BLOGS
3 – states Anti conversion laws differences
The Madhya Pradesh government will follow two other BJP-led states, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, by passing an anti-conversion law that prohibits religious conversion only for the purpose of marriage. The state cabinet adopted the 2020 Religious Freedom Bill as an ordinance. Although a common characteristic of the three laws is the declaration of “null and void” of said marriages and the penalization of conversions made without prior approval from the state, they differ in the amount of the prescribed penalty and in the distribution of the load. proof that a conversion is lawful. Furthermore, the MP law aims to protect the rights of women in such marriages.
- Note: Prosecution law requires a 60-day “declaration of intent to convert” before the district judge for the conversion to be valid, after which a pair of different beliefs can legally marry. Uttar Pradesh’s 2020 Illegal Religion Conversion Order, enacted in November, also requires a 60-day notice, but also requires the magistrate to conduct a police investigation to determine the true intent behind the conversion. The Himachal Pradesh Religious Freedom Act of 2019, which came into effect last week, requires a 30-day “declaration of intent to convert.”
- Who can investigate: section 4 of the Law on the Prosecutor’s Office states that a police officer may not carry out any investigation, except on the written complaint of the converted person or her parents / siblings. Guardians of the converted person can only file a complaint with the permission of a court. The Public Ministry Law also stipulates that no police officer below the rank of sub-inspector may investigate a crime under the law. The Himachal Law says that lawsuits cannot be brought without prior sanction from an officer who is not below the rank of subdivision magistrate. The UP law allows the same people authorized by the MP law to file a complaint.
- Burden of proof: The MP law places the burden of proving on the converted person that the conversion was carried out without duress or illegality. The Himachal Law has a similar provision. The UP Law goes further by placing this burden of proof on the people who “caused” or “facilitated” the conversion and not on the individual. Even in the framework of the police investigation, if the magistrate is not satisfied, criminal action can be brought under article 11 of the ordinance against the persons who “caused” the conversion. This includes those who committed the crime; he did not act and avoid the crime; and people aided, incited, advised or recruited to commit the crime.
- Maintenance and inheritance: by declaring “null and void” any marriage in which the husband or wife has become, even consensual, unless they have previously notified the state government, the new parliamentary law at the same time to the rights of the wife and her child from the marriage “null and void.” By virtue of article 9, the woman whose marriage has been declared null and void by virtue of this legislation, as well as her children, are entitled to alimony. However, the law does not provide a remedy to ensure that the marriage can be subsequently protected. Neither the UP nor the Himachal Law have such provisions.
- Fine amount: The crime of illegal conversion under the laws of the tri-state is recognizable and unsecured, which means that an arrest can be made without a warrant and bail is only granted at the discretion of the judge. Under the law of public prosecution, a person can be sentenced to between one and five years in prison for converting or attempting to convert illegally. If the person converted is a woman, a minor, or a person belonging to a recognized caste or tribe (SC / ST), the sentence is two to ten years. It also provides for a prison term of three to ten years for concealment of religion during marriage. The UP law establishes a minimum penalty of one year, which can be extended up to five years, and repeat offenses can result in twice the maximum penalty. Men receive a harsher penalty if they are found guilty of causing the conversion of a woman, minor or person belonging to a SC / TS, in which case the sentence is between two and ten years. Under Himachal law, a person can be sentenced to between one and five years in prison for converting or attempting to convert illegally. If the person converted is a woman, a minor or a person belonging to a SC / ST, the penalty is two to seven years.
- Previous Laws: At least 10 states, including MP and Himachal Pradesh, already have laws against conversion. The main difference between the new laws is that they aim to criminalize conversions for the sole purpose of getting married. The impeachment order repeals Madhya Pradesh’s 1968 law on religious freedom. While this also criminalizes forced conversion, the new law adds provisions on conversion during marriage, maintenance rights, and transfer of the burden of proof by imposing it on the accused. Himachal passed its law in 2019, repealing the Himachal Pradesh Religious Freedom Law of 2006. While the 2019 law added provisions regarding conversions for matrimonial purposes, there was also the aspect of prior declaration before the district magistrate. in the 2006 law. In fact, the Superior Court had annulled the prior notification provisions as unconstitutional and in violation of the fundamental right to privacy. In 2019, a report from the UP State Law Commission recommended a special law to address incidents of forced conversion. In a bill, introduced with the report, the Commission recommended criminalizing fraudulent conversions, including conversions for the sole purpose of marriage. Then the ordinance was enacted.
