LLP MasterCompendium (1) PDF

eX LLP \ MASTER \oeeianeana p Y: | Learning Program Table of Contents General Elections 2024....ccccccecccsccscsesscessesesesccescsescesescsciseesacecsenecsescasseessecssacsaescasaceseecasscesnecssacieeesarasrecsesenenetes 2 Electoral Bond SCHEME..0.......c.cccccccccceccsceescseeseseesescesseeesessesesseseeseseesesesensesesssseesssesssesecsesacascsesssseeeseescsesacaseaeseeaee 5 Project Nimbus and Strawberry..c.cccccccsccscsccsesesecsescesssescssssescesesestsseescssscesssassesesessesecaesscsecseseeseessseeecsesacaeeaeeeas 7 Citizenship Amendment Rules.i..c.cccccccccceccsecevecsevseeeseseessceescuecseaeseesescessensscescseaeseessseeeseneesesseeseaeesseeeateneaeeneeeereaees 8 Indian Navy Personals in Qatar...ccccccccccsceccssssesesesecseseseseeusescasscueeaesesescesescsessescaesceeaeevseaeceuscaeateeeseeeaeeeecaeaeeneeeaees 9 India—China Border Agreement, Line of Actual Control (LOC), China Renamed Places in Arunachal Pradesh, Chinese Road Construction in Shaksgaim Valley........ccccccccccccccssseeseescesseseesesecuseceeseessenscseseessseeeneseessees 10 Various Organisations Banned under UAPA...ccccccccccesccscsseeseesceeceses cee seussucessessesscuecusessesscsssecssesesesssesesseseseeees 12 Kochi-Lakshadweep Optical Fiber Connection Project........2..:.cccccccceccceccesvsescsssceseeeseceeceeseesssesceseceeeseecseeseeesees 13 Ram Temple, Gyanvapi Mosque Issue, Shahi Idgah & Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple Tata Sons Museum of Temples, BAPS Temple in UAE, Places of Worship ACt..c..ccccccccssccsscseccessceeseesesesceseesescesssescaseseseeseeseseeeseeeeeaeeas 14 Election in Jammu and Kashmir, Constitution (J&K) ST Order (Amendment) Bill, Resolution on removal of AIUICTC 370... eeecececceccsesesesensesescueseusesesscessesesensususcaeaceesaescseseuscscaeacsecaesceesanscscsessesasacsensescaeaceseasieeeessesaceeeseecaseeeesaterees 18 New Criminal LQwss......ccccscscecsscescsesescseesvsesceeecesesceeceesvscsensusescacaceecarsveceecececasisscavaceeaveveceecevscacieeecevaceesanecaeateneeees 20 Household Consumption Expenditure Survey.........ccccccccccccseceesesesceseeseseeseseeseeseseseeseesescecsescesssesevseeseseesceseseeeeses 23 World's Largest Grain Storage PLAI..0.......ccc.ccccececeeccces cscs ceeeses cess ceseeececesceesceseesecsesceeseeseaseseeessiseeeetsescaseseseatecees 24 New Rocket Launchport in Tamil Nadti.....c..ccccccccccccccccccescteesessesesceseeseseescseesesseseseeseesesceesseesensesetseseeseseesesenseneses 24 PM-SURAJ and NAMASTE Scheme.....c.cccccccecssesssssesscseseeseenseeesesceseenesceseceessseasseessesescessserenssseeenssersisesseneeeaeeaes 25 New Electric Vehicle POLICY.....cccccecscsccssssesesesseseseseeeeseseseseususcseseeesaesnsceecsescatisscaeaceesaeevseseceeecaesseseseaeaeanecaeaeeneeeas 26 Delhi Excise Policy CSC...c.cccccccsccecesesevsvseseenseseseseceseseseseuseecaeaceeeaesvscesesescaesescasaceesanevecaeesescaeaseseeseeaeeanecseaseneeees 27 India TB Report 2024...ceccecscscssesscsesesesensvseseseeeseseseceesesesenesescasaceecaeseseescseecaeiescasaceeeaeevseaecenecaeieeeceeaeeesanevaeateneeees 28 India-Russia Annual Summit, Terror Attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, Putin’s Sth term....ccccccccccceccecceee 30 India Semiconductor Mission, Semiconductor Chip Manufacturing Technology, India-US Semiconductor Unit Deal, India Plans $15 Billion for Chipmaking, Israel-Adani $10 Billion Chip Project in India, Semicon India 2024 & ITSI Fund. Union Cabinet approved $11 billion chip fabrication plant in Gujarat...........c:0cccccceee 33 Great Nicobar [slanted Project....c.cccccccccccssesssesceseesecescesssescesceuscssesesaeseceescessaesaeseeeeserssasieceesesssaeaseeceeseeseaseetsees 37 IndiGo places largest-ever order int AViAtiION NiStOFY.....c.ccccecccesceseseeeeeseseseneueescsesceeeaeecseseteeseaesseseaeaceeeceecseatenteees 39 Tran-Pakiistan COnflict...0..cccccccccccccccccesccscseccsesesecsescessssscsesaesaescesescasscsecsessesssaceseseesessesceceescsessssceseeseseneseneeseeees 41 Various CYCLONES...ccccceeceseseseeseseseseseveuseseussesesteceeceescsesenscscseeesansceceeesescaeseescecseaeacessacaeseecaesceeeenssateescasaneteeeaeaesenees 43 Bihar and AP Demand for Special Category Status.......cccccccccccccccesceseceescceesenseseseeseesesceeseesenseseeeseeseseescsenseneees 45 Nalanda University.......c.cccccccccccccccecesescescsesceceseseeceeceesescsceessescasececacscscescecscesiescesscsesacsceceeceescasseescessceeeeeceeeeeeesees 46 Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant........cccceccsesceseveseesesvseseeevsescaeseeseseceecesescaeiescaesceceaeevscsecseseaeseesessecaeeanecseasenereas 48 Indli-Mal dives ROW.......ccccscccecssesecseseseseusvsesesenseseseseccesesesesensescaesceteaesescsscscscasiescasaceeanevecaeesuecaeiseseenacaeaeesaeaseneeees 49 India-Canada Relations.....c.cceccccccccecssesevevsesevesseseseseceesesesesensescassceeaesnsceeeseecaesescataceeeaeevecieceescaeateseeeacaeanevaeateneeeas 51 Anti-Reservation Protest in Bangladesh..........c.ccccccceccecccsesevsesescessesescueesessesessesesscosescsessesecaevevseeseeseseeecsssseaeeseaeens 52 TOth BRICS Summit -.........cccccccccceccccccecscesceescesscesecesecescessessessecessesseessesseesseesserseesseesessssesscesscessesssessesssesseeseesstensevses 56 —— eee Taiwan Earthquake and Pacific Ring of Fire, New President of Taiwan, China Taiwan Conflict............0.0.....- 57 Israel conflict with Palestine-Hamas-Hazbollah-Iran, Axis of Resistance, Israel Air Defence Systems, Operation AJAY o...ccccccccccccccccccesceeeccecesesscesseceseessesscesseesecscesscessenacenecesecesccsscessceasenscessceseeeseeeeeseesseeeeeseenscesseeseeeees 59 BIMSTEC Charter Came into FOrCE...c.cccceccscscssesesseseseseseeevsescsesceseseseecesescaeseescatsceeeaeecacseceescaeitescseaceeanecseaseneeeas 64 India Al mission, European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, Global Partnership of Artificial Intelligence (GPAL), Scarlett Johansson vs OpenAl case, ChatGPT 40, Google genie and gemini. First Legally Binding InternationalAD Treaty..c.ccccccccccccccseccesccsssesecsessesessescesscssscsesaesaescssescassesseeescesssaceseseesessescsesseescaeessscesseeeseteseeecseeaes 65 Path to Peace Summit & PM Ukraine ViSit..c..c.cccccccccccccccccccsesessesesceseeseseescseeseseseseesensescessssesenseseeesenssseeseenseneses 69 Surge i Global Gold Prices..c..ccccccccccccsscesecsessevseseeceescessessssscsessesecussseessessesssseeseessesecseecsescesscasseeseeesseeceeneeseeseens 70 Gaganyaan Astronauts Shortlisted for Axiom-4 Mission.........cccccccccccceccesccsesseeseccesceses cess cesssessessesscscesensesseeeees 72 POSASUS SPVWAPE 0..ccccccesseecseeeseeseeseeesetececsscesecanecsecesecesecsnecaeecaecaeceneceaeseseccsssesseseeaeseaeesaceneeeeeseesesineseneeseeenseteeas 74 Bilkis Bano Case and Remission..........cc.ccsccsecesessssseescseseeseneeseseeseseesvesescesseeesseeeseseesseseesesssesensesenevasersieersetereneeaes 75 PV Narasimha RaO ASC..ceccececcsscecssesesevsesceseeseseseceesesesesensescaeaceesaesescesessscaeiescasaceeaeeveeaeesescaesseseseeeeeatecaeaseneseas 76 Landslides in Wayaind.......c.c.ccccccccccecsesccsssenscseeseseeseseeesesesesesaesseseesesecsvseeseescsesseaeeseseesesescessesscaessesevsvessseeeseeeseeeeses 77 Amendments in Wagt Act L995...ccccccccccccccsesessesescesecsescsecsenssscseseuessesecuessesscaessesesessesesesaeaecaecesecseseeseacseeecseeaeaeees 79 Uniform Civil COde..ccccccccccccesceesecssssessesessecsessesscsessseseessessesesssessesscseessessessessssesssessesscseesseseessesesseseeseeseesecseeseeseens 80 Hema Committee REPOre.....cccccccccccccceeceeescesceeseeecesecesecesecseceseceeeaeecaeseseccessessseseeeatecaeesaceneeereeasenseseneseeeeasenesenteeas 81 Sub-Classification of SCS Gn STS....ccccccccccccscessescesecsesseseecesesesaeseceecesesessscseseeseesaesecseseeeseeaceeseeeeessaseeceeseeseeearens 82 Astronauts Stuck it ISS...ccccccecececceccsesscetseseseseeseecsesceeuecscscseseaescecsecsescaeseesceeseaesansceesenseecaeaseeeeessaeeeecaneseneeeenseaenees 83 D3rd Law Commission Formed......c.cccccceccscesesecsseeeesessenseseseseesescsescecscescseseesessaeeeeeseseaesenseseseeeesseseeeeeeeecaeeceeeateeees 85 BioE3 Policy & Vigyears DRG ooceecccccsccsccsescssesesecsescesssesessssescessscescssscssesescesscaseseseesesescesseesceessseeseeeesenecseneeeeaes 86 Tripura Peace PaCte..cccccccccccccccccceccsscessesscesscessessecssecssssssssessecesesssesseesseessensecsseessenseesscesecesecsseesesseecesscesseeseeneenies 87 Cabinet Approved Simultaneous Elections.............ccccccecccccseeseesceseeses ces scessssessesseuecuesesescesecussesessesesceceeesseecsecees 8&9 India Won Gold at Chess Olympiad.....c..cccccccccscccscscesscseseessseesessecescesesesesessesscaseseseseseescuesseescseestsceseesesenesseneeseeaes 91 Global Hunger Index 2024 co. cecccccccceccecccsessesseesceevesescesscssscessesaesecsesecssaesecescessaesacseceesesesaeaeceseessasaseeceeseeseaeeeesees 92 SpaceX 's Mechazilla...cccccccccccccccsccsescseisessesscsescssssesecaescseusesesscuessesecsesacsecsesesssecsesecsesacseesescessesseecseeasseeseeeeeeeesees 93 UN Sunamit of the Future... cccccccccccccccscessesecseecesecusecseseessesecsesseescesscsesesseessessssessesscesecseeseeseessceseessessseseceseeeseeasens 94 Oth QUAD Summit 2024 oo.ceccccccccccccecccssvessvsesesecssecsescsesevsssessvecsescsessvsvscaesevesssassesevecssaessvecassesesssscsesevevssaeeseeseatsesees 96 RAGAN TOU eee ceeccecccccceeeeccesecsesceneceeceseseesscascesccessacsececeessecseasceecesesasaeceseesseesseceescesaesecescessesisenscnsseeseestecesseeesees 98 Paralympics Games 2024 ooccccccccccccccccccsssesssscesscsescesecusssssssessesscsscsessesecsescsessesseuscsecseaseaecsesesessesseseseesenaeneeteseeens 101 Flamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh Killed........ccccccccccescsescesccsesseesescescesescesecsseceseeseseseeseseaeseceeseseieeesseseeesnesnaseeeeeeeeens 104 The Nobel Prize in Physics 2024...cccccccccccssscssesesscsescessceeseesesesceseseseescseescsecsenssaesesseeseseecuesseseaeeseseeseeseseeeseeeeaees 104 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024....cccccccccccssccsssssesessesesceseesestesecesseaceceseesesescscseeseseeseseeseeeeseeseeeeeaees 105 Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024...cccccccccsscsesccsessecsescesssescesssescessesesceseseesesecsesssacsceaeessseescesseseaeeseseeseeeeseeeeeeeeaees 106 Nobel Prize in ECONOMICS 2024...ccccccccccccccccsesssecsescesscsesenscseseseeseseeseeseseseseseseessseessesssceeseeseaessetecseeessenseeneenees 107 Nobel Prize in Literature 2024 oo.c.ccccccccccccccccccecssecsescesscseseescseseseeseseesesesesesenseaseseseessnsesceseseesesecseseeseeseseeseeneenees 108 Nobel Peace Prize 2024 o.ccccccccccccccccccccsccccescccccesecccvcssccessessceececccsssececessscessassesecsssecevssececcsecccessesecsseececssecesseece 108 Notes on MIT For the following topics notes have already been uploaded on the main channel of LLP: @llpclat e India-China Border Agreement e Maratha Reservation Bill e Northern Ireland Conflict, Good Friday Agreement, Windsor Framework, Brexit e Olympics 2024 ae2, The 2024 General Elections in India concluded with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) securing 293 out of the 543 seats (42.5% votes) in the Lok Sabha, thus forming the government once again. The BJP itself won 240 seats (36.56% votes), a decrease from its previous tally of 303 in the 2019 elections. The main opposition, the Indian National Congress (19.49%), and its Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) won 234 seats (40.6% votes). Within this alliance, the INC secured 99 seats, Key regional parties that contributed to the overall seat distribution included the Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav (37 seats), All India Trinamool Congress (29 seats), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (22 seats), and the Telugu Desam Party (16 seats), among others. Simultaneously elections were also held in Andra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh. Odisha and Sikkim. The BJP won the Assembly elections in Odisha with 78 seats, while the incumbent BJD could only secure 51 seats. The 24-year-long tenure of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik come to an end. The halfway mark for forming the government is 74 in 147-member Odisha Legislative Assembly. In Andra Pradesh, NDA popularly referred as Kutami, led by the Telugu Desam Party won the election ina landslide, winning 164 of the 175 seats. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) won 135 out of 144 contested seats, while the Jana Sena Party (JSP) won all the 21 seats it contested with and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 8 out of 10 contested seats. The incumbent YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) only won 11 seats. N. Chandrababu Naidu is all set to be sworn as the 18" CM of AP. In Sikkim, incumbent CM Prem Singh Tamang scored a second term as his party the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) registered a mammoth victory by winning 31 out of 32 assembly seats. The main opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) won one seat. BJP and Congress contested on 31 and 12 seats, respectively. The two leading parties covered all the seats, giving no space to national parties like BJP and Congress in the state once again. The state of Arunachal Pradesh, comprised of 60 Legislative Assembly seats. The incumbent state government of BJP retained their government and won 46 seats in the 2024 elections, which is 5 more than their numbers in 2019. The National People’s Party secured the second position with 5 seats, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) got 3, the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) got 2, the Indian National Congress got just 1. Other were claimed by Independent candidates. Incumbent, Pema Khandu will continue as CM. —— eee Modi’s Third Term The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Narendra Modi has returned to power for a historic third Do, straight term at the Centre. For the first time since 1962, a government has returned for a third term after completing two consecutive terms spanning a decade. *» However, the result signifies the end of single-party dominance and heralds the return of a true coalition government at the Centre. e NDA coalition comprises of 38 parties notable of which are, BUP, Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] led by Nitish Kumar, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led by Chandrababu Naidu, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) by Chirag Paswan, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) by Jayant Chaudhary, National People's Party (NPP) by Conrad Sangma, Jana Sena Party by Pawan Kalyan, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction). Only two out of these, BJP and NPP are recognised as National Parties. The NDA has lost a few allies, such as the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu and, the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) in Haryana, and the Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA) in Manipur. e Modi contested from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat and won by a margin of 1.5 lakh votes. “+ Coalition government is defined as when several political parties join hands to form a government and exercise political power based on a common agreed programme. e Majority mark to form government is 272 Seats in Lok Sabha. Recommendations of Commissions on Coalition: Punchhi Commission Recommendation: The Punchhi ye, Commission established clear rules for how Governors should handle appointing Chief Ministers in hung assemblies. These guidelines hold true for President as well: e Incase no party or pre-poll coalition has a clear majority, Governor should select the Chief Minister in the order preference indicated here. The group of parties which had pre-poll alliance commanding the largest number eeoeee The largest single party staking a claim to form the government with the support of others A post-electoral coalition with all partners joining the government A post-electoral alliance with some parties joining the government and the remaining including independents supporting the government from outside The Sarkaria Commission had found that problems in Indian federalism came from a lack of Do+, consultation and dialogue between the Centre and states. Other Development in 2024 General Election Women: India has elected 74 women MPs to Lok Sabha in the 2024 general election four less than in 2019 Do, and 52 more than in India’s first elections in 1952. * These 74 women make just 13.63% of the elected strength of the Lower House compared to 46% of MPs in South Africa, 35% in the UK, and 29% in the US. e Indira Gandhi has been India’s first and only woman Prime Minister. e Trinamool Congress will send the highest percentage of women to Lok Sabha (37.9%). NOTA: In Indore the “None Of The Above” (NOTA) received more than 2 lakh votes. This is the highest-ever ye*, NOTA number for any Lok Sabha constituency ever. e The NOTA option was introduced for the first time in the general elections in 2014. * NOTA has no legal consequence attached to it as even if the highest number of votes in a seat are polled for NOTA, the second most successful candidate wins. “+ In Haryana, NOTA has been treated as a fictional candidate. * This election saw some of the youngest candidates becoming Members of Parliament at the tender age of 25 years. Pushpendra Saroj and Priya Saroj from the Samajwadi Party (SP), Shambhavi Choudhary from Lok Janshakti Party (RV), and Sanjana Jatav from Indian National Congress (INC) are the four candidates who managed to clinch victory at the age of 25 years. DMK candidate TR Balu won Sriperumpudur constituency of Tamil Nadu state consecutively for the third ye, time at the age of 82 years. With this he became the oldest candidates to be elected in this Lok Sabha Election. “+ The average age of the 18th Lok Sabha is 56 years, which is lower than 59 which was the average age of the 17th Lok Sabha. * Priyanka Jarkiholi contested from the Chikkodi seat of Karnataka on the ticket of Indian National Congress won the elections and become the first tribal women to win on a general category parliament seat. —— eee “ The party with the second highest number of seats and not a part of the government can nominate its +, leader as the leader of opposition. The minimum number of seats required for a party to be eligible to nominate opposition leader is 55 (10% of the total seats) in case of Lok Sabha. e Incumbent: Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha and Mallikarjun Kharge in Rajya Sabha. e Inaugural Holders: Ram Subhag Singh (LS) and Shyam Nandan Prasad Mishra (RS). “+ Shankar Lakhwani registered the highest margin in this Lok Sabha election with a margin of 11.72 lakh votes in Indore when he beat NOTA. The INC candidate dropped out and joined the BJP. *» Shiv Sena (SS) candidate Ravindra Dattaram Waikar won the closest victory of the 2024 battle when he edged out his SS(UBT) rival by 48 votes in North-West Mumbai. «+ BJP won at least one Lok Sabha seat in every state of India except for Tamil Nadu in the 2024 Lok Sabha Election. “» Two individuals, in jail for terror charges, have won their seats. In Punjab, Amritpal Singh won from Khadoor Sahib. In Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Abdul ‘Engineer’ Rashid, also beat his closest rival. “+ Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, an Independent candidate, won in Faridkot. His father Beant Singh was one of the bodyguards who killed Indira Gandhi in 1984. *» Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) & National People’s Party (NPP) are the only two national parties which did not win a single seat. e Currently there are 6 national parties in India: BJP, INC, Communist party of India (Marxist), AAP, Bahujan Samaj Party and NPP. “+ Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, the TDP candidate from Guntur will become the richest Lok Sabha MP with an asset of Rs 5700 crore. Jyotirmay Singh Mahato from Bengal (BJP) at with assets worth Rs 5 lakh was the poorest candidate. “+ Some actors who will be seen in the 18th Lok Sabha include Kangana Ranaut, Arun Govi, Hema Malini, Shatrughan Sinha, Manoj Tiwari, Ravi Kishan, Suresh Gopi, Deepak ‘Dev’ Adhikari, Rachana Banerjee and June Malia. The only time a single party has managed 400 paar was in 1984 when Rajiv Gandhi won 414 seats. +< BJP's Lallu Singh lost the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, by over 50,000 votes to SP's Awadhesh ye*, Prasad which includes Ayodhya where the Ram Mandir is situated. e After 20 years, Congress won the Allahabad Lok Sabha constituency again. The grand old party's last MP from Allahabad was Amitabh Bachchan. Lok Sabha (The House of the People) “> Article 81 of the Indian Constitution outlines the composition of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament. * Article 81 also mandates that the number of Lok Sabha seats allotted to a state would be such that the ratio between that number and the population of the state is, as far as possible, the same for all states. This is to ensure that every state is equally represented. However, this logic does not apply to small states whose population is not more than 60 lakh. *» tis the Lower House (First Chamber or Popular House and it represents the people of India as a whole. “+ The maximum strength of the Lok Sabha is fixed at 550 out of which 530 members are to be the representatives of the states and 20 of the UTs. “+ The current strength of Lok Sabha is 543, out of which 530 members represent the states and 13 represent the UTs. o The first House constituted in 1952 had 497 seats and the second Lok Sabha elected in 1957 had 503 members. *» Earlier, the President also nominated two members from the Anglo-Indian community, but by the 95" Amendment Act, 2009, this provision was valid till 2020 only. “+ This number has remained unchanged since the 1971 census due to a freeze on the reallocation of seats until the first census after 2026. “+ The 42nd Amendment Act (1976) introduced a freeze on the reallocation of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies until the year 2000. “» This was extended by the 84th Amendment Act (2001) until the first census after 2026. “+ The primary reason for the freeze was to ensure that states that had implemented family planning programs effectively were not penalized by a reduction in their number of seats. —— eee “+ The representatives of states are directly elected by the people from the territorial constituencies in the states. By the Union Territories (Direct Election to the House of the People) Act, 1965, the members of Lok Sabha from the UTs are chosen by direct election. “+ One of the most important