on Thursday said he wants to be associated with a national party which would give him an opportunity to lend voice to broader issues.
Amid speculation for some time now about his joining the Congress, Sharath Bachegowda met Congress Karnataka president D K Shivakumar at the latter's residence last night.
"The subject matter at yesterday's meeting was on the upcoming gram panchayat and District Co-operative Central (DCC) Bank elections which we are fighting together," Sharath said.
Speaking to PTI, he said, it is not that the issue of joining Congress did not come up for discussion during the meeting, but nothing is concrete as yet and no absolute time frame has been fixed for it.
Asked if he has made up his mind to join Congress, Sharath said, ".... I'm looking to align with some national party...there are many broad issues which are happening right now to which I want to lend my voice.So joining a national party would make sense for me."
Sharath, 37, is the son of BJPs Member of Parliament from Chikkaballapur B N Bachegowda, and had served as secretary of BJP's Yuva Morcha in the past.
He was expelled from the BJP as he rebelled and decided to contest against the party's official candidate MTB Nagaraj during the December 2019 assembly bypolls.
He then went on pull off a victory in the bypolls with his 'Swabhimani' campaign as an independent candidate.
Sharath was against the BJP's decision to field Nagaraj who had jumped ship from the Congress.
In the 2018 assembly election, Sharath, who was the BJP candidate, had lost to Nagaraj, who was then with the Congress.
Asked about why he was not joining the JD(S) which had supported him during the bypolls without fielding a candidate, Sharath, who holds a mechanical engineering degree and did his MS in the US, said "I want to identify myself with a national party."
According to Congress party sources, Sharath may join the party some time in the new year and things are being worked out.
To a question on not reconciling with the BJP as his father is still in the party, he said, "in order to have a reconciliation, there needs to be an approach.Since there hasn't been an approach, there is nothing of that sorts."
"With Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa clearly backing his opponent Nagaraj, by making him MLC despite losing assembly bypolls and with prospects of also making him a Minister, Sharath seems to have realised his chances are bleak in the BJP.
Hence, he is looking forward to secure his political future with the Congress," political workers in Hoskote said.
By inducting him Congress too plans to bank on Sharath and his support base for improving its prospects in Hoskote.
His father and now MP has represented the seat several times in the past from the Janata Dal and also the BJP.
While Sharath is largely seen as a "local boy" in Hosakote, Nagaraj has been projected as an outsider by his opponent, political workers from the constituency said.
ನಿನ್ನೆ ಕೆಪಿಸಿಸಿ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರಾದ ಶ್ರೀ @DKShivakumar ರವರನ್ನು ತಮ್ಮ ಸದಾಶಿವನಗರದ ನಿವಾಸದಲ್ಲಿ ಭೇಟಿ ಮಾಡಿ, ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿ ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಇದೇ ತಿಂಗಳು 27ರಂದು ನಡೆಯಲಿರುವ ಬಿಡಿಸಿಸಿ ಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್ ಚುನಾವಣೆಯ ಕುರಿತು ಚರ್ಚಿಸಲಾಯಿತು.
— Sharath Bachegowda (@SBG4Hosakote) December 17, 2020
ಈ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಜಿ ಸಚಿವರಾದ ಶ್ರೀ @krishnabgowda ರವರು ಉಪಸ್ಥಿತರಿದ್ದರು.@KPCCPresident pic.twitter.com/Y9AvvGgenF
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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.