2nd tranche of Economic Package
A day after announcing a set of 15 aid measures linked to MSMEs, NBFC, the real estate sector, etc., Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman now announced the second tranche of Rs. 20 lakh crore economy package today under the theme of Self Reliant India (Aatma Nirbhar Abhiyan).
- Kisan credit cards: Rs 2 lakh crore of concessional credit boost to 2.5 crore farmers, Fishermen and animal husbandry farmers will be included in Kisan credit card scheme,
- Rs 30,000 crore additional emergency fund through NABARD for farmers,
- Rs 6000 crore employment push using CAMPA funds for tribal,
- For the lower strung of the middle class earning Rs 6-18 lakh annual income, the govt will extend the CLSS scheme for affordable housing till March 2021.
- Special credit facility of about Rs 500 crore for street vendors. The scheme will be launched within a month. There are 50 lakh street vendors.
- Rs .1500 crore interest subvention for MUDRA-Sishu loans.
- Govt. to launch a scheme for affordable rental housing for migrant workers/urban poor to provide ease of living by converting govt funded housing in cities into Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) under PPP mode through concessionaire.
- concessional rental housing complexes for migrant workers.
- 8 crore non-PDS card holders will get 5 kg of grains per person.
- All occupations should be open for women, with provision for night working rights and adequate safeguards,
- Ration cards portability to be introduced. ‘One nation, one ration card’ will be implemented within August. Ration cards would be used anywhere in India, Without cards also the workers can get the grains.
- 8 crore migrant workers will benefit.
- Free food grain supply to all migrant workers.
- 12,000 self-help groups (SHGs) have produced more than 3 crore masks and 1.2 lakh litres of sanitizers during #COVID19 period. 7,200 new SHGs for urban poor have been formed during the last two months.
- Social security measures to be extended to gig workers.
- Regional disparity in minimum wages to be removed, Minimum wages to be made universally to all workers.
- States have been advised to give work to labourers under MNREGA.
- Generated 14.6 crore mandays upto 13th May. The figure is 40-50% more persons enrolled.
- There has some legitimate concerns around migrant labourers. FM lists out steps taken to support migrants and urban poor during the last 2 months.
- Interest subvention and prompt repayment incentive on crop loans due from 1st March has been extended to 31st May.
- Rs 29,500 crore loans refinanced by NABARD.
- 3 lakh loans have been approved between March and April.
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25 bills passed in Monsoon Session
The monsoon session of Parliament came to an abrupt end on September 23 after the growing number of COVID-19 cases. The session began on September 14 and, after 7 days of operation, it was suspended sine die. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said Lok Sabha’s productivity was around 167% and Rajya Sabha’s was around 100.47% during the 2020 monsoon session.
- During this session, 22 bills (16 in Lok Sabha and 06 in Rajya Sabha) were presented to parliament. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha individually passed 25 bills each and 27 bills were passed by both houses of Parliament.
- The approval rate for invoices per day was. 2.7 bills, which is the best rate to date. Below you will find the main points to know about the 25 bills passed by Parliament during this session.
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
- The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020: The bill creates a framework for contract farming through an agreement between a farmer and a buyer before the production or selection of any agricultural product. An agricultural agreement can be linked to insurance or credit schemes by the central or state government or any other financial service provider to ensure “risk mitigation” and “credit flow” to farmers. The minimum period of an agreement will be one harvest year or one animal production cycle. It is the buyer’s responsibility to supply the farm equipment to the farmer.
- The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020: It aims to create additional business opportunities outside of the Farm Products Market Committee yards to help farmers obtain profitable prices through increased competition. The proposed law will allow intra and interstate trade in agricultural products beyond the physical facilities of APMC markets, thereby giving farmers and traders the freedom to sell or buy agricultural products anywhere. State governments cannot impose market fees, taxes, or levies on farmers or traders “outside of trade zones.” It also establishes a dispute settlement mechanism for farmers.
- The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020: It allows the central government to control the production and trade of certain products. Its aim is to allay the fears of private investors of excessive regulatory interference and to encourage investment in the sector. The law removes grains, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onions and potatoes from the list of essentials and only allows their regulation under extraordinary circumstances of extraordinary price increases, war and natural disasters.
