THE HINDU - 19TH JAN | CLAT | Law Entrance Resources

Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland to vote in Feb.

Summary:

The Election Commission announced the schedule for the upcoming assembly elections in Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. Polling will take place in Tripura on February 16, Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27, and the results will be announced on March 2. The schedule for by-elections to six assembly seats across five states and one Lok Sabha constituency was also announced and will take place on February 27 with results announced on March 2. The BJP is fighting to retain power in Tripura, while the Left with an electoral understanding with the Congress is hoping to make a comeback. The Trinamool Congress is working to expand its influence beyond West Bengal in these states. The BJP is trying to expand its footprint in Nagaland and Meghalaya. The by-elections have been announced due to disqualification or death of incumbent legislators.

A Sunday clinic for sex workers

Summary:

The Utkarsh clinic, which opened on January 1st by Sewa Bharti, a non-profit organization supported by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is a clinic that provides medical services to sex workers in Delhi's Garstin Bastion (G.B.) Road. The clinic is staffed by doctor volunteers from the National Medicos Organisation (NMO), also an offshoot of the RSS. The clinic has been successful in attracting patients, with the number of visitors rising from 15 on the day of opening to 83 by January 15th. NGO members say that many people from the area, not just sex workers, come in for consultations.

National Medicos Organisation (NMO) is an offshoot of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organization in India. NMO is a group of volunteer doctors, including physicians and specialists such as gynecologists, pediatricians, and dentists, who work in various hospitals across the city during the week. The organization aims to provide medical care to those in need, particularly to marginalized communities such as sex workers. NMO has been involved in the operation of Utkarsh Clinic, a free clinic for sex workers and other members of the community in Delhi's Garstin Bastion (G.B.) Road area. The clinic, which is operated by Sewa Bharti, a non-profit organization backed by the RSS, has seen a rising number of patients seeking medical care since its opening on January 1st.

SC reserves order on plea by fishermen using purse seine nets off T.N. coastline

Summary:

The Supreme Court has reserved its order on an interim prayer by fisherman using purse seine nets to operate in waters beyond the 12-nautical-mile limit off the coast of Tamil Nadu. The state, represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, disagreed with the Central government's point of view that there was no harm in regulated purse seine fishing beyond the territorial waters of Tamil Nadu. Rohatgi argued that the state would not put the livelihood of its traditional fisherman in jeopardy and that the livelihood of small fisherman operating within the territorial waters would be put at risk if purse seine fishing was allowed beyond the 12-nautical-mile limit.

Students’ suicides in Kota draw attention of rights commission

Summary:

The Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) is seeking a factual report on the trend of student suicides in Kota, a city known for its coaching institutes. 22 cases of student suicides have been reported in Kota in 2022. The SHRC has taken notice of the incidents and issued notices to the Kota Collector and Superintendent of Police. The SHRC chairman has directed the Kota Collector and SP to provide information on the number of students accepted in each coaching institute, the norms for fee charged by them, and the arrangements for student stay. The commission also asked if there were reports of discrimination during the study and the matter has been posted for further hearing on February 13.

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) is an independent body established by the government of each state in India to investigate violations of human rights within the state. The commission is responsible for protecting the rights of citizens and ensuring that the state government and its agencies respect and uphold human rights. It has the power to investigate complaints of human rights violations, conduct inquiries, and make recommendations to the state government for redress. The SHRC is typically headed by a retired judge or a senior lawyer and comprises of a number of members with legal or human rights background. It operates independently of the government and has the power to summon officials and take evidence under oath.

Attach properties of PFI leaders straightaway, Kerala HC tells govt.

Summary:

The Kerala High Court expressed its dissatisfaction with the delay in attaching properties of A. Abdul Sathar, the state secretary of the banned organization Popular Front of India (PFI) and other officials, for failing to deposit a sum of INR 5 crore as directed by the court as damages for a "flash hartal" held in September of last year. The court noted that the state government should have immediately attached the properties and sold them in order to recover the INR 5.2 crore, as per the procedure outlined in the Revenue Recovery Act. The court also clarified that its directive was to proceed against the properties of the officials of the organization, as they had not complied with earlier directives to deposit the amount and that a further notice asking them to show cause as to why their properties should not be attached was unnecessary. The court has ordered the state government to file a report on the attachment of the properties by January 23.

The Popular Front of India (PFI) is a political organization in India. It was formed in 2006 as an amalgamation of several Muslim organizations. The organization is known for its alleged involvement in various controversial activities, including communal violence, political killings, and hate speech. PFI has been banned in some Indian states for its alleged involvement in inciting violence and promoting religious extremism. The organization has been labeled as a "radical Islamic organization" by Indian government and has been accused of having links to extremist groups such as the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Proposal to reduce age for purchase of liquor withdrawn

Summary:

The government of Karnataka has withdrawn a notification to reduce the legal drinking age from 21 to 18 years. The proposal was met with objections from the public and associations, leading to the withdrawal of the amendment to the state's excise laws. The amendment had been proposed to overcome an ambiguity in the law and was suggested by a high-level committee set up to identify and eliminate redundant aspects of the law.

