Lok Sabha passes SC judges Bill without any discussion, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Lok Sabha passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 on Monday without discussion amidst Opposition protests.
• This Bill increases the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
• The Bill replaces an Ordinance promulgated earlier this year to effect the same increase in judicial strength.
• Two other Bills, the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026 and the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, were also introduced in the Lok Sabha during the disrupted proceedings.

Detailed Insights:

• Opposition members protested police action against students at Jantar Mantar and alleged "chadhawa chori" (theft of offerings) at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
• The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 aims to address the mounting pendency of cases in the apex court.
• The Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026 seeks to replace the Bankers’ Books Evidence Act, 1891, to recognize electronic, digital, virtual, and cloud-based banking records as admissible evidence in courts.
• The Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026 proposes to repeal the Indian Statistical Institute Act, 1959, and incorporate the institution as a statutory body corporate with the President as its Visitor.
• The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) had allotted time for discussions on several bills, but the Judges Bill was passed by voice vote without debate due to continuous disruptions.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Ordinance: A law promulgated by the President when Parliament is not in session, having the same force as an Act of Parliament.
• Voice Vote: A method of voting in legislative bodies where the presiding officer determines the outcome based on the loudness of "ayes" and "nays".
• Statutory Body Corporate: An organization established by a specific Act of Parliament, granting it legal personality and autonomy within its defined mandate.
• Business Advisory Committee (BAC): A parliamentary committee that recommends the allocation of time for various government and other business in the House.