COVID-19 RELATED LEGISLATIONS
- The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Bill, 2020: Provides preventative measures against violence against “healthcare workers” and property damage during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides for prison terms of three months to five years and a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs two lakh. It also extends the powers of the central government to prevent the spread of these diseases.
- The Salaries and Allowances of Ministers (Amendment) Bill, 2020: Reduces the luxury allowance payable to each minister by 30% for a period of one year from April 1, 2020 to meet COVID-19 requirements.
- The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020: Reduce MP salaries by 30% for a period of one year from April 1, 2020 to meet requirements derived from COVID-19. Some rules in the 1954 law were also changed to reduce allowances for office expenses and constituencies. These changes have been made for a period of one year from April 1, 2020.
EASE OF DOING BUSINESS MEASURES
- The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020: Temporarily suspends the initiation of the corporate insolvency resolution process in accordance with articles 7, 9 and 10 of the Bankruptcy and Bankruptcy Code for a specified period of six months or another period of up to one year. The central government can extend this period to one year by notification.
- The Bilateral Netting of Qualified Financial Contracts Bill, 2020: Bilateral compensation refers to the compensation or compensation of all claims that result from transactions between two parties, in order to determine a net amount payable or receivable from one party to another. The bill allows two counterparties in a bilateral financial contract to offset claims against each other to determine a single net payment obligation. It grants powers to the financial regulators Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), etc. as competent authorities to notify a qualified financial contract.
- The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2020: Eliminate the penalty and imprisonment for certain crimes and reduce the amount of the fine to pay for certain crimes, among others. The bill makes three changes. First, it eliminates the penalty for certain crimes.
- The Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020: Provides relief to taxpayers for challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as extending the deadline for filing returns and linking PAN and Aadhaar. It also offers tax benefits on donations to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Emergency Aid Fund (PM CARES FUND).
LABOUR SECTOR REFORMS
- The Occupational Safety, Health And Working Conditions Code, 2020: The code brings together 13 laws related to the health, safety and working conditions of workers. The government authorized a single license for hiring companies to hire contract workers at different locations, replacing the old multiple license system. The threshold for subcontractor employees has been raised from 20 to 50. The code defines a migrant worker as a person who has come from their own state to seek employment in another state and earns up to Rs 18,000 per month.
- The Industrial Relations Code, 2020: The government has made it easier for employers to lay off employees by raising the threshold for the number of employees needed in an organization from 100 to 300 for layoffs and closings without government approval. Employment (Regulations) Act, 1946, and Labor Disputes Act, 1947.
- The Code On Social Security, 2020: It is intended to provide universal social security to all workers, including unorganized workers and platform workers. The code also proposes the creation of a social security fund to provide social security sums to the three categories of workers. It subsumes and streamlines the nine central labor laws related to social security.
- The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020: It streamlines and strengthens the provisions of the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act 2010. The bill also proposes to allow the Center to authorize an NGO or an association to deliver its FCRA certificate.
HEALTH SECTOR
- The National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019: It repeals the law of 1973 on the Central Council of Homeopathy and creates the National Commission of Homeopathy to regulate the teaching and practice of homeopathy.
- The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019: It repeals the Indian Central Medical Council Act 1970 and establishes a national commission to regulate the teaching and practice of Indian medical systems.
- The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020: It extends the term of the Board of Governors for a period of one year. aims to amend the Law of 1973 on the Central Council of Homeopathy and replaces the Ordinance (Amendment) of the Central Council of Homeopathy, 2020, promulgated on April 24. The 1973 law was amended in 2018 to provide for the replacement of the Central Council of Homeopathy. The board was required to reconstitute itself within one year from the date of its replacement. This provision was amended in 2019 to require reconstitution of the board in two years.
- The Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020: Provides for the replacement of the Central Medical Council of India by the Board of Governors for a period of one year; seeks a year to reconstitute the central council and sets up a board of directors to exercise its powers in the meantime.
EDUCATION SECTOR
- The Rashtriya Raksha University Bill, 2020: Establishes Rashtriya Raksha University as an institute of national significance, which will be a multidisciplinary university for the creation of new knowledge through research and collaboration. The wings mentioned are the police, the criminal justice system and the corrections administration.
