No sale of liquor during weekend curfew: Karnataka Excise Minister K Gopalaiah
Bengaluru, Jan 7: Ahead of the weekend curfew, which will come into effect from Friday at 8 pm to Monday 5 am, Karnataka Excise Minister K Gopalaiah said there will be no sale of liquor for two days starting from tonight across the state.
"It has been decided that there will not be any sale of liquor during the weekend curfew. I have directed the officials to issue an order to this effect," Gopalaiah told reporters.
He said there is spike in cases in the state, especially in Bengaluru. Hence, it has been decided not to open the liquor shops.
Gopalaiah said the liquor shop owners had given a representation to allow them to run their shops but due to rising COVID cases, their plea was not considered.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant appealed to people not to venture out unnecessarily.
"The weekend curfew will come into effect from 8 pm tonight. Please do not go to various places unnecessarily and cooperate with the police for your own safety," Pant told reporters.
He said only a set of activities is permitted including essential and medical services.
"Those who want to go to the hospital have to furnish supporting documents. Those travelling should also possess tickets and related papers," the police commissioner said.
He added that the police would not issue any passes for people to travel within the city.
Pant warned that those violating the COVID-19 norms will face action under the Natural Disaster Management Act (NDMA). The violators will be detained and their vehicles will be seized.
The Karnataka government issued a set of prohibitory orders including weekend and night curfews for two weeks to check the rising COVID cases.
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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.
