Latest news with #Supremecourt
Hindustan Times
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Turkey's Erdogan rewriting constitution to stay in power? Here's what we know
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently appointed a team of legal experts to draft a new constitution for Turkey. Advocating for a new constitution, the Turkish president stated that the current document stands "outdated" and has "elements of military influence" from the 1980 coup. 'As of yesterday, I have assigned 10 legal experts to begin their work, and with this effort, we will proceed with the preparations for the new constitution,' Erdogan told his ruling party's administrators on Tuesday. 'For 23 years, we have repeatedly demonstrated our sincere intention to crown our democracy with a new civilian and libertarian constitution," the Turkish president added further. Turkey's current constitution was drafted in 1980, following a military coup. It was ratified in 1982 and replaced the version which was enforced in 1961. Over the years, the 1982 version of the constitution has been amended 21 times with key changes to reflect the changing geopolitical contexts. For instance, one of the key changes introduced was after the 2017 constitutional referendum which ended the parliamentary system in Turkey and adopted a presidential one. In the 2017 referendum, the number of parliament seats were also increased and the president's power were expanded to have more control over the appointment of judges in the Supreme court was also increased As per the current constitution, a Turkish president can stay in office for a five-year term and for two consecutive terms. Erdogan has been the leader of Turkey since 2003. While the Turkish leader is on his third term in office, he argues that this latest term is constitutionally valid due to the shift from parliamentary to presidential system. Amid the backlash, Erdogan has also defended the drafting of a new constitution. "We want the new constitution not for ourselves, but for our country. I have no interest in being re-elected or running for office again,' he told reporters on Thursday. Despite this statement, Erdogan's actions have stated otherwise. Earlier this year, Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and Erdogan's key presidential competition was arrested on corruption. Imamoglu and the opposition have denied the charges of corruption, and his arrest has been largely viewed as politically motivated. Erdogan's current term ends in 2028, but many have viewed Imamoglu's arrest as part of the Turkish's president grab for power.
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
YSRCP will continue fight against Waqf Act till it is repealed: MP Avinash
KADAPA: YSRCP MP Y S Avinash Reddy has asserted that the party will continue its fight against the Waqf (Amendment) Act till it is repealed. Speaking at a 'Long March' organised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board in protest against the Act on Sunday, Avinash Reddy said the YSRCP had already filed a petition in the Supreme court challenging it. Addressing a gathering at the Seven Roads Junction in the city, Avinash Reddy pointed out several flaws in the Act. 'We opposed the Waqf Bill both in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. The Union government should understand the sentiments of crores of Muslims, and immediately repeal the unjust Act,' he said. Former Deputy Chief Minister S B Amzath Basha echoed similar views, warning that protests will continue until the Act is repealed. Mayor K Suresh Babu, MLC Ramachandra Reddy, YSRCP district president P Ravindranath Reddy, Congress leader Afzal Khan, and several Muslim leaders spoke. Senior TDP leader V S Amir Babu faced backlash when he attempted to join the protest. Organisers blocked his entry, accusing him of double standards for supporting the Bill in Parliament, while attempting to show solidarity on the streets.
News18
22-04-2025
- Politics
- News18
Nod To Caste Census May Make Karnataka 4th State To Cross Supreme Court's 50% Quota 'Lakshman Rekha'
Last Updated: Karnataka will join the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu and eastern states of Jharkhand and Bihar in crossing the limit set on the extent of reservation by the apex court in the Indira Sawhney case Karnataka is set to become the fourth state in the country to cross the 50 per cent 'Lakshman Rekha' set by the Supreme court for reservations if the caste census report is accepted by the state cabinet. Karnataka will join the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu (69 per cent) and eastern states of Jharkhand (77 per cent) and Bihar (64 per cent) in crossing the limit set on the extent of reservation by the apex court in the Indira Sawhney case. As per the socio-economic-educational survey, popularly known as the caste census conducted by the state backward classes commission, reservation in Karnataka will go up from 49 per cent to nearly 70 per cent if its recommendations are accepted by the state cabinet. One of the major recommendations of the survey report has been that the 32 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (covering all the categories—1A, 1B, 2A, 2B,3A and3B) must be raised to 51 per cent. The report justifies it by stating that the reservation for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes had already been enhanced from 18 to 24 per cent. With this increase, the total percentage of reservation—32 per cent for OBCs and 24 per cent for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes—would go up to 56 per cent. 