functions of the Lok Sabha is to select the executive, a group of persons who work together to implement the laws made by the Parliament. “* Powers: Decisions in Joint Sitting: Any ordinary law needs to be passed by both the Houses. However, in case of any difference between the two Houses, the final decision is taken by calling a joint session of both the Houses. Due to a larger strength, the view of the Lok Sabha is likely to prevail in such a meeting. “* Power in Money Matters: Lok Sabha exercises more powers in money matters. Once the Lok Sabha passes the budget of the government or any other money related law, the Rajya Sabha cannot reject it. «The Rajya Sabha can only delay it by 14 days or suggest changes in it, however, the former may or may not accept these changes. “+ Power over Council of Ministers: The Lok Sabha controls the Council of Ministers. If the majority of the Lok Sabha members say they have ‘no confidence’ in the Council of Ministers, all ministers including the Prime Minister, have to quit. Qualifications: S/He should be not less than 25 years of age. +fe S/He should declare through an oath or affirmation that s/he has true faith and allegiance in the ye, Constitution and that a/he will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India. *» S/He must possess such other qualifications as may be laid down by the Parliament by law and must be registered as a voter in any constituency in India. “+ Person contesting from the reserved seat should belong to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe as the case may be. “+ Must not be convicted by the court with imprisonment of Two or more years “+ Disqualifications: On Constitutional Grounds: o If s/he holds any office of profit under the Union or state government (except that of a minister or any other office exempted by Parliament). If s/he is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a court. oo0o0°0 If s/he is an undischarged insolvent. If s/he is not (or not anymore) a citizen of India. If s/he is disqualified under any law made by Parliament. On Statutory Grounds (Representation of People Act, 1951): ye, o Found guilty of certain election offences/corrupt practices in the elections. o Convicted for any offence resulting in imprisonment for two or more years (detention under a preventive detention law is not a disqualification). o Has been dismissed from government service for corruption or disloyalty to the State. o Convicted for promoting enmity between different groups or for the offence of bribery. o Punished for preaching and practising social crimes such as untouchability, dowry and sati. “+ Tenure: Lok Sabha: The normal term of Lok Sabha is five years. But the President, on the advice of the Council of Ministers, may dissolve it before the expiry of five years. In the case of national emergency, its term can be extended for one year at a time. But it will not exceed six months after the emergency is over. “+ Tenure: The presiding officer of Lok Sabha is known as Speaker. S/He remains the Speaker even after Lok Sabha is dissolved till the next House elects a new Speaker in her/his place. o Ganesh Mavlankar (Dada Saheb) was the first speaker of the Lok Sabha. He is considered as the father of Lok Sabha. o Inthe 17th Lok Sabha, Om Birla was the Speaker. o M.A. Ayyangar was the first deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha. * In the speaker's absence, a Deputy Speaker (elected by the House) presides over the meetings. “+ The Supreme Court(SC) struck down the electoral bonds scheme that allows anonymous donations to political parties, citing it as unconstitutional. “+ The Supreme Court gave this judgment in the case of Association for Democratic Reforms & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors. *» SC asserted that transparency regarding funding to political parties is crucial for informed electoral decisions, affirming that the scheme infringes upon the right to information as enshrined in Article 19(1)(a). —— eee * Background: The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Common Cause and the Communist Party of at India (Marxist) filed petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the aforesaid amendments. * On 16" October 2023, the petitioners approached the Supreme Court to hear the case of Electoral Bond Scheme prior to the 2024 General Elections. *» A Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y Chandrachud, with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra referred noting the importance of the issue and referred the case to a five-judge Constitution Bench. * On 31% October 2023, a five-judge Constitution Bench led by CJI D.Y Chandrachud, with Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B.R. Gavai, J.B. Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra heard arguments over three days “» The Supreme Court is deciding whether the current electoral bonds scheme facilitates anonymous corporate funding to political parties and whether it was wrongly certified as a Finance Act. The Court's decision will affect transparency in election funding. About Electoral Bonds “+ The electoral bonds system was introduced in 2017 by way of a Finance bill and it was implemented in 2018. “+ They serve as a means for individuals and entities to make donations to registered political parties while maintaining donor anonymity. «> Features: State Bank of India (SBI) issues the bonds in denominations of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, and Rs 1 crore. e Payable to the bearer on demand and interest-free. e Purchased by Indian citizens or entities established in India. e Can be bought individually or jointly with other individuals. e Valid for 15 calendar days from the date of issue. Authorized Issuer: SBI is the authorized issuer. Electoral Bonds are issued through designated SBI ye+, branches. “> Eligibility of Political Parties: Only the political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and have secured not less than 1% of the votes polled in the last general election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly, are eligible to receive electoral bonds. Purchase and Encashment: Electoral Bonds can be purchased digitally or through cheques. yeaM Encashment only through an authorized bank account of the political party. yeoe Transparency and Accountability: Parties must disclose their bank account with the Election Commission +fe of India (ECI). e Donations are made through banking channels, ensuring transparency. e Political parties are obligated to explain the utilization of the funds received. Benefits: Enhanced transparency in political party funding. Do+, e Accountability in disclosing donation utilization. eDiscouragement of cash transactions. ePreservation of donor anonymity. “In 2018, when the Electoral Bond Scheme was introduced, these bonds were made available for a period of 10 days each in January, April, July and October, as may be specified by the central government. “+ An additional period of 30 days was to be specified by the Central Government in the year of the General election to the House of People. “» The Electoral Bonds shall be valid for 15 calendar days from the date of issue and no payment shall be made to any payee Political Party if the Electoral Bond is deposited after expiry of the validity period. *» Amended Additional Period of 15 Days: Introduced a new para, stating that an additional period of 15 days shall be specified by the Central Government in the year of general elections to the Legislative Assembly of States and Union territories with Legislature. “+ Through an amendment to the Finance Act 2017, the Union government has exempted political parties from disclosing donations received through electoral bonds. *» EClhas set limits for a candidate of a political party (but not on the party) on how much they can spend in an election. “* For the Lok Sabha elections, the expenditure limit is #95 lakhs in large states and 75 lakhs in smaller states and union territories. “+ Individuals contesting an MLA election in large states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab could spend up to %40 lakhs on their election campaign. In smaller states like Goa and Manipur, their electoral expenditure can be = 28 lakhs (earlier limit was $28 lakh and #20 Lakhs). —— eee “+ Candidates for election to Lok Sabha must pay a security deposit of 25,000. For state assembly elections the amount is 10,000. «» Any candidate who fails to secure more than one-sixth (16.6%) of the total valid votes cast in a first-past- the-post voting system would lose his security Deposit. *» We had our first general elections in 1951-52 “+ In arecent released report, the ADR went into detail on which parties received the most amount of funds through the scheme, who donated the fuds and from where. “+ The total donation received declared by the national parties for FY 2022-23 was Rs. 850.5 Crore from 12,167 donations. * A total of 7719.8 crore from 7,945 donations was declared by the BJP followed by =79.9 crore from 894 donations declared by the congress. *+ The donations declared by the BJP are more than five times the aggregate declared by Congress, AAP, NPEP and CPI(M) for the same period. “» BSP declared that the party did not receive any donations above Rs 20,000 during FY 2022-23, as it has been declaring for the past 17 years. *» Segregation of donations according to state was made by ADR based on the addresses provided by the parties in their donations report to the Election Commission. * Top 5 states which contributed to National Parties (FY 2022-23): 1. Delhi, 2. Gujarat, 3. Maharashtra, 4. Karnataka and 5. West Bengal. * A total of 3,318 donations to the national parties were made by corporate/business sectors amounting to Rs 680.49 crore (80% of total donations) while 8,567 individual donors donated Rs 166.62 crore (19.592% of total donations) to the parties during FY 2022-23. In April, Google terminated 20 more employees protesting against Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion defence ue+, contract between Google and Israel. “+ About: It is a contract signed in 2021 under which Google and Amazon will provide Israel with cloud computing and artificial intelligence (Al) services. The contract allows Israel to have its own “landing zone” into Google Cloud where it can store and process data, and access Al services safely. The Project is designed to be a self-contained ecosystem with its data centers located within Israel, Do+, governed by the highest security standards. It will offer unparalleled efficiency and security, allowing Israel's military and government to tap into cloud services without the vulnerabilities that come with external dependencies. “+ Protest: Google employees are staging protests because Google is the provider of this technology to Israel. There are concerns that Israel can use it to increase surveillance of and unlawful data collection on Palestinians, thus violating their right to privacy and freedom of expression. “+ Israel can also use this technology to facilitate the ongoing expansion of its illegal settlements on Palestinian land (in West Bank). There have also been multiple reports of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) using Al to attack and fire at targets in Gaza. Google's Response: Google has clarified that this project is for workloads running on their commercial ye*, platform by Israeli