THE HINDU - 13TH JAN | CLAT | Law Entrance Resources

Ex-Finance Secretary booked in graft case

Summary:

The Central government made a deal with a company called De La Rue in 2004 to supply special thread for money that changes color for security. This deal was supposed to last for 5 years but was extended 4 more times until December 31, 2015. The government says that De La Rue did not have the rights to make this special thread when they were picked for the job in 2004. The government also says that a man named Mr. Mayaram, who was in charge of the deal, did not tell the right people about this and approved the deal being extended even though it was not supposed to be. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is now investigating and believes that Mr. Mayaram and the company De La Rue did something wrong and caused the government to lose money.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is a government agency in India that is responsible for investigating and prosecuting cases of corruption and other serious crimes. The agency is often called upon to investigate cases involving government officials or organizations. In the context of the Indian government, the CBI is an independent body that operates under the authority of the Indian government, but is not directly controlled by any specific ministry or department. The CBI is responsible for investigating cases of corruption, fraud, and other serious crimes that are committed by government officials or organizations.

Old pension scheme cover for all CAPF personnel: HC

Summary:

The Delhi High Court has ordered the Indian government to give the benefits of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to all personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) whose recruitment process started before January 1, 2004, but who may have joined the force at a later date. This means that the benefits will also apply to those CAPFs personnel who did not go to court to ask for it. The court made this decision while looking at a group of 82 petitions filed by personnel of the CRPF, SSB, BSF, CISF and ITBP. The court noted that at the time of the recruitment process, the OPS was in place and that the government should have followed it.

Old Pension Scheme (OPS) is a plan that the Indian government has for people who work for them. It is a way for them to get money when they retire, like a savings account for their old age. The court said that all the people who work for the special police force called Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and their recruitment process started before January 1, 2004, should get the benefits of this plan, even if they joined the force later. It's like if you have a piggy bank that you can use when you grow up and the court said that all the special police people should have this piggy bank too.

CRPF, SSB, BSF, CISF and ITBP are all different organizations that work for the Indian government. They are all part of the special police force called Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). Each one has a different job, but all of them are responsible for keeping people safe and protecting the country.

CRPF stands for Central Reserve Police Force. They are responsible for maintaining law and order, protecting important people and places, and helping during natural disasters and emergencies.

SSB stands for Sashastra Seema Bal. They are responsible for protecting the border between India and other countries, and also for maintaining law and order in the border areas.

BSF stands for Border Security Force. They are also responsible for protecting the border between India and other countries, and keeping the peace in border areas.

CISF stands for Central Industrial Security Force. They are responsible for protecting important industrial places, such as airports, power plants, and government buildings.

ITBP stands for Indo-Tibetan Border Police. They are responsible for protecting the border between India and Tibet, and also for maintaining law and order in the border areas.

EDITORIAL

Entering a year of uncertainty

Summary:

In 2022, there were many geopolitical challenges and risks that no one predicted. One of the major events was the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which caused a big shift in population and upset the existing order. Some experts say that this could have been anticipated because Russia had started building up its military around Ukraine in the previous year. The West, including NATO and the U.S., quickly supported Ukraine. This is similar to what happened during World War I in 1916, when the risk of escalation was underplayed. There is a possibility that this conflict could escalate and lead to the use of nuclear weapons, opening new fronts, and causing dangerous outcomes. Additionally, there are economic fallouts from the conflict, such as an energy crisis, a proxy war between the U.S., Europe and NATO, and Russia, and deepening strategic ties between China and Russia. This is leading to an increase in defence spending by many countries, which could change the nature of defence relationships and the current world order.

NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, it is a military alliance of 30 North American and European countries that work together to protect and defend each other in case of an attack. It was founded in 1949 after the second world war and is considered one of the most powerful military alliances in the world.

Governance is the casualty in the conflict between CM and LG in Delhi

Summary:

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) recently won an election in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) but it has caused problems between the elected government and the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor is appointed by the President of India and has more power than other governors in India. The elected government, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has accused the Lieutenant Governor of ignoring the Council of Ministers and issuing orders to the bureaucracy directly on all matters, which is against the rules established by the Supreme Court. This has caused a dispute between the Lieutenant Governor and the elected government, which is impacting governance in the national capital. The Supreme Court is currently examining the question and trying to resolve the problem.