- The Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020: Declares five Indian Information Technology Institutes (IIIT) established under the public-private partnership mode in Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala and Raichur as institutions of national importance.
- The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020: It established a state-of-the-art Ayurvedic institution called the Institute for Ayurvedic Education and Research (ITRA) in Jamnagar, Gujarat, with the status of an institution of national importance.
- The National Forensic Sciences University Bill, 2020: Establishes the National University of Forensic Sciences as an institute of national significance.
MISCELLANEOUS
- The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020: It converts the three existing regulatory bodies under the Ministry of Civil Aviation: the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Civil Aviation Safety Office (BCAS) and the Civil Aviation Investigation Office. aviation accidents (AAIB) in statutory bodies.
- The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020: It strengthens the regulatory framework for cooperative banks and allows the RBI to prepare a plan for the reconstruction or merger of a banking company without imposing a moratorium. Under the changes, cooperative societies that operate as banks will be governed by the same rules as conventional commercial banks and will be subject to RBI regulation. Until now, cooperative banks have been under the dual control of cooperative societies and the RBI. The RBI can also undertake a plan to merge or rebuild a cooperative bank without defaulting it. Previously, if a bank were to default, it not only limited depositors’ withdrawals, but also disrupted the bank’s lending operations.
- The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill, 2020: It includes Kashmir, Dogri and Hindi in the list of official languages of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to existing Urdu and English.
1971 Contempt of Courts Act
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing in a 2009 contempt of court case against lawyer Prashant Bhushan, and reserved its verdict on the amount of sentence in the contempt case started earlier this year.
- The three-judge tribunal headed by Judge Arun Mishra has ordered that the records of the 2009 case be referred to the Chief Justice of India, who can put them before an appropriate tribunal.
- The court adjourned the hearing because the case involved “more important” issues and since Judge Mishra retired on September 2 and was unable to conclude the hearing.
Prashant Bhushan: What are you bringing against you?
The 2009 case against Bhushan was brought by senior lawyer Harish Salve in an interview published in Tehelka magazine, in which he brought charges of corruption in the justice system. Besides Bhushan, Tehelka’s editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal was also charged with contempt of court.
- In 2010, a three-judge tribunal chaired by Judge Altamas Kabir issued notifications to Bhushan and Tejpal, but the case was only heard when the SC recently launched a new contempt case against Bhushan.
- The new case concerns two tweets from Bhushan about the functioning of the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India.
- On August 14, the Supreme Court ruled that the two tweets constituted “serious contempt of court”. In this case, Bhushan refused to apologize and insisted that the tweets reflect his “true beliefs”, even when the Supreme Court gave him time to rethink and either unconditionally apologize or withdraw his statement.
- The court has now reserved its verdict on the amount of sentence, if any, to be imposed on Bhushan. What are the “most important” questions for 2009?
- Bhushan argued that the 2009 case would involve issues requiring interpretation of the Constitution and therefore should be referred to a larger court.
- On August 24, through his lawyer Kamini Jaiswal, he presented a list of 10 issues that should be dealt with by a Constitutional Court.
- The most crucial of these questions is whether to express “a good faith opinion on the extent of corruption in any section of the judiciary” would amount to contempt of court.
- Bhushan also highlighted several conflicting rulings on contempt of court issues and banned public speaking of complaints against a judge, and requested a referral to a larger court to resolve the law on these issues.
- In a 1995 decision, Ravichandran Iyer v. Judge AM Bhattacharjee, the Supreme Court stated that lawyers must inform the chief justice of that court of the allegations against any judge, with prima facie evidence, so that the chief justice can investigate the subject.
- Bhushan asked whether this procedure was compatible with the “reasonable restrictions” imposed on freedom of expression by the Constitution.
- Although the Contempt of Court Act 1971 recognizes truth as a defense in business, one of the questions raised by Bhushan is whether the opponent should prove the allegation or comment on the corruption.
How to make a referral to a large bench?
According to article 145 (3) of the Constitution, “the minimum number of judges who will meet to resolve any case involving a question of substantive law concerning the interpretation of this Constitution” will be five. A court of at least five judges is created to hear important constitutional matters.