government ministries such as finance, healthcare, transportation, and education and is not directed at highly sensitive or classified military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services. Project Strawberry “+ OpenAl is expected to release its most advanced Al model, codenamed Project Strawberry, between September and November 2024. This model might be integrated into the upcoming ChatGPT-5, the new version of OpenAl's chatbot. +te Project Strawberry (Previously Project Q* (Q-star)) is aimed at creating Artificial General Intelligence Do, (AGI) i.e., Al with cognitive abilities similar to the human brain. “+ Features and Capabilities: It has shown capabilities in solving complex puzzles and performing advanced cognitive tasks. It is reported to handle mathematical problems more effectively than its predecessors. +te +te It is expected to have the capability to perform autonomous research online. It will play a crucial role in generating high-quality synthetic data for future models, particularly Project ye+, Orion. “+ Project Orion is being designed to outperform GPT-A4. It could use a combination of Project Strawberry and high-quality synthetic data that would likely reduce errors and hallucinations compared to its predecessors and other Al models. * The Indian government notified the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, paving the way for its implementation after over 4 years since its passage by Parliament in December 2019. * The CAA, 2019 is an Indian legislation that provides a path to Indian citizenship for migrants belonging to six religious minorities: Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. * Historical Context: The government has previously taken steps to address the plight of refugees, including amendments to the Citizenship Rules in 2004 and notifications in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018. “> CAA Rules 2024: The application process for citizenship under CAA has been made under Section 6B of the Citizenship Act, 1955. Applicants need to prove their country of origin, religion, date of entry into India, and knowledge of an Indian language to qualify for Indian citizenship. “+ Proof of Country of Origin: Relaxed requirements allow various documents, including birth or educational certificates, identity documents, licenses, land records, or any document proving previous citizenship of the mentioned countries. A local priest may issue an “eligibility certificate” under the CAA Act, 2019 to validate the religion of an applicant Date of Entry into India: Applicants can provide 20 different documents as proof of entry into India, Do+, including visas, residential permits, census slips, driving licenses, Aadhaar cards, ration cards, government or court letters, birth certificates, and more. Mechanism for Implementation of Rules: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has assigned the task of ye*, processing citizenship applications under the CAA to the Postal department and Census officials under the Union government. Background and security checks will be conducted by Central security agencies like the Intelligence Bureau oe+, (IB). Final decisions on applications will be made by empowered committees led by the Director (Census Operations) in each State. These committees will include officials from various departments, including the Intelligence Bureau, Post ye+, Master General, State or National Informatics Centre, and representatives from the State government's Department of Home and Divisional Railway Manager. District-level committees, headed by the Superintendent of the Department of Post, will sift through ye*, applications, with a representative from the District Collector's office as an invitee. Processing of Applications: The Empowered Committee and District Level Committee (DLC), instituted by Do+, the Centre, will process citizenship applications, bypassing state control. “+ DLC will receive applications, and the final decision will be made by the Empowered Committee, headed by the Director (Census Operations). Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 “+ Citizenship in India: Citizenship is the legal status and relationship between an individual and a state that entails specific rights and duties. Citizenship in India is listed in the Union List under the Constitution and thus is under the exclusive ye*, jurisdiction of Parliament. The Constitution of India, on 26th January, 1950, established categories of people eligible for Indian Do+, citizenship. * Parliament enacted the Citizenship Act, 1955. The Act specifies that citizenship may be acquired in India through five methods: by birth in India, by descent, through registration (A person of Indian origin residing in India for 7 years), by naturalisation (extended residence in India), and by incorporation of territory into India. “> Children born in India to ambassadors are not eligible for Indian citizenship based solely on their birth in the country. “* About: The Citizenship Act, 1955 was amended in 2019 to grant citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. “+ Under the amendment, migrants who entered India on 31%t December 2014, and had suffered “religious persecution or fear or religious persecution" in their country of origin would be made eligible for accelerated citizenship. —— eee “+ It exempts the members of the six communities from any criminal case under Foreigners Act, 1946 and Passport Act, 1920 which specify punishment for entering the country illegally and staying on expired visas and permits. “+ Relaxations: Under the Citizenship Act, 1935, one of the requirements for citizenship by naturalization is that the applicant must have resided in India during the last 12 months, as well as for 11 of the previous 14 years. * The 2019 amendment relaxes the second requirement from 11 years to 6 years as a specific condition for applicants belonging to these six religions, and the aforementioned three countries. “+ Exemptions: CAA will not apply to regions mentioned under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which include Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. *» Additionally, areas covered by the Inner Line Permit system (ILP) are also exempt from the CAA. e The concept of Inner Line separates the tribal-majority hills of the Northeast from the plains areas. To enter and stay in these areas, an Inner Line Permit (ILP) is needed. Currently, Inner Line Permit regulates visit of all persons, including Indian citizens, to Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland. *» Concerns Related to the CAA, 2019: The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019 has raised various concerns, primarily regarding its constitutional implications and potential for disenfranchisement. Critics argue that the provision granting citizenship based on religion violates Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law. The linkage of the CAA with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) also raises fears of disenfranchising citizens unable to provide documentation. Specific concerns in Assam revolve around potential conflicts with the Assam Accord of 1985, which established citizenship criteria. Additionally, the focus on religion for citizenship eligibility raises broader questions about secularism and social cohesion, with critics highlighting the exclusion of certain religious communities from the CAA's provisions. Note: The Matua community of West Bengal (Hindu refugees from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) , have oe+, welcomed the CAA rules. The notification coincides with the birth anniversary of Harichand Thakur, a founder of the Matua sect, born in 1812 in present-day Bangladesh. “+ Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Asaduddin Owaisi, Jairam Ramesh, Ramesh Chennithala, and Mahua Moitra, and political organisations such as the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), National People’s Party (Assam), Muslim Students’ Federation (Assam), and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have challenged the CAA act in the Supreme Court. “In October 2022, a Bench comprising then Chief Justice of India U U Lalit and Justices Ravindra Bhat and Hima Kohli passed an order stating that final hearings would begin in December 2022 after CJI Lalit’s retirement. However, the case has not been heard since. * Apart from the equality argument, part of the challenge to the CAA also rests on the fate of Section 6A of The Citizenship Act, 1955, which too is under challenge before the SC. “+ In December 2023, a five-judge Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud reserved its verdict on the validity of Section 6A, which was introduced in the Citizenship Act after the signing of the Assam Accord between the Centre and the leaders of the Assam movement in August 1985. * Qatar has released the eight Indian Navy veterans that were jailed on the charges of spying. “+ The individuals were arrested in August 2022 and faced charges related to breaching sensitive secrets. “+ Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Sailor Ragesh were arrested. ** Commander Purnendu Tiwari (retd), the managing director of the firm. He received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award in 2019 from the then President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. *» Charges were also framed against two Qatari nationals, one of whom is Khamis al-Ajmi, CEO of Dahra Global. Al-Ajmi was kept in solitary confinement for a period of two months starting in October 2022 until he was granted bail. An Omani national, who had also been detained, was released just before the beginning of the FIFA Football World Cup. The Indian government and family of the navy officers hired the legal firm ‘Office of Majid Al Hajri’ to fight Do+, their case but later replaced them with the law firm of ‘Ahmad Ali Al Hal’. This happened after emerged that the previous law firm was showing ‘incompetency’ in representing the interest of the Indian Nationals. —— eee “+ Background: The company, Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, for whom the eight Indians worked, described itself as a "local business partner" of Qatar's governmental agencies including defence. “In 2020, Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Fincantieri an Italian shipbuilding firm to build submarines. The project also involved the maintenance of Qatar's naval fleet and construction of a naval base. However, the MoU was reportedly not implemented. As of May 2023, the Fincantieri company had no existing contracts for submarines with Qatar. However, based on a 2016 agreement with the Qatar's Ministry of Defence, work on finishing seven surface vessels — including four corvettes, two patrol vessels and one amphibious vessel was in progress. * Qatar is reportedly seeking a smaller variety of the U212 Near Future submarine, a submarine project in Italy built with a German firm Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft's cooperation. “* Background of the Case Accusations: The accused individuals, while employed by Al Dahra in Doha, were allegedly accused of breaching sensitive secrets at the time of their arrest in 2022 in Qatar. *» Dahra Global Technologies and Consultant Services, the company they worked for, was also linked to the production of advanced Italian-origin submarines known for their stealth capabilities. “+ However the specific charges against the eight Indian nationals have not been made public by Qatari authorities. “+ Previous Trials: The case has seen two trials in March and June of 2023. While the detainees were granted consular access on multiple occasions, both Indian and Qatari authorities have maintained a veil of secrecy around the case, citing its sensitivity. “+ India's Reaction: India has expressed deep shock and concern over the death sentences imposed on its citizens and is exploring all possible legal options to secure their release. “+ The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has conveyed the high importance attached to this case and reiterated its commitment to providing consular and legal assistance to the detained individuals. * Affect on India-Qatar Relation: The case in Qatar tests India’s ties with the tiny but powerful Gulf state with whom it has tried to build friendly ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Qatar in June 2016. Earlier, in March 2015, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, paid a State Visit to India. Considering Qatar’s heft in international diplomacy — from hosting the Taliban’s global mission in Doha to Do, its current role in securing the release of US hostages from the captivity of Hamas — Delhi will be working the levers with the Qatari establishment. The remittances which the Indian expatriate community in Qatar send to India are estimated to be around ye, 750 million dollar per annum. *» Qatar is a significant supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India, accounting for a substantial portion of India's LNG imports. “+ Options India has to Prevent these Navy Personnels: Diplomatic Options: India can engage in direct diplomatic negotiations with the Qatari government to seek a resolution to the case. Given the strategic and economic importance of the relationship between the two countries, diplomatic leverage can play a significant role. The government can also use diplomatic pressure to prevent meting out the death penalty. yeat Among the possibilities being looked at is filing an appeal against the verdict or using an agreement signed aye oe by India and Qatar in 2015 for the transfer of convicted prisoners so that they can complete their sentence in their home country. “+ Legal Options: The first step is to appeal within the judicial system in Qatar. The individuals sentenced to death can file appeals within the Qatari legal system. If due procedures are not followed or an appeal process is missing, then India can invoke International ye, Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction. e ICJ acts as a world court with two fold jurisdiction i.e. legal disputes between States submitted to it by them (contentious cases) and requests for advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by United Nations organs and specialized agencies (advisory proceedings). “+ India can also file a clemency petition to the Emir of Qatar Tamin bin Hamad who pardon many prisoners on Qatar National Day (18 December). —— eee (To read about India-China Border Agreement refer to Notes titled “India China Border Agreement” on the main channel Re2 of LLP: @llpclat) Line of Actual Control (LAC) The LAC serves as the boundary separating Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory. *te India asserts the length of the LAC to be 3,488 km, whereas China contends it to be approximately 2,000 ue+, km. *» This demarcation is categorized into three sectors: e Eastern sector encompassing Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. e Middle sector spanning Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. e Western sector located in Ladakh. “+ Disagreements Surrounding the LAC: The primary dispute regarding the LAC arises from its alignment in different sectors. The LAC in the eastern sector follows the 1914 McMahon Line with minor disputes about ground positions. “+ Major disagreements exist in the Western sector, originating from letters written by Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai to PM Jawaharlal Nehru in 1959. “* The LAC was described only in general terms on maps not to scale by the Chinese. *» The Chinese claimed to have withdrawn to 20 km behind the LAC in November 1959 after the 1962 War. “* During the Doklam crisis in 2017, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson urged India to abide by the "1959 LAC". * Despite subsequent clarifications, ambiguity persisted, leading to contrasting interpretations by both nations. “+ India's Response to China's LAC Designation: India initially rejected the concept of the LAC in 1959 and 1962, citing concerns over its vague definition and potential exploitation by China to alter ground realities through military force. “+ India's shift in the LAC approach started in the mid-1980s due to increased border encounters, prompting a review of patrolling boundaries. “> India formally accepted the concept of the LAC in 1993 and the two sides signed the Agreement to Maintain Peace and Tranquility at the LAC. *» India and China have only exchanged maps for the middle sector of the LAC. Maps were "shared" for the Western sector but never formally exchanged, and the process of clarifying the LAC has effectively stalled since 2002. The most serious recent episodes of conflict were in Galwan Valley in Ladakh in 2020 and in Tawang in ye+, Arunachal Pradesh in 2022. Observers on both sides of the LAC agree that the number of serious military confrontations has increased since 2013. LAC vs Line of Control with Pakistan: The Line of Control (LoC) was established in 1972 after the Kashmir Do, War, based on the ceasefire line negotiated by the UN in 1948. It has international legal validity and is delineated on a map signed by both countries. On the other hand, the LAC is not agreed upon by both countries and is not delineated on a map or Do, demarcated on the ground. India has 15,106.7 km of land border and a coastline of 7,516.6 km including island territories. yeaM The Tin Mukh Peak in Tripura is the meeting point of the borders of Bangladesh, Myanmar, and India yeoe Length of Border India shares with Neighbouring countries + In April 2023 too, India had reacted sharply when China released the third list of standardised names of 11 ate places in Arunachal Pradesh. «» Background: The India-China border dispute refers to the long-standing and complex territorial disputes along their shared border of 3,488 kilometres. *» The main areas of dispute are Aksai Chin, located in the western sector, and Arunachal Pradesh, in the eastern sector. “+ Aksai Chin: China administers Aksai Chin as part of its Xinjiang region, while India considers it part of its UT of Ladakh. The region holds strategic significance due to its proximity to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its potential as a military route. “+ Arunachal Pradesh: China claims the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh, referring to it as "South Tibet”. India administers this region as a northeastern state and considers it an integral part of its territory. “+ No Clear Demarcation: The border between India and China is not clearly demarcated throughout and there is no mutually agreed Line of Actual Control (LAC) along certain stretches. LAC came into existence after the 1962 Indo-China war. “* The India-China border is divided into three sectors. co Western Sector: Ladakh o Middle Sector: Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand o Eastern Sector: Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim Chinese Road Construction in Shaksgam Valley “* India expresses concern over recent Chinese road construction activities in the Shaksgam Valley in the trans-Karakoram tract of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok), a territory ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963. “+ India has consistently rejected the 1963 China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement, which attempted to cede the Shaksgam area to China and assert Shaksgam Valley as its territory. “+ The Siachen glacier, a vital piece of Indian territory, is situated adjacent to the Shaksgam Valley and holds strategic importance, particularly amidst the 2020 standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh. “* The Government has declared ‘Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Jammu and Kashmir (TeH)’ as an ‘Unlawful Association’ under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) 1967 for five years. “ Tehreek-e-Hurriyat is a separatist political party in Jammu and Kashmir, India founded by Syed Ali Shah Geelani. * According to the government ,the organisation and its members are involved in anti-national and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir supporting terrorist activities and inciting people to establish Islamic rule in J&K.” Ban of SIMI Extended * A judicial tribunal has confirmed the five-year extension of the ban imposed on Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). “+ It said the outfit has not abandoned its objective of ‘Jehaad' for the cause of Islam and that it continues to work for the establishment of Islamic rule in India. “+ The tribunal was constituted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). * As many as 10 state governments have recommended the declaration of SIMI as an "unlawful association" under the provisions of the UAPA. “+ The SIMI was first declared outlawed in 2001 and since then the ban has been extended periodically. “+ SIMI was founded on 25th April 1977, at Aligarh Muslim University as a youth group linked to Jamaat-e- Islami-Hind (JEIH). It became independent in 1993. Hizb Ut-Tehrir Banned * The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) banned Hizb-Ut-Tahrir under section 35 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 (UAPA). “+ It was engaged in acts of terror, including radicalising gullible youth to join terrorist organisations and fund their activities. «» They hold ‘Dawah’ gatherings (Islamic outreach or proselytisation) to persuade naive youth to commit terrorist acts. —— eee “+ It aims to establish an Islamic state and caliphate globally, including in India, through jihad and terrorist 4 activities. “» Section 35 of the UAPA, 1967 empowers the government to declare an organisation as unlawful if it engages in activities promoting terrorism or secession. “ Hizb-Ut-Tahrir is an international Islamic organisation formed in Jerusalem in 1953 by Taqi al-Din al- Nabhani. “+ It is headquartered in Lebanon and it operates in at least over 30 countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia. * It became the 45" outfit to be banned in India Jaish-e-Mohammad and Laskar-e-Toiba. “+ Hizb ut-Tahrir has been banned in Bangladesh, China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Germany, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan and "across Central Asia", Indonesia, and all Arab countries except Lebanon, Yemen and the UAE. Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act The UAPA Act: UAPA presents an alternate criminal law framework where the general principles of Do, criminal law are reversed. By relaxing timelines for the state to file chargesheets and its stringent conditions for bail, the UAPA gives the state more powers compared with the Indian Penal Code (IPC). “* Enacted: 1967 “+ Mandate: It is aimed at “more effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of individuals and associations for dealing with terrorist activities”. * Unlawful activity: Unlawful activity means any conduct which constitutes a crime or which contravenes any law whether such conduct occurred before or after the commencement of this Act and whether such conduct occurred in the Republic or elsewhere Terrorist act: Section 15 of the ACt defines “terrorist act” and is punishable with imprisonment for a term of ye*, at least five years to life. Power to central government: The Act assigns absolute power to the central government, by way of which Do+, if the Centre deems an activity as unlawful then it may, by way of an Official Gazette, declare it so. * Applicability: The provisions of this Act apply also to— a) citizens of India outside India; b) persons in the service of the Government, wherever they may be; and c) persons on ships and aircrafts, registered in India, wherever they may be. “> Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) Amendment Act 2019 “* The Act empowers the government to designate individuals as terrorists. *» Under the Act, the central government may designate an organisation as a terrorist organisation if it: (i) commits or participates in acts of terrorism, (ii) prepares for terrorism, (iii) promotes terrorism, or (iv) is otherwise involved in terrorism. “+ Approval for seizure of property by NIA: Under the Act, an investigating officer is required to obtain the prior approval of the Director General of Police to seize properties that may be connected with terrorism “+ The Act defines terrorist acts to include acts committed within the scope of any of the treaties listed ina schedule to the Act. “ The Schedule lists nine treaties, including the Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings (1997), the Convention against Taking of Hostages (1979) and the International Convention for Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (2005). “> In NIA v Zahoor Ahmed Watali, the SC read the bail provisions strictly, holding that courts must only be satisfied that a prima facie case can be made out to deny bail, and not consider the merit or the admissibility of the evidence. “ The Prime Minister of India inaugurated the Kochi-Lakshadweep islands submarine optical fiber connection (KLI-SOFC) project among various developmental projects covering a wide range of sectors including technology, energy, water resources, healthcare and education. “* Background: Lakshadweep required digital connectivity, prompting a high-capacity submarine cable link due to limitations in satellite communication, marked by inadequate bandwidth to meet growing demand. —— eee “+ KLI-SOFC Project: The KLI-SOFC project will lead to an increase in internet speed, unlocking new possibilities and opportunities. “The project introduces Submarine Optic Fiber Cable connectivity for the first time in Lakshadweep since independence. “ The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) funded by the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF), completed the project. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) was the Project Executing Agency. “ The KLI project extended submarine cable connectivity from the mainland (Kochi) to eleven Lakshadweep Islands namely, Kavaratti, Agatti, Amini, Kadmat, Chetlet, Kalpeni, Minicoy, Androth, Kiltan, Bangaram and Bitra has been extended. “+ The project aligns with the goals of ‘Digital India’ and 'National Broadband Mission,’ fostering the rollout of various e-governance projects in Lakshadweep Islands. “+ Other Projects in Lakshadweep Islands: Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) Plant at Kadmat: Produces 1.5 lakh litres of clean drinking water every day. >» The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai has developed the world’s first Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant in Kavaratti, the capital of Lakshadweep to cater to the requirements of the local population of Karavatti, Minicoy and Agatti. >» The reverse osmosis, a membrane process which is globally accepted technology suitable for desalination of saline water, is quite different from LTTD technology. >» TheLTTD isa process under which the warm surface sea water is flash evaporated at low pressure and the vapour is condensed with cold deep sea water. The LTTD technology does not require any chemical pre and post-treatment of seawater and thus the pollution problems are minimal and the process is suitable for island territories. Since no effluent treatment is required, it gives less operational maintenance problems compared to other desalination processes. “+ Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) in Agatti and Minicoy Islands. All households on the Agatti and Minicoy islands now have functional household tap connections. “* Solar Power Plant at Kavaratti: The first-ever battery-backed solar power project in Lakshadweep. “> Primary Health Care Facility in Kalpeni: Foundation stone laid for the renovation of the primary health care facility in Kalpeni. “+ Model Anganwadi Centres (Nand Ghars): Five model Anganwadi centres (Nand Ghars) to be constructed in the islands of Androth, Chetlat, Kadmat, Agatti, and Minicoy. Key Facts About the Lakshadweep Islands “+ India’s smallest Union Territory Lakshadweep is an archipelago consisting of 36 islands with an area of 32 sq km. * The capital is Kavaratti and it is also the principal town of the UT. “ Alllslands are 220 to 440 km away from the coastal city of Kochi in Kerala, in the emerald Arabian Sea. “* The name Lakshadweep in Malayalam and Sanskrit means ‘a hundred thousand islands’. “* Lakshadweep has a tropical climate and it has an average temperature of 27° C - 32° C. “+ It is directly under the control of the Centre through an administrator. e Current Lieutenant Governor: Shri Praful Patel e First Lieutenant Governor: U.R. Panicker “+ The entire indigenous population has been classified as Scheduled Tribes because of their economic and social backwardness. “» According to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes list (modification orders), 1956, there are no Scheduled Castes in this Union Territory. *» In 2020, the Lakshadweep Islands administration established the world's first conservation area for sea cucumbers , the Dr. KK Mohammed Koya Sea Cucumber Conservation Reserve, spanning 239 square kilometers in the Cheriyapani Reef. “ On 22nd January 2024, the Ram temple in Ayodhya was inaugurated, marking the completion of a 200- year-old saga that profoundly impacted India's socio-political landscape. “+ The Ram temple has been designed in the Nagara Style of Temple Architecture. —— eee “* The story of Ram is popular from Laos, Cambodia and Thailand in Asia to Guyana in South America to at Mauritius in Africa, making Ramayana Popular outside India. Timeline of Ram Janmabhoomi Movement: Origin: Originating in 1751 when the Marathas appealed to the ye, Nawab of Awadh (Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula) for control of Ayodhya, Kashi, and Mathura. *» The Marathas had helped the Nawab of Awadh in defeating the Pathan (local chieftain) forces in the Doab Region and as a result, they sought control over these important religious and cultural centres like Ayodhya, Kashi (Varanasi), and Mathura. e The Doab Region refers to the area between the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in northern India. *» The movement gained momentum in the 19" century with judicial records dating back to 1822 mentioning a mosque on the birthplace of Lord Ram. “* Clash Near Babri Masjid: Tensions escalated in 1855 with a violent clash near the Babri Masjid between Hindus and Muslims, leading to the capture of Janmasthan by Hindus. *» Placement of the idol of Ram Lalla: The year 1949 saw the placement of the idol of Ram Lalla in the mosque, sparking demands for a grand temple. “+ Legal Battles: In the 1980s, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) initiated a movement for the ‘liberation’ of Ram Janmabhoomi, Krishna Janmabhoomi, and Vishwanath shrine. * Legal battles ensued, and in 1986, the locks of the Babri Masjid were opened, allowing Hindus to offer prayers. “+ The following years witnessed significant events, including the foundation-laying ceremony in 1989 and the Rath Yatra led by LK Advani in 1990, leading to widespread riots. * Demolition of Babri Masjid: On 6 December 1992, a mob demolished the Babri Masjid, leading to political repercussions and legal proceedings. * In 1993, Parliament passed the Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act, allowing the government to acquire the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land. “> The Liberhan Commission, in 2009, highlighted the premeditated nature of the events in 1992. * Allahabad High Court Verdict: In 2010, a special bench of the Allahabad High Court in its Ayodhya title suit judgment divided the land in a 2:1 ratio, with two-thirds of the 2.77-acre, including the garbha griha, going to litigants for a Ram temple - Shri Ram Lala Virajman and Nirmohi Akhara. e One-third of the land was given to the Sunni Central Waqf Board. “+ Supreme Court Verdict: Legal proceedings continued, and in 2019, the Supreme Court awarded the entire disputed land to the Hindu petitioners for a Ram temple and allocated land for a mosque elsewhere. “+ Culmination: The culmination of this historic journey occurred on 5th August, 2020, when the Indian Prime Minister performed the Shilanyas of the Ram temple, establishing the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. “+ On 22nd January 2024, the Ram temple in Ayodhya, built in Nagara Style, was inaugurated, marking the completion of a 200-year-old saga that profoundly impacted India's socio-political landscape. Surya Tikal Project “+ The Surya Tilak Project, a remarkable endeavour, recently unfolded at Ayodhya, bringing sunlight to the forehead of Sri Ram Lalla. About: The Surya Tilak Project represents a unique fusion of technology and tradition, meticulously ue+, engineered to illuminate the forehead of Lord Ram's idol with a precise beam of sunlight during the revered festival of Ram Navami. e The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) under the Department of Science and Technology was crucial in the Surya Tilak Project at Ayodhya. “+ Calculation and Positioning: The IIA team carried out the calculation of the sun's position, design, and optimisation of the optical system for the Surya Tilak Project. “» The Ram Navami date varies each year following the Gregorian calendar due to its solar nature, while the Hindu calendar is lunar-based. e The Gregorian calendar is based on Earth's revolution around the Sun, making it a solar calendar with roughly 365 days in a year, whereas the Hindu calendar is based on the Moon's revolution around Earth, making it a lunar calendar with roughly 354 days in a year. “+ Design and Implementation: The Surya Tilak Project's core is its opto-mechanical system, seamlessly integrating optical and mechanical components for precise sunlight manipulation. —— eee * This opto-mechanical system, similar to a periscope (apparatus consisting of a tube attached to a set of at mirrors or prisms, by which an observer can see things that are otherwise out of sight), uses a 19-gear system to make yearly adjustments for the sun's position. Every year, one gear tooth is manually turned to adjust the angle of the pickup mirror. +te