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Judiciary and Executive spar in open court over judges’ appointments

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Judiciary and Executive spar in open court over judges' appointments

A case relating to judges’ vacancies in high courts of states of Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura on Friday, May 4, witnessed an open clash between the judiciary and the executive in a manifestation of the tension that has built up between the two branches of the State over appointment of judges.

The Supreme Court bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta, hearing a transfer plea of a litigant from Manipur, pulled up the Centre for not clearing the names recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium for appointment as judges, causing undue harassment to litigants. Terming it “an unfortunate situation”, the SC had issued notice to the Centre on April 17.

On Friday the Attorney General KK Venugopal assured the court that appointments to high courts in the northeast would be made soon, but said that will not resolve the problem of vacancies in all high courts. “Collegium has to look at the future. Recommendations need to be made keeping in mind vacancies that will arise six months later,” Venugopal said, pointing out that though some High Courts had 40 per cent vacancy, only a few names were being recommended for appointments. “Collegium doesn’t send us the names and the government is told it is being tardy in processing,” he said.

“Why is the Collegium recommending fewer names when there are so many vacancies in high courts?” asked Venugopal.

The bench told Venugopal that this did not give the government the liberty to sit over names sent long back.

The two-judge bench asked the AG: “Tell us, how many names (recommended by the Collegium) are pending with you.”

The AG replied: “I will have to find out”.

The bench shot back: “This is the problem with you (the government). When it comes to attacking (the) judiciary, you have the data. But when it comes to the government then you say you don’t have the figures.”

The petitioner wanted the Supreme Court’s permission to challenge an order of a single judge of the Manipur High Court before the Gauhati High Court. He claimed he could not file an appeal in the Manipur High Court since it had only two judges, one of whom had given the order. The Supreme Court had sought the Attorney General’s assistance in the matter.

Venugopal said that on April 19, the Collegium recommended a name for appointment as Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court. He said he had spoken to the authorities and they had promised that the appointment would be notified “shortly”.

“Your shortly… can be several months. What are you doing?” the bench asked the AG.

Venugopal replied the government was serious about the appointment and that the same would be done in 10 days, said a report in The Hindustan Times (HT).

The bench said the situation in the North-East was ‘critical’. “In Meghalaya, there is only one judge against four. Even Tripura has just two against four. Recommendation was also made for Meghalaya. What happened to that?… People of North-East are suffering… What are they supposed to do? Should they come here to get their cases transferred to other High Courts and spend money to hire lawyers there?” the bench said.

The Attorney General remarked, in a lighter vein, that the National Judicial Appointments Commission — the NJAC Act was invalidated by the Supreme Court in 2015 — may have been more suitable for dealing with the appointment of judges.

Justice Lokur said the bench was only concerned with appointments to High Courts in the North-East and asked the Attorney General to file an affidavit explaining the position in the next 10 days.

Justice MB Lokur is one of the senior-most judges of the Supreme Court and a member of the collegium that nominates judges to the apex court. This was the first time a member of the collegium has spoken out over the stand-off between the collegium and the government on the appointment of judges, said the HT report.

Last week, while the Centre cleared the appointment of Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court, it asked the Collegium to reconsider the recommendation that Justice KM Joseph from the Uttarakhand high court be elevated to the top court. The Collegium had recommended names of both judges together, in the first week of January.

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Mohanlal’s Stephen returns in fearsome form in L2: Empuraan Teaser

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Mohanlal as Stephen Nedumpally in the teaser of L2: Empuraan

The much-anticipated teaser for L2: Empuraan, the second chapter of the planned trilogy directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, has been unveiled, offering a glimpse of a darker, more brutal narrative. Starring Malayalam cinema legend Mohanlal, the film continues the story of Stephen Nedumpally, also known as Khureshi Ab’raam, a character that mesmerized audiences in Lucifer.

The teaser debuted at a grand event attended by the film’s key players, including Mohanlal, Prithviraj, and Mammootty, who released the teaser in style. Clocking in at 143 seconds, the preview immediately sets a grim tone, beginning in Qaraqosh, a war-torn town in Iraq. The atmosphere is tense, underscored by the chilling phrase, “Death to the Evil.”