Will the Budget be populist or fiscally responsible?+

Summary:

The conditions today are different from what they were in 2019 or 2014. There is not much space to spend in the Budget because there is a high fiscal deficit and pressure to maintain fiscal prudence. There may be targeted cash transfers and social security measures to tackle inflation, but the government's ability to push forward economic growth is restricted. The government may not be able to accelerate GDP growth through the Budget and growth may have to come from the private sector. In terms of structural reforms, the government's track record since 2014 has been mixed.

GDP stands for Gross Domestic Product which is the value of all goods and services produced in a country. It is used as an indicator of a country's economic growth and prosperity.

A Governor and a Chief Minister at loggerheads

Summary:

The Tamil Nadu Governor and Chief Minister had a disagreement about what should be said in a speech. The Chief Minister wanted certain things said and the Governor didn't. The Constitution says the Governor can make decisions but usually follows the advice of the government. Sometimes the Governor and government don't agree and it causes problems. Some experts suggest having non-political Governors chosen in a different way to avoid conflicts.

Under Constitution, law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all

Summary:

The Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, publicly criticized a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the Collegium system of judicial appointments. This system is in place to appoint judges in the higher courts of India. The Supreme Court has said that its rulings are the law of the land and that all other courts, including itself, must follow these rulings. Article 141 of the Constitution states that a law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts. The Supreme Court has recently told the government and high constitutional authorities that it is important to follow the law as laid down by the court, otherwise sections of society may decide to follow their own course. The Vice-President had said that the ruling on the NJAC diluted parliamentary sovereignty and that he did not agree with the ruling.

The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) is a commission established by the Indian government to appoint judges to the higher judiciary in India, which includes the Supreme Court and the 24 High Courts. The NJAC was created in 2014 as part of a constitutional amendment, but its validity was later challenged in the Supreme Court. In 2015, the Supreme Court declared the NJAC unconstitutional and upheld the previous system of judicial appointments, known as the Collegium system, in which a panel of judges make recommendations for appointments to the higher judiciary. The NJAC judgment is binding on all courts and constitutional authorities, and any change to the system of judicial appointments would have to be done through a constitutional amendment, which would also be subject to judicial review.

Article 141 of the Indian Constitution states that any law declared by the Supreme Court of India is binding on all courts in the country, including the Supreme Court itself. This means that when the Supreme Court makes a decision or ruling on a case, it becomes the law of the land and all other courts are required to follow it. This Article is important because it ensures that the rule of law is upheld and that there is consistency in the interpretation and application of laws across the country. It helps to establish the supremacy of the Supreme Court in the Indian legal system, and ensures that the judiciary can effectively play its role in ensuring that the Constitution is upheld and that the rights of citizens are protected.

Minority notification: Centre submits views of States to SC

Summary

The Delhi government has suggested that Hindus who have moved to the national capital from places such as Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh where they are a religious minority, should be granted "migrated minority" status. This is a part of the views collected by the Centre from 24 States on whether religious and linguistic minority communities should be identified and notified by the Union or the respective States and submitted to the Supreme Court. Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Zoroastrians (Parsis) have already been notified as minority communities under a law called the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 1992.

The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 1992 is a law in India that established the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) as a statutory body. The NCM's main function is to monitor the welfare and development of minority communities in India, which include Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Zoroastrians (Parsis). The NCM has the power to investigate complaints related to the rights and well-being of minority communities and make recommendations to the government on how to improve their situation. The NCM also plays an important role in identifying and notifying minority communities in India.

₹4,957-crore bank fraud case against Infra firm

Summary:

The CBI has started a case against a company named Pratibha Industries Ltd, its leaders and others for allegedly tricking a group of 17 banks out of 4,957.31 crore. The company's loan accounts were labeled as non-performing assets on December 31, 2017. The accused are accused of diverting large amounts of money from the company to its related parties and subsidiaries and then having these advances written off. They are also accused of entering into fake sales and purchase transactions in order to inflate the company's turnover. Searches were conducted at four locations.

Russian forces press deadly assault for breakthrough in east

Summary:

The Russian government has announced that their forces are nearing the capture of a town in eastern Ukraine called Soledar. This would be a big victory for the Kremlin, but it would come at the cost of many Russian casualties and a lot of destruction in the town. The governor of Ukraine's Donetsk region has said that over 100 Russian troops have been killed in the battle for Soledar in the past 24 hours. The Russian forces are using weapons like mortars and rockets to try and capture the town and have been trying to do so for nearly 11 months with no end in sight. If they are successful, it would be a big victory for the Kremlin, but it would also give them a platform to try and capture other areas.