The number 19 corresponds to the Metonic cycle, which lasts 19 years and resets the system for the Dg+, Moon's phases to recur on the same days of the solar year. “+ The Surya Tilak with 4 mirrors and 2 lenses was executed, with IIA technical experts participating in testing, assembly, integration, and validation at the site. “+ The implementation of the optomechanical system at the site was done by Central Building Research Institute (CBRI): Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR). Gyanvapi Mosque Dispute «» Demolition of Temple: It is a popular belief that the Gyanvapi Mosque was built in 1669 by the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb by demolishing the ancient Vishweshwar temple. *» Saqi Mustaid Khan’s Maasir-i-Alamgiri, a Persian-language chronicle (written shortly after Aurangzeb’s death in 1707) also mentioned that Aurangzeb had demolished the temple in 1669 by ordering Governor Abul Hassan. “» The ASI report stated that the Arabic-Persian inscription found inside a room in the mosque mentions that the mosque was built in the 20th regal year of Aurangzeb (1676-77 CE). *» Historian Audrey Truschke wrote that Aurangzeb brought the bulk of Benares’s Vishvanatha Temple (Vishweshwar) down in 1669. The temple had been built during Akbar’s reign by Raja Man Singh, whose great-grandson, Jai Singh, many believed helped Shivaji flee from the Mughal court in 1666. *» Legal Battle: The case of Gyanvapi mosque has been in court since 1991, when three persons, including a descendant of the priests of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, filed a suit in the court of the civil judge of Varanasi claiming that Aurangzeb had demolished the temple of Lord Vishweshwar and built a mosque on it so that the land should be returned to them. On 18" August 2021, in the same court in Varanasi, five women filed a petition demanding to worship in the ye*, temple of Mata Shringar Gauri, accepting which the court constituted a commission to know the present status of the Mata Shringar Gauri Temple. “+ Varanasi court had asked the Commission to give the survey report by videographing the idol of Mata Shringar Gauri and the Gyanvapi complex. “> The Hindu side has presented a comprehensive map of the Gyanvapi complex as evidence in court. This map identifies Hindu deity temples located around the mosque entrance, along with landmarks such as the Vishweshwar temple, Gyankoop (Mukti Mandap), the prominent Nandi statue, and the Vyas family basement. “+ The Muslim side argued that no decision can be given on the dispute under the The Places of Worship Act, 1991. “+ Under Section 3 of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, it is prohibited to convert a place of worship into a place of worship of a different religious denomination or a different class of the same religious denomination. “» Gyanvapi Case is still pending before judiciary. Shahi Idgah & Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple “ The Allahabad High Court recently ruled that a survey will be conducted for the Shahi Idgah, a three-domed mosque in Mathura. “It is seeking appointment of a court commission to inspect the Shahi Idgah mosque that stands adjacent to the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura. “+ History of the Disputed Land: Raja Veer Singh Bundela of Orchha had also built a temple on the same premises in 1618 and the mosque was built by Aurangzeb in 1670 on the site of an earlier temple. “+ The Krishna Janmasthan temple in Mathura is believed to have been built around 2,000 years ago, in the 1st century CE. * A survey has been ordered due to demands by Hindu representatives for complete ownership of the premises where the Keshava Deva temple was destroyed on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1670. “+ The area was regarded as nazul land — non-agricultural state land owned by the Marathas, and then the British. —— eee “+ The temple was originally built in 1618 during the reign of Jahangir and was patronized by Aurangzeb’s brother and rival, Dara Shukoh. “In 1815, the Raja of Benaras purchased the 13.77-acre land from the East India Company. “* Later, the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust was established. The trust acquired ownership rights over the temple, and in 1951. “* The 13.77-acre land was placed under the trust with the condition that it would never be sold or pledged. “> In 1956, the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Sewa Sangh was set up to manage the affairs of the temple. “+ In 1968, an agreement was signed between the Sri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sangh and the Shahi Idgah Masjid Trust, where the temple authority conceded a portion of the land to the Idgah as part of the settlement. The current dispute involves temple petitioners seeking possession of the entire parcel of land. yeat Present Status of the Issue: The plea for a survey was filed on behalf of the Hindu deity, Shri Krishna and aye oe seven others, who in their original suit pending before court claimed that the mosque was built over the birthplace of Shri Krishna on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1670. “+ The Allahabad High Court transferred to itself all the suits pending before the Mathura Court on various reliefs pertaining to the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Mosque dispute. «In the High Court, the U.P. Sunni Central Waqf Board and the Shahi Idgah Masjid Committee argued that the birthplace of Lord Krishna is not under the Mosque. «» When the Committee of Management Trust of the Shahi Idgah Masjid sought a stay on the survey from the Supreme Court, the court did not grant any relief. Places of Worship Act,1991 * It was enacted to freeze the status of religious places of worship as they existed on August 15, 1947, and prohibits the conversion of any place of worship and ensures the maintenance of their religious character. “+ Major Provisions of the Act: Prohibition of Conversion (Section 3): Prevents the conversion of a place of worship, whether in full or part, from one religious denomination to another or within the same denomination. “+ Maintenance of Religious Character (Section 4(1)): Ensures that the religious identity of a place of worship remains the same as it was on August 15, 1947. e The Allahabad High Court's recent stance in the Gyanvapi case suggests that the Places of Worship Act, 1991 does not clarify “religious character of any place of worship” and can only be determined in a trial, based on documentary and oral evidence, on a case-to-case basis. Abatement of Pending Cases (Section 4(2)): Declares that any ongoing legal proceedings concerning the Do, conversion of a place of worship's religious character before August 15, 1947, will be terminated, and no new cases can be initiated. *» Exceptions to the Act (Section 5): The Act does not apply to ancient and historical monuments, archaeological sites, and remains covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. “* It also excludes cases that have already been settled or resolved and disputes that have been resolved by mutual agreement or conversions that occurred before the Act came into effect. * The Act does not extend to the specific place of worship known as Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, including any legal proceedings associated with it. “+ Penalties (Section 6): Specifies penalties, including a maximum imprisonment term of 3 years and fines, for violating the Act. “» Tata Son’s Museum of Temples “+ The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved Tata Sons’ proposal to build a ‘museum of temples’ in Ayodhya, a project worth Rs 650 crore to be funded through Tata’s corporate social responsibility fund. Additionally, the state cabinet has also sanctioned Rs 100 crore for further development works in Ayodhya and endorsed the initiation of helicopter services in Lucknow, Prayagraj, and Kapilvastu. “+ The museum project, which has been under consideration since last year, aims to highlight the history and architecture of India’s renowned temples and may feature a light-and-sound show. The tourism department will provide land for the museum on a 90-year lease for a nominal fee of Re 1 Three dormant heritage buildings: The cabinet also decided to transform three dormant heritage ue+, buildings into tourist attractions. The selected sites are Kothi Roshan Dulha in Lucknow, Barsana Jal Mahal in Mathura, and Shukla Talab (pond) in Kanpur. Researchers will be selected under the Mukhya Mantri tourism fellowship programme to assist in the development of these sites. —— eee BAPS Temple *» BAPS (Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha) temples are religious and cultural centres affiliated with the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Vaishnava sect of Hinduism. “+ The doctrine of Swaminarayan Sampraday was given by Bhagwan Swaminarayan, which is firmly rooted in the traditional Hindu scriptures. “+ BAPS has a network of around 1,550 temples across the world, including the Akshardham temples in New Delhi and Gandhinagar, and Swaminarayan temples in London, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Nairobi. Features: Traditional Architecture: The Abu Dhabi temple is a traditional stone Hindu temple with seven ye*, shikhars. Built in the traditional Nagar style, the temple's front panel depicts universal values, stories of harmony from different cultures, Hindu spiritual leaders and avatars. “» The height of the temple is 108 ft, length 262 ft and width 180 ft. While the external facade uses pink sandstone from Rajasthan, the interior uses Italian marble. *» Architectural Features: Non-ferrous material (which resists corrosion) has been used in the temple. “> While many different types of pillars can be seen in the temple, such as circular and hexagonal, there is a special pillar, called the ‘Pillar of Pillars’, which has around 1,400 small pillars carved into it. “Deities from all four corners of India have been featured in the temple. These include Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman, Lord Shiv, Parvati, Ganpati, Kartikeya, Lord Jagannath, Lord Radha-Krishna, Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj (Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami), Tirupati Balaji and Padmavati and Lord Ayappa. “+ Apart from 15 value tales from Indian civilisation, stories from the Maya civilisation, Aztec civilisation, Egyptian civilisation, Arabic civilisation, European civilisation, Chinese civilisation and African civilisation have been depicted. Omar Abdullah of the National Conference was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the UT (union territory) of Jammu and Kashmir. “+ Oath of Office: As per Article 164(3), the CM and other ministers are administered the oath of office by the Governor (or LG in Union Territories). *» The oath signifies allegiance to the Constitution and the discharge of duties in accordance with the law. ** Omar Abdullah is the first CM of the UT to assume office following the abrogation of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir's transition from a state to a Union Territory in 2019. “* President's Rule Revoked: Following the election results, President's Rule was revoked in J&K. “+ President's Rule: Article 356 of the Constitution allows the President to impose direct governance (President's Rule) in a state/Uts when