'In other words, the 'Lakshman Rekha' set by the Supreme court has already been breached. Therefore, the survey report has recommended a higher percentage of reservation for some of the categories," a senior official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told CNN-News18. Ministers belonging to e thtwo communities had taken serious exception to the reduced population at the specially called but inconclusive cabinet meeting on Thursday. The other objection that they had raised was that considerable sections of the population had been left out while conducting the door-to-door survey. This is quite contrary to the contention of chief minister Siddaramaiah and law minister HK Patil that the survey had covered 94.17 per cent of the population as per the 2011 census report. For the longest time, the Vokkaligas were estimated to be 14 per cent of the population, while the Lingayats constituted 17 per cent. But the caste survey report has said Vokkaligas' population was 10.3 per cent, while that of Lingayats was 11 per cent. According to the survey report, the Vokkaligas have a population of 72,99,577. The Lingayats, on the other hand, number 81,37,536 in a population of 5,98,14,942 when the survey was conducted in 2015. The survey was ordered by Siddaramaiah when he was chief minister during his first term—2013-18. The survey report has also moved up the Kurubas, the largest OBC community in the state, to Category 1B from 2A. The Kurubas (to which Siddaramaiah belongs) have been clubbed with smaller backward communities. The total population in this category is listed as 73,92,313. Of this, the Kurubas constitute about 44 lakh. As per the categorisation, Category 1A consists of nomadic and non-nomadic castes, whose number totals to 34,96, 638. In terms of reservation, Category 1A and 1B had been allocated four per cent reservation. But this has been enhanced now to six per cent for 1A and 12 per cent for 1B. However, the report has applied the creamy layer concept for Category 1 and 2 for the first time. The creamy layer norm was already applicable to Category 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B. Similarly, for category 2A that consists of 102 backward castes, the population has been recorded as 77,78,209 lakh. In this category, the percentage of reservation has been reduced from 15 per cent to 10 per cent. In Category 2B, which consists of Muslims with 99 sub-castes, the population has been recorded at 75,25,880 and the percentage of reservation has been enhanced from four per cent to eight per cent. Contrary to the controversy over Muslims getting double the reservation from four to eight per cent, the survey report has also provided a similar increase in the reservation percentage from four per cent to seven per cent for the Vokkaligas, which is the sole community in Category 3A. In the case of the LIngayats in Category 3B, the percentage of reservation has been enhanced from five per cent to eight per cent. If the new category of the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of 10 per cent is added to the overall reservation for OBCs (51 per cent), the total reservation, along with the 24 per cent for SCs and STs, will take reservation to 85 per cent. This means that if the Karnataka cabinet accepts the recommendation in toto, it will have to send its proposal to the Union government which, in turn, will have to amend the 9th schedule of the Constitution to make it possible for states to implement reservation policies in which the number exceeds the 50 per cent mark. Senior minister in the government Ramalinga Reddy said the chief minister has asked the cabinet to give their objections in writing. However, another senior minister on condition of anonymity, said while the reservation slab has been breached long again by other states, it needs to be known as to whether it would stand the test of law in court. News18 India delivers breaking news, top headlines, and live updates on politics, weather, elections, law and crime, much more. Stay informed with real-time coverage and in-depth analysis of current events across India. First Published:
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protest at office of Y-S Congress member
About thirty residents protested in front of Congressman Doug LaMalfa's Yuba City office yesterday around noon, voicing disapproval of recent federal policies. Individuals of varying political parties, ages and ethnicities carried signs with slogans like 'Deport Elon,' 'Hands Off Social Security,' 'Protect the 14th Amendment,' and 'LaMalfa constituents feel ghosted.' They stood at the busy intersection for about two hours. 'LaMalfa's our representative, and he's gonna have to take it,' protester Steven Whitby said. A Republican from Butte County, LaMalfa has represented California's First Congressional District in the House of Representatives since 2013. LaMalfa has consistently aligned himself with President Donald Trump, endorsing him in multiple election cycles and publicly supporting his policies and initiatives. Whitby, an Independent, said he's concerned about Medicare, Social Security, tariffs and immigration. He was especially frustrated with the treatment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man deported from Maryland after living there for 14 years. The Trump administration is keeping Abrego Garcia in an El Salvador prison despite court orders for his release. 'Trump is already breaking our laws, our Constitution,' Whitby said. 'My perception is that [LaMalfa is] just falling along with party lines. He's not really listening to his constituents at all.' For Browns Valley resident David Hutchins, Abrego Garcia's deportation was 'the straw that broke the camel's back,' he said. 'The fact that he was wrongfully deported, the Trump administration admitted he was wrongly deported, and the Supreme court told him, 'bring him back,' and he's still fighting to keep him deported? That's ludicrous,' protester David Hutchins said, adding that LaMalfa is 'big-time' complicit in Trump's policies. Holding a sign picturing LaMalfa's face next to the words 'stop pooping on your residents,' Joyce Smith was protesting to defend her Social Security benefits. At 80 years old, she depends on Social Security, and fears LaMalfa might threaten it. 'Even though he says he's not going to, he seems he's doing his best to get rid of [Social Security] or privatize it,' Smith said. Smith is also concerned about how Trump's anti-diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and cuts to the education department could impact her mixed-race, college-age granddaughters. Standing next to a sign that read '316,000 Residents in this District rely on MEDICAID,' Pat Jones, a Republican, said she never voted for Trump during his elections, and opted for Kamala Harris in 2024. 'How my party ended up with [Trump] is just absolutely beyond my thinking,' Jones said. Jones said it 'irks me to no end' that Republicans in Congress like LaMalfa 'are just sitting back and letting Trump' make significant cuts to the federal government, mentioning the Department of Veterans Affairs. 'How can you claim to be patriotic if you are gonna make life harder for vets?' she said. Yesterday's protest comes on the heels of the nationwide Hands Off Democracy protest on April 5, and precedes another one happening at Highway 99 and 20 Saturday. 'It's not like I'm here because I don't have anything else to do,' Smith said. 'I hope it makes a difference.'