- When different decisions of the same judicial force are not consistent with each other, a larger decision of a court with an odd number of judges is preferable to harmonize the law.
- Once the problems to be solved have been identified, they are submitted to the CJI, which will then assign them to a larger bank. CJI, as master of the list, decides which bank will hear the case.
- In Bhushan’s case, the case will be transferred to another court on September 10.
And the other case?
The Supreme Court has previously found Bhushan guilty of “serious contempt of court” for his two tweets. Usually, a separate sentencing hearing follows the conviction and the court hears the arguments again to decide the amount of the sentence.
- On August 20, during the sentencing hearing, the Supreme Court gave Bhushan more time to “think” and apologize to the court. This extension was despite Bhushan’s stance that he had not tweeted in a “distraction attack” but rather expressed what he called a “genuine belief” he had about the state of justice.
- On August 24, through his lawyer Kamini Jaiswal, he submitted a list of 10 questions that needed to be addressed by a Constitution Bench. The most crucial of these questions is whether expressing “bonafide opinion about the extent of corruption in any section of the judiciary” would amount to contempt of court.
- Bhushan also pointed out several conflicting rulings on the subjects of contempt of court, and bar against speaking in the public domain about complaints against a judge, and sought reference to a larger Bench to settle the law on these issues.
- In a 1995 ruling, Ravichandran Iyer v Justice A M Bhattacharjee, the Supreme Court had said that lawyers must inform the Chief Justice of that court about allegations against any judge, with prima facie evidence, so that the CJ can look into the matter.
- Bhushan asked if this procedure is compatible with the “reasonable restrictions” imposed on free speech by the Constitution.
- Although the 1971 Contempt of Courts Act recognises truth as a defence in cases, one of the questions that Bhushan has raised is whether the contemnor has to prove the allegation or remark on corruption.
How is a reference to a larger Bench made?
As per Article 145(3) of the Constitution, “the minimum number of Judges who are to sit for the purpose of deciding any case involving a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of this Constitution” shall be five. A bench of at least five judges is set up to hear significant Constitution cases.
- When different rulings of same Bench strength are not consistent with one another, a ruling by a larger Bench of an odd number of judges is preferred to harmonise the law.
- Once the questions to be settled are identified, these are placed before the CJI who will then assign it to a larger Bench. The CJI, as the master of the roster, decides which Bench would hear the case.
- In Bhushan’s case, the case will be listed before another Bench on September 10.
What about the other case?
The Supreme Court has already held Bhushan guilty of “serious contempt of court” for his two tweets. Generally, a separate hearing for sentencing follows conviction, with the court hearing arguments again to decide the quantum of punishment.
- On August 20, during the sentencing hearing, the Supreme Court gave Bhushan more time to “think over” and tender an apology to the court.
- This extension was despite Bhushan’s stand that he had not tweeted in a “fit of absent-mindedness” but had expressed what he termed a “bonafide belief” he held on the state of the judiciary.
- On August 24, he filed another affidavit, reiterating his stand and informing the court that tendering an insincere apology would in fact constitute contempt of court.
- The court once again heard arguments by Bhushan’s lawyer and Attorney General for India K K Venugopal on why the court must not award any punishment to Bhushan and concluded the hearing.
- Venugopal also told the court that while Bhushan may be warned, he should not be awarded a punishment.
Why is the court repeatedly asking for an apology?
- The Contempt of Courts Act 1971 lays down the procedure to be followed in contempt cases. It also says that the offence is punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to Rs 2,000, or both.
- However, Section 12 of the Act also adds an exception to the punishment prescribed. “Provided that the accused may be discharged or the punishment awarded may be remitted on apology being made to the satisfaction of the court,” the law says.
- Hence, a statement of apology to the court by Bhushan would allow the court to let him off without punishment even though the Supreme Court has found him guilty of contempt of court.
1267 special procedure on terrorism
On Wednesday, five permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council – the US, UK, France, Germany and Belgium – blocked an attempt by Pakistan to include two Indians under one UN Security Council regime against international terrorism. Late in the afternoon Indian time, TS Tirumurti, Permanent Representative of India to the UN in New York, posted on Twitter:
“Pakistan’s blatant attempt to politicize the 1267 special procedure on terrorism by giving it a religious color has been thwarted by the United Nations Security Council. We thank all Council members who blocked Pakistani projects. “
TS Tirumurti, Permanent Representative of India to the UN in New York
How did the issue come up before the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Subcommittee?