the state government is unable to function as per constitutional provisions. “+ Number of seats in J&K LA: 90 seats: active seats for representatives in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. “+ 24 seats reserved: These seats are reserved for constituencies in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). These seats remain vacant as they represent regions under Pakistani control. «» 5 nominated seats: These are nominated by the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir, likely representing women, minorities, or other special categories as per the requirements. * The parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2023 which provides for reservation of 7 seats for the Scheduled Castes and 9 seats for the Scheduled Tribe. Constitution (J&K) ST Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 *» The Lok Sabha has passed the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aiming to include specific ethnic groups and tribes from Jammu and Kashmir into the list of Scheduled Tribes. The Union government has also introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, Do+, 2024 to provide reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in panchayats and Municipal Bodies of Jammu and Kashmir. About: The bill particularly focuses on including four ethnic groups in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Do, Jammu and Kashmir. —— eee * The ethnic groups are Gadda Brahmin, Koli, Paddari Tribe, and Pahari Ethnic Group”. By extending ate Scheduled Tribe status to these communities, the bill intends to ensure their socio-economic and political empowerment. Earlier Status of Paharis: The Paharis got 4% reservation in jobs and educational institutions in 2019. +te Also in 2019, the Justice (retd) G D Sharma Commission was appointed to identify groups that were socially, Dg+, educationally, and economically backward. “+ The Commission in its report recommended ST status for Gadda Brahmins, Kolis, Paddari Tribe, and Pahari Ethnic Group. “+ Key Features of Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024: Amendment of Certain Provisions: The bill aims to amend certain provisions of the J&K Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, the J&K Municipal Act, 2000, and the J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 to provide reservation to OBCs in Local Bodies (panchayats and municipalities) in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. “+ Alignment with Constitutional Provisions: The proposed amendments seek to bring consistency in the laws with the provisions of the Constitution, particularly Part IX and Part IXA, which relate to Panchayats and Municipalities. * This includes providing reservation for backward classes of citizens in Panchayats and Municipalities, as empowered by Clause (6) of Articles 243D and 243T of the Constitution. “+ Superintendence of Elections: The bill addresses inconsistencies regarding the superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections to Panchayats and Municipalities. “+ It ensures that the provisions regarding the State Election Commission are in line with the Constitution, specifically Articles 243K and 243ZA. “+ Removal of State Election Commissioner: The bill seeks to rectify the variance between the provisions of the J&K Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, and the Constitution concerning the removal of the State Election Commissioner. It aims to align the removal process with the constitutional provisions, ensuring that the State Election Commissioner can only be removed under circumstances similar to those of a Judge of a High Court. SC Article 370 Judgement “+ The Supreme Court in In Re Article 370 of the Constitution of India gave its verdict on the Union government's 2019 move to amend Article 370 of the Constitution. The abrogation had ended the special status conferred to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The court held the Constitutional order that revoked Article 370 as valid. “+ Judgement: Jammu and Kashmir did not Possess Sovereignty: SC observed that there is much evidence in Article 370 and the J&K Constitution to show that in regards to Kashmir, a merger agreement was not necessary to surrender its sovereignty. *» Article 370(1) applied Article 1 of the Constitution of India (where J&K was listed as a Part Ill State) with no modifications. “+ Section 3 of the J&K Constitution explicitly states that “the State of Jammu and Kashmir is and shall be an integral part of the Union of India.” *» Section 147 of the Indian constitution prohibited any amendments to Section 3, further making the provision absolute. * Thus, Court said that the Constitution of India, “became the supreme governing document of the land.” Further, the Preamble to the J&K Constitution shows a “clear absence of...a reference to sovereignty.” * Article 370 is a Temporary Provision: The SC relied on the fact that the Constitution framers placed Article 370 with the temporary and transitional provisions contained in Part XXI. “+ Constitutional Validity of Proclamations Under President's Rule: SC’s Bench concurred that the President has the power to make “irreversible changes, including the dissolution of the State Assembly,” and that the President's powers are kept in check by “judicial and constitutional scrutiny.” * The Constitution of J&K Stands Inoperative: Court held that it is no longer necessary for the Constitution of J&K through which only certain provisions of the Indian Constitution applied to J&K, to exist. “+ Set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to Address Human Rights: The SC recommended that the Union set up a “truth and reconciliation Commission” just like South Africa did post-apartheid to investigate human rights violations by both state and non-state actors. The exercise should be time-bound. About Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir is located in the northern part of India, bordered by Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south, and shares international borders with Pakistan and China. It includes the Kashmir Valley, the Jammu region, and the cold desert of Ladakh (now a separate Union Territory). The region is known for the Himalayas, major rivers (e.g., Jnelum, Chenab, and Indus), and beautiful landscapes. Accession to India: J&K acceded to India in 1947 under the Instrument of Accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh, following the Partition of India. Wars and Conflicts: India and Pakistan have fought several wars over J&K (1947-48, 1965, 1971, and the Kargil War in 1999), making it a focal point of Indo-Pak tensions. Special Status: Article 370 granted special autonomy to J&K, allowing it to have its own constitution and decision-making powers on all matters except defense, foreign affairs, finance, and communications. Article 35A: This article allowed J&k’s legislature to define “permanent residents” and provide them special rights. Revocation: On August 5, 2019, the Indian government abrogated Article 370 and 35A, revoking J&K's special status and reorganizing it into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir (with a legislative assembly) and Ladakh (without a legislative assembly). Lieutenant Governor: Manoj Sinha First LG: Girish Chandra Murmu Recently enacted three new criminal laws Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) are set to take effect from 1st July 2024, replacing the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Indian Evidence Act. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) BNS replaces the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and introduces significant alterations including: Retention and Incorporation of Offences: The BNS maintains existing IPC provisions on murder, assault, and causing hurt, while incorporating new offenses like organized crime, terrorism, and group-related grievous hurt or murder. It also adds community service as a form of punishment. Terrorism: Defined as acts threatening the nation's integrity or causing terror among the populace. Penalties range from death or life imprisonment to imprisonment with fines. Organized Crime: Includes offenses like kidnapping, extortion, financial scams, cybercrime, and more. Punishments vary from life imprisonment to death, with fines for those committing or attempting organized crime. Mob Lynching: BNS identifies murder or severe injury by five or more individuals on specific grounds (race, caste, etc.) as a punishable offence, carrying life imprisonment or death penalty. Sexual Offences Against Women: Retaining IPC sections on rape, voyeurism, and other violations, BNS raises the age threshold for gangrape victims from 16 to 18 years. Additionally, it criminalizes deceptive sexual acts or false promises. Sedition Revisions: BNS eliminates the sedition offense, replacing it with penalizing activities related ue+, to secession, armed rebellion, or actions endangering national sovereignty or unity through various means. e However, critics argue that despite the sedition law's alteration from ‘rajdroh’ to ‘deshdroh,' concerns remain over its essence and application. Death by Negligence: The BNSS elevates the punishment for causing death by negligence from two to five ye*, years under Section 304A of the IPC. However, it stipulates that doctors, if convicted, will still face the lower punishment of two years imprisonment. Supreme Court Compliance: Aligns with certain Supreme Court decisions by excluding adultery as an ye*, offense and introducing life imprisonment alongside the death penalty for murder or attempted murder by a life convict. Criticism of BNS: Retention of IPC Provisions on Rape and Sexual Harassment: The BNS retains the provisions of the IPC on rape and sexual harassment. It does not consider recommendations of the Justice Verma Committee (2013) such as making the offence of rape gender neutral and including marital rape as an offence. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) —— eee “+ BNSS replaces the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) and introduces significant alterations including: “+ Detention Conditions: The BNSS alters rules for undertrials, restricting release on personal bond for those accused in severe offenses, including life imprisonment cases and individuals facing multiple charges. «» Medical Examination: It broadens the scope of medical examinations, allowing any police officer (not just a sub-inspector) to request one, making the process more accessible. * Forensic Investigation: Mandates forensic investigation for crimes punishable by at least seven years’ imprisonment. *» Sample Collection: Extends the power to collect finger impressions and voice samples, even from individuals not under arrest, expanding beyond the CrPC's specimen signatures or handwriting orders. “+ Timelines: The BNSS introduces strict timelines: medical reports for rape victims within 7 days, judgments within 30 days (extendable to 45), victim progress updates within 90 days, and charge framing within 60 days from the first hearing. “+ Court Hierarchy: The CrPC organizes India's criminal courts hierarchically, from Magistrate’s Courts to the Supreme Court. It previously allowed cities with over a million people to have Metropolitan Magistrates, but the BNSS elimin

LLP MasterCompendium (1) PDF

Document Details

Tags

Related

Summary

Full Transcript

Upgrade to continue