Parl passes bill to increase number of SC judges

New Delhi: Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill which seeks to increase the number of Supreme Court judges from the present 30 to 33 with a view to reducing pendency of cases.

Moving "The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2019" for consideration and return, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "I would urge the House to consider the Bill".

Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "We have no objection to it...but members of Parliament want to discuss it as we normally do not discuss judiciary...We get chance once in a decade or six months...We would also want to know about the judiciary."

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said it is a Money Bill, to which the Law Minister said he was willing to have a discussion on the judiciary in November. Satish Chandra of BSP urged the government to ensure representation of Schedule Castes in the SC . Leader of the House Thaawarchand Gehlot urged to pass both the SC (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2019 and "The Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019.