Pakistan has been trying for a year to sanction four Indians, who worked in Afghanistan, under the UN regime of 1267. It submitted separate proposals against them between September and November 2019, an extremely bad year for relations between the United Nations.
- India and Pakistan on three main issues; the terrorist attack in Pulwama, the air strikes in Balakot and their consequences; the appointment, finally, of the leader of Jaish-e-Muhammad Masood Azhar; and India’s decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and divide the former state into two Union Territories.
- Wednesday was the third time this year that Pakistan’s efforts were thwarted.
- On June 24, the United States opposed a proposal by Pakistan to include one of the four Indians in 1267.
- Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it was “disappointed” and hoped its request to include the other three Indians was “duly considered” in an “objective and transparent” manner. And on July 16, there was a second bloc on a Pakistani proposal to include another Indian.
But why did Pakistan want the UN to sanction these indigenous peoples?
The 1267 Committee was first established in 1999 and strengthened by a series of resolutions in the months and years following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
- It is now known as the Daesh and Al -Qaida Sanctions Committee. Islamabad has accused India for years of fomenting terrorism in Pakistan via Afghanistan, a charge India rejects.
- Pakistan attempted to make its views known to the international community after capturing retired Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav in March 2016 and, a year later, sentenced him to death for “espionage and terrorism”.
- India, however, won a legal and diplomatic victory at the International Court of Justice in July 2019.
- The list of 1,267 terrorists is a global list, with a UNSC seal. It is full of Pakistani citizens and residents, and Pakistan would like to include Indians as well.
Who are the four Indians whom Pakistan addressed?
On September 2, Pakistan attempted to get onto the sanctions list for Appaji Angara and Gobinda Patnaik Duggivasala.
- Duggivalasa worked for a computer consulting company in Kabul. He left Afghanistan in November 2019, just before Pakistan submitted its proposal to include him on the list.
- Pakistan denounced Duggivalasa’s involvement in the July 2018 bombing at a campaign rally in Mastung, Balochistan, in which 148 people were killed, including pro-Pakistan Baluchistan Awami party candidate Siraj Raisani . It was the biggest attack in Balochistan in several years and was claimed by the Islamic State. Mastung, about 20 km from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, is a hub of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which announced its affiliation with the Islamic State in 2017.
- Appaji Angara is a software engineer who also worked in Kabul. He returned to India in October 2019, a month before Pakistan submitted a nomination proposal.
- Pakistan has accused Angara of being involved in the 2014 army public school massacre in Peshawar, in which 150 students were killed. The attack was attributed to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistan has attempted to bind the Pakistani Taliban to India since their establishment in 2007.
- Pakistan has also alleged Angara’s involvement in a 2016 attack on a Christian settlement in Warsak, Peshawar, which was claimed by Jamat-ul-Ahrar, a TTP splinter group.
- Venumadhav Dongara’s nomination attempt was blocked by the United States in June. He is an engineer working in Afghanistan for KEC International Limited, an RPG group infrastructure company based in Mumbai.
- An FIR was filed against him in Peshawar in March 2019 for allegedly supplying explosives
- The attempt to appoint Venumadhav Dongara was blocked by the United States in June. He is an engineer who worked in Afghanistan for KEC International Limited, an infrastructure company of the RPG group based in Bombay.
- An FIR was filed against him in Peshawar in March 2019 for allegedly supplying explosives, weapons and ammunition for the 2015 attack on the Badaber Air Base of the Pakistan Air Force.
- Twenty-nine members of the security forces were killed in the attack, which began in the early hours of September 18, 2015. The Pakistani military had hinted at India’s involvement and said the attack had been planned in Afghanistan.
- “The attackers were from Afghanistan and all the foul play was planned in the neighboring country. This attack was also carried out through direct coordination from Afghanistan, ”said the military spokesman, Major General Asim Bajwa.
- A faction of the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place during the Pakistani army’s Operation Zarb-e-Azb against the group.
- Dongara left Afghanistan in September 2019, apparently “uprooted” by Indian agencies who feared he would be kidnapped and handed over to Pakistanis.
