CHINESE ENTITIES IN ‘HAWALA’ RACKET: ED
Focus: GS-II Governance Why in news? The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated a money-laundering probe into a “hawala” racket allegedly involving some Chinese companies and shell entities that was unearthed by the Income-Tax Department earlier. Details The Enforcement Directorate (ED) zeroed in on a Chinese national who had been living under a pseudonym holding a […]
JUDICIAL REMEDIES FOR J&K INTERNET RESTRICTIONS
Focus: GS-II Governance Why in news? The Central government has agreed to restore Internet in two districts in Jammu and Kashmir on a trial basis in response to the Supreme Court of India’s approach. Reasoning against Internet Shut Downs The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression of the United Nations and representatives of […]
JURISDICTIONAL CONFLICT IN THE RUNNING OF DELHI
Focus: GS-II Governance Introduction The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in Government of NCT of Delhi vs. Union of India (2018) said: “The exercise of establishing a democratic and representative form of government for NCT of Delhi by insertion of Articles 239AA and 239AB would turn futile if the Government of Delhi that enjoys […]
ROLE OF POLICE FORCE AND MUNICIPALITIES IN SVANIDHI
Focus: GS-II Governance, Social Justice Why in news? Housing and Urban Affairs has urged the concerned officials to sensitize all their subordinates towards the street vendors, in a meeting to review PM SVANidhi scheme. Highlights The MoHUA said “To a marginalized Street Vendor already battling to survive on a day to day basis, overturning his […]
PMO DENIES RTI PLEA SEEKING INFO ON PM-CARES
Focus: GS-II Governance Why in news? The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has denied a Right to Information request related to the PM-CARES Fund on the grounds that providing it would “disproportionately divert the resources of the office.” However, a High Court judgment and multiple orders of the Central Information Commission (CIC) have previously held that, […]
MADRAS HC: LAW TO BAR CRIMINALS IN ELECTION
Focus: GS-II Governance Why in news? The Madras High Court has directed the Centre to explain in two weeks as to why it should not enact a law prohibiting people with criminal background from contesting in parliamentary, Assembly and local body elections. Details The High Court issued the direction after taking note of media reports […]
STATES ASKED NOT TO MAKE INDEPENDENT VACCINE PURCHASES
Focus: GS-II Governance Why in news? An expert committee on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 has advised states not to procure Covid-19 vaccines on their own and said that domestic production capacity and supplies through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, would be sufficient for India. Details The Committee said that there will be a unified mechanism to […]
WHO IS ASSAMESE?
Focus: GS-II Governance Introduction The Assam Accord was signed at the end of a six-year agitation (1979-85) against illegal migration from Bangladesh. In the context of the Accord, the question of who is Assamese stems from the language of Clause 6: “Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, […]
WHY ANTI-DEFECTION LAW HAS FAILED ITS PURPOSE?
Focus: GS-II Governance Introduction The anti-defection law is supposed to deter elected legislators from defecting from their political parties. They can lose their seats in the legislature for defying their party, and if declared a defector, they cannot become a minister in a government for six months. However, many recent events have raised concerns that […]
JAMMU AND KASHMIR TO GET LIMITED 4G ACCESS
Focus: GS-II Governance Why in news? In the last hearing, the court asked the Centre to explain whether 4G network could be restored in select areas of Jammu and Kashmir where there was no trouble. Attorney General informed the Supreme Court that 4G Internet access will be opened up after Independence Day in one district […]