India News
Judges upset with Modi govt altering Justice KM Joseph’s seniority, CJI says will take it up
A group of judges met Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra today (Monday, Aug 6), to take up call the government’s attempt to alter the seniority of Justice KM Joseph by putting his name at the bottom of the list of judges cleared for elevation to the top court.
The CJI assured the judges that he would take up the matter with the government. The swearing-in is scheduled for tomorrow, August 7.
The government had been reluctant to clear Justice Joseph’a name and his appointment as SC judge was cleared after much back-and-forth in the past eight months. Even while finally clearing his name when the SC Collegium sent it back a second time, the government did what it could against the interests of the Judge and put his name at the bottom of the list of judges approved, after the names of Justices Indira Banerjee and Vineet Saran.
With his name at the bottom of the list in notification for swearing in on Tuesday (August 7), he will be sworn in last. This will not allow him to even head an independent bench in a long while. It is known, though, that Justice Joseph, considering his seniority, date of retirement, and other issues, will never be the Chief Justice of India.
According to tradition – and tradition rules at the Supreme Court – judges lose seniority even if they are sworn in on the same day but hours apart. This had happened during the swearing in of two judges of the Supreme Court, Justices Ruma Pal and YK Sabharwal.
In 2000 both judges were named to the top court and Justice Pal was being sworn in for a six-year stint at the top court, which was time enough for her to be elevated to the post of Chief Justice of India.
However, the communication reached her late and her trip to Delhi was delayed. She was sworn in a few hours after Justice Sabharwal. That delayed communication robbed Justice Pal of the opportunity to be the Chief Justice, despite her being the senior judge of the two.
The issue of Justice KM Joseph’s seniority being affected in this manner was taken up some SC judges, including three from the Supreme Court collegium or panel that recommends appointments, with Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra today.
They were told by the Chief Justice that he would take up their protest with the Centre. The swearing-in takes place tomorrow.
Government sources, however, justified the order that places Justice Joseph last among the three judges to be sworn in on Tuesday, reported NDTV.
Denying the charge, government sources said Justice Joseph was appointed high court judge in October 2004, more than two years after Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Vineet Sharan (both in February 2002). They argued that in the all-India seniority list of judges, Justice Banerjee is at number 2, Justice Sharan at 3 and Justice Joseph places 39.
Justice Joseph did become Chief Justice before the other two judges, but seniority is decided on the date of appointment as high court judge, not Chief Justice, the government sources contended, according to NDTV.
Countering that argument, sources in judiciary told NDTV “seniority is not the only criteria for elevation to the Supreme Court”, and that’s why the collegium rejected the government’s contention on seniority and stood firm by its recommendation of Justice Joseph.
The Supreme Court collegium named Justice Joseph for elevation in January, but the government sent back his file questioning the choice and pointing to inadequate representation in the top court from other states, especially Kerala. As the collegium reasserted its choice of Justice Joseph, the government was forced to accept it.
The government denies opposition allegations that its objections were linked to Justice Joseph’s order in 2016 scrapping President’s Rule in Uttarakhand, which helped restore the Congress’s government.
India News
BJP’s Shahnawaz Hussain suffers cardiac arrest, admitted to Lilavati Hospital
While giving information about the health of BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain, Doctor Jalil Parkar of Lilavati Hospital said that he was admitted to Lilavati Hospital after cardiac arrest. He told that Shahnawaz Hussain has suffered a heart attack. After this the doctors performed his angioplasty.
Former Union Minister and BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain has suffered a heart attack. According to reports BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain suffered a cardiac arrest in the evening. After which he has been admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. Shahnawaz Hussain is the national spokesperson of BJP and he has also been the Industry Minister in Bihar Government.
While giving information about the health of BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain, Doctor Jalil Parkar of Lilavati Hospital said that he was admitted to Lilavati Hospital after cardiac arrest. He told that Shahnawaz Hussain has suffered a heart attack. After this the doctors performed his angioplasty.
