Tamannaah Bhatia faces backlash over ₹6.2 crore Mysore Sandal Soap endorsement deal
Bengaluru: Actress Tamannaah Bhatia has been announced as the new brand ambassador for the iconic Mysore Sandal Soap, having signed a deal worth ₹6.2 crore with the Karnataka government. However, the move has sparked sharp criticism from pro-Kannada activists and cultural outfits, who question the choice of a non-Kannadiga to represent a brand deeply rooted in Karnataka’s heritage.
Prominent Kannada filmmaker Kavita Lankesh voiced her discontent, accusing the government of promoting a narrow beauty standard. “Why are we chasing this so-called ‘milky white’ beauty when Karnataka has no dearth of talented and beautiful actors? This is taxpayer money, and we deserve answers,” she said, as quoted in a News18 report.
Roopesh Rajanna, a leader of the Yuva Karnataka Vedike, has threatened to protest in front of the Mysore Sandal Soap factory unless the endorsement is revoked. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike president T Narayana Gowda also denounced the decision, calling it an "insult" to the people of the state.
In response to the uproar, Karnataka Industries Minister M.B. Patil defended the selection, explaining that the state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) aims to expand its reach beyond Karnataka, and Tamannaah’s pan-India appeal would help achieve that goal.
KSDL officials added that several leading Kannada-origin actresses, including Deepika Padukone, Rashmika Mandanna, and Pooja Hegde, were approached but could not be signed due to existing brand commitments.
Despite government clarifications, the backlash continues, with many urging KSDL to reconsider its decision and choose a brand ambassador who better represents Karnataka’s cultural identity.
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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.