One of the standout moments in the teaser recalls PK Ramdas (Sachin Khedekar) advising Priyadarshini (Manju Warrier) in the first film: “If one day you feel everything is falling apart and I’m not around, the only person you can turn to is Stephen.” This sentiment reverberates through the teaser as it shifts to Stephen’s iconic black Ambassador car, now layered with dust—an ominous sign of his long absence.

The suspense builds as a voice declares, “He leads the most powerful mercenary group in Asia,” introducing audiences to Stephen’s transformation into a figure commanding immense influence and fear. The teaser’s climactic moments highlight Mohanlal’s commanding return as Khureshi Ab’raam, warning of the perils of dealing with the devil.

Star-Studded Cast and Stellar Crew

Joining Mohanlal in this cinematic spectacle are Manju Warrier, Indrajith Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas, and others reprising their roles from Lucifer. The film also features Saniya Iyappan, Saikumar, Baiju Santhosh, Fazil, and Sachin Khedekar in key roles.

The story, penned by Murali Gopy, is brought to life with the expertise of cinematographer Sujith Vaassudev, editor Akhilesh Mohan, and composer Deepak Dev, whose score amplifies the teaser’s intensity.

As the teaser hints at power struggles, deceit, and vengeance, L2: Empuraan sets the stage for an explosive continuation of this gripping saga, leaving fans eagerly awaiting its release.

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MSBTE Result 2025 declared: Maharashtra diploma winter exam results now available online

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MSBTE Result 2025 announcement for Winter Diploma exams

The Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE) has officially announced the results for the Winter 2024 diploma exams. Students who appeared for these exams, held in December 2024, can now access their results on MSBTE’s official website, msbte.org.in.

To check the MSBTE Winter Exam Result 2025, candidates must have their enrollment or seat numbers ready. The results are accessible via a direct link available on the website.

Steps to check MSBTE 2025 results:

  1. Visit the official MSBTE website: msbte.org.in.
  2. Navigate to the “Examination” section and click on “Winter 2024 Exam Result.”
  3. Enter your enrollment number or seat number in the required fields.
  4. Click on the “Show Result” button to view your marksheet.
  5. Download and save the PDF for future reference.

Details mentioned on the MSBTE Winter Diploma results:

The MSBTE Winter Diploma Marksheet 2025 includes the following information:

  • Student’s name
  • Register number
  • Course name
  • Marks obtained in each subject
  • Subject codes and names
  • Total marks
  • Maximum marks
  • Result status (Pass/Fail)

The announcement is crucial for diploma students across Maharashtra as it determines their academic progress and eligibility for future courses or career opportunities.

Students are advised to verify all details on their marksheets and contact the board in case of discrepancies. For further updates, visit the official MSBTE website.

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JPC clears Waqf Amendment Bill with 14 changes, Opposition cries foul

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The Waqf Amendment Bill is poised for a final vote on January 29 in the Joint Parliamentary Committee. The committee had been tasked with reviewing the bill by November 29, which was then extended to February 13, approved 14 changes to the draft. The 44 amendments proposed by the Opposition were rejected by its chairman BJP MP Jagadambika Pal.

The Opposition had accused the BJP of bias in several sittings of the committee leading to the suspension of several MPs, including Kalyan Banerjee of Trinamool Congress and Asaduddin Owaisi of the AIMIM, both vocal critics of the Bill.

The Opposition MPs had also written to Speaker Om Birla against Pal, saying he was rushing the Bill to gain political mileage ahead of the Delhi Assembly election due to be held on February 5.

Earlier, reports had said Banerjee had broken a glass during a verbal altercation while in deliberations with BJP MP and former Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay.

The Bill aims to reform Waqf Board administration, mandating the inclusion of non-Muslim and women members. The Central Waqf Council’s composition would also change, incorporating a Union minister, MPs, ex-judges, and individuals of national repute, regardless of religious affiliation. Crucially, the Council’s land acquisition powers would be removed. A controversial clause restricts donations to Muslims practicing their faith for at least five years, prompting concerns about religious freedom.

While proponents claim the bill empowers Muslim women and children, critics, including the Congress and the DMK, allege it infringes upon Articles 15 and 30 of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of religion and the right of minorities to administer educational institutions. The final report is expected by January 31.

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