He was one of the youngest Union Ministers in Atal Bihar Vajpayee’s Cabinet. The BJP leader held several portfolios, including Minister of State, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Minister of State, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Coal, Minister of Civil Aviation and Minister of Textiles during Vajpayee regime.
Shahnawaz Hussain suffered a major setback when he had to face defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Earlier in 2006, BJP had brought him to Parliament through by-election. After the defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the party did not even give tickets in the 2019 elections. The seat from which Shahnawaz Hussain contested was given to JDU by BJP. However, JDU was a part of NDA at that time.
In the 2020 assembly elections in Bihar, BJP had fielded Shahnawaz Hussain for the Legislative Council elections. Shahnawaz Hussain was successful in winning and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made him the Industries Minister. However, in 2022, BJP suffered a major setback when Nitish Kumar’s party JDU broke ties with NDA and formed the government with RJD.
Shahnawaz Hussain, who once enjoyed power, is now seen in the role of opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council. Bihar is the home state of Shahnawaz Hussain and Supaul is his home district.
India News
Students hold protest in Manipur after photos of two dead students surface online
The protesting students tried to march towards Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s residence
Hundreds of students took to the streets in Manipur’s capital, Imphal to protest against the brutal murder of two students by suspected armed men. The students demanded justice for the victims. According to reports, photos of two students, who apparently have been decapitated, have gone viral across the social media platforms.
The protesting students tried to march towards Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s residence, after which security forces used tear gas shells and smoke bombs in an effort to disperse the crowd. Reportedly, multiple students were injured and they were hurried to the hospital for medical treatment.
The photos that have gone viral show two students, a 17-year-old girl and a 20-year-old boy, sitting at the grassy compound in what appears to be a makeshift jungle camp of an armed group.The girl is seen in a white shirt and the boy in a checked shirt holding a backpack. Behind them, two armed men were clearly visible.
In the next viral photo, their bodies are seen slumped on the ground. According to reports, as the girl was a minor, officials concerned to the matter are looking into the allegations of rape, before she was murdered.
Meanwhile, N Biren Singh led Manipur government has asked the people of the northeastern state to exercise restraint and allow authorities to investigate the kidnapping and killing of both the students. In a statement issued by the secretariat of Chief Minister N Biren Singh late on Monday night, the state government asserted that the case has been already handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In addition, the government also assured the public that swift and decisive action will be taken against all those involved in the crime. The statement further underlined that the government was committed to ensuring justice for the murdered students and severe punishment on any perpetrators found responsible for this heinous crime.
India News
Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council, WICCI holds their first meeting, aims to work for benefit of women empowerment
Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council members will also recommend government and other institutions on various policy making.
The Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council, WICCI President Vinita Sahay and Vice President Sandhya Kohli on Tuesday conducted the council’s first physical meeting at Jangpura Extension, New Delhi. Along with the President and Vice President, all 36 Council members took part in the meeting.
As per sources, the major objective of the council members is to spread a robust council who will work for the Council and for the benefit of women empowerment with the spirit of sisterhood.
The vision of the council members is to interact with other councils who are registered with Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) nationally and internationally with an effort to inform them that Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council, WICCI is a team of experienced and dedicated arbitrators, who will keep in view the spirit of the amended Arbitration and Conciliation Act 2016.
Furthermore, the Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council members will also recommend government and other institutions on various policy making. Sources stated that the first meeting was a great success and deliberations were carried out with all council members present in the meeting.
In the Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council’s meeting, the council members discussed how to achieve the aforesaid objectives, conduct monthly meetings of council to review action plan, organise webinars and seminars for the awareness of women and further focus on women empowerment by the council of Arbitration and Conciliation initiated in 2023.
Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) is a National Business Chamber for Women that strengthens and builds women’s entrepreneurship and businesses through greater engagement with government, institutions, global trade and networks.
Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) also enables fundamental changes in governmental policies, laws and incentives with a view to robustly encourage and empower women in business, industry and commerce across all sectors.