DGE to look into menstrual leave in Kerala schools

Summary:

The Director General of Education (DGE) in Kerala, India has been asked to put together a file on allowing menstrual leave for school students. The state's Minister for General Education, V. Sivankutty, stated that the government is in favor of progressive measures and is aware that girl students experience health issues during periods. The DGE has been asked to look into the details and a decision will be taken based on that. The state's Minister for Higher Education, R. Bindu, also said that the government is considering menstrual leave in all universities under the Higher Education Department. The new Gender and Women Empowerment Policy that will be released on March 8, International Women's Day, may include this policy.

EDITORIAL

Signals of a slow return to peace in Syria

Summary:

As Syria enters its 13th year of civil conflict, a bomb explosion in Istanbul on November 13 has accelerated a diplomatic process that could potentially bring peace to the war-torn country. Turkish authorities have blamed Kurdish militants for the bombing and have launched "Operation Claw-Sword," targeting Kurdish targets in both Syria and Iraq. Turkey has also proposed a re-engagement with Syria, starting with meetings of defense and foreign ministers and culminating in a summit of the three leaders. With the possibility of elections in June, there are domestic considerations at play for Turkey's President Erdogan as well. The Russian and Syrian priority is to detach the Kurds from the U.S., curb their separatist aspirations, and ensure the integrity of Syria. Turkey's position on the Kurds and the presence of extremist groups in the Idlib province remain a point of contention.

Admonishments that endanger the Constitution

Summary:

India's Vice-President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, has recently criticized the Supreme Court's ruling in the Kesavananda Bharati vs State of Kerala case, which held that Parliament's power to amend the Constitution was not plenary, and that any change that damages the document's basic structure would be declared void. Dhankhar has also criticized the collegium system, which is a body of senior judges that makes binding recommendations on appointments and the transfer of judges, and the court's judgment in 2015 that upheld the collegium's legality. Critics of Dhankhar's statements say it is an attempt to undermine the judiciary's autonomy and the basic structure doctrine.

‘Objectives of SIMI against basic fabric of Constitution’

Summary:

The Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) aims to mobilize Muslim support for the creation of a "caliphate" and to replace Indian nationalism with an "international Islamic order," according to the Union Home Ministry. In addition, SIMI regards idol worship as a "sin" and aims to end such practices, the Ministry added. The Centre argued that SIMI's financial situation is "sound" with donations and memberships from Gulf countries, and that it has contacts in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Nepal. The hearing for a petition seeking to revoke a ban on SIMI as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 was adjourned by the Supreme Court.

The Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is a banned organization in India, which was formed in 1977 with the goal of promoting Islamic values and principles among Indian Muslims. The organization's objectives, as described by the Indian government, include the creation of a "caliphate" to replace Indian nationalism with an "international Islamic order" and the propagation of the idea that idol worship is a "sin." The Indian government has banned SIMI under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, claiming that the organization's activities and objectives are against the basic fabric of the Indian Constitution. The organization is believed to have links with various other Islamic extremist groups and is accused of using violence to achieve its goals.

Report flags widening learning gaps

Summary:

The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022, released by the non-governmental organization Pratham, found that as schools reopened after nearly two years of closure due to COVID-19, student enrolments increased to more than pre-pandemic levels, but the learning gap widened for foundational skills in reading and arithmetic. Despite school closures, the overall enrolment figures increased from 97.2% in 2018 to 98.4% in 2022. The report also found that children's basic literacy levels have taken a big hit, with their reading ability compared with numeracy skills worsening much more sharply and dropping to pre-2012 levels.

Ukraine’s Interior Minister among 15 dead in helicopter crash near Kyiv

Summary:

At least 15 people, including Ukraine's Interior Minister, were killed and 29 were injured when a helicopter crashed in a residential area near Kyiv on Wednesday. Six people on the ground, including three children, were also killed. The cause of the crash is not yet clear and there was no immediate comment from Russia. There was also intense fighting reported overnight in eastern Ukraine.

‘Oil demand may see high on China’s COVID-19 reopening’

Summary:

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has said that the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China is set to boost global oil demand this year to a record high, while price cap sanctions on Russia could dent supply. The IEA said in its monthly oil report that "Two wild cards dominate the 2023 oil market outlook: Russia and China. Russian supply slows under the full impact of sanctions (while) China will drive nearly half this global demand growth even as the shape and speed of its reopening remain uncertain."