- Ajoy Mistry is the 4th Indian on Pakistan’s wish list. He worked as a cook at a US Army base in Afghanistan since 2012, after stints in Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.
- Pakistan accuses him of having ties to ISIS. He also returned to India in October 2019. The proposal to include him on the list was blocked on July 16.
What is the process by which people are listed in UNSC 1267?
- Any Member State can submit an application for a person, group or entity.
- The 1267 Committee, which includes all permanent and non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, meets as needed four days in advance.
- Decisions to include and exclude lists are made by consensus. Any nomination must meet defined criteria.
- The proposal must include acts or activities that indicate that the person / group / entity proposed has participated “in the financing, planning, facilitation, preparation or commission of acts or activities” related to “ISIL (Daesh), Al-Qaida or any other cell, subsidiary, dissident group or derivative thereof ”.
- According to the Committee’s guidelines, “the detailed account of the cases in support of the proposed listing” should provide “as much detail as possible on the basis (s) or justification for the listing”, including specific conclusions. and supporting evidence.
- The proposal is sent to all members and if no member objects within five business days, the proposal is adopted. An “objection” means curtains to the proposal.
- Any member of the Committee can also put a “technical stay” on the proposal and request additional information from the proposing Member State. During this time, other members can also set up their own warehouses.
- The matter remains on the Committee’s “pending” list until the Member State that placed the suspension decides to turn its decision into an “objection”, or until all those who placed the suspensions do so. withdraw within a period set by the Committee.
- Pending issues must be resolved within six months, but the suspending Member State may request an additional three months. At the end of this period, if no objections are raised, the matter is considered approved.
- Venumadhav Dongara’s proposed list was suspended last year, something the United States opposed this year, effectively blocking the proposal.
- The Ajoy Mistry proposal was also put on hold, which was blocked in July due to objections from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Belgium. Those same countries also technically suspended Duggivasala and Appaji’s proposed list and blocked it on Wednesday.
#CoupleChallenge
The latest trend on the Internet is the “Couple Challenge”, in which thousands of people around the world have shared photos with their partners or spouses on Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms.
- But the seemingly innocent challenge of social media has prompted law enforcement agencies in India to warn users not to share their images online after receiving complaints from people whose images and personal information have been misused by cybercriminals.
- Pune police issued a warning message on their official Twitter account on Thursday, warning social media users to “think twice before posting a photo with your partner.”
- “A ‘cute’ challenge can go wrong if you’re not careful! #Care, ”the tweet read.
What is the #CoupleChallenge?
To date, more than 37,000 images have been shared on Instagram alone under the hashtag “Couple Challenge.” With this hashtag, Internet users celebrated their relationships online by sharing images with their spouses and partners.
- The challenge also sparked a wave of memes on social media, with some people using Photoshop editing software to digitally insert themselves into images with their favorite celebrities.
- Local law enforcement authorities, such as the Nagpur Police, have even used the challenge to share memes promoting good practices during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, such as wearing face masks.
Why are the police warning Internet users not to participate in the #CoupleChallenge?
- In their recent Twitter post, the Pune Police warned users to think twice before sharing their images on social media, as they can be transformed, modified or used for pornographic purposes and other cybercrimes.
- “Couple Challenge is again a trend on social networks. Just be aware that these photos may be misused for morphing, revenge porn, deep scythes, etc.
- Police personnel said they have already received several complaints from people harassed about the misuse of their photos and personal information. Some claimed that their images had been transformed and uploaded to “obscene websites” by criminal elements.
- At a press conference, cyber police station police inspector Jayram Paigude told reporters that people should be careful before posting their personal information on social media.
What constitutes “revenge porn” and “deep fakes”?
- Over the years, thousands of people, especially women, have been the victims of cyber crimes such as fake and vindictive porn.
- “Deep manipulation” is computer-generated images and videos made with artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
- Criminals using artificial intelligence software can now easily superimpose a person’s face on an existing video or photo.
- In March 2018, for example, a fake video of the then first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, appeared on Reddit. An app called FakeApp was used to superimpose her face on a porn star’s video. A similar pornographic video appeared on the Internet in 2017, with actor Gal Gadot.
- It is not uncommon for criminals to use false or altered images to blackmail victims, get revenge, or commit fraud on social media and dating sites.
- The creation or sharing of sexually explicit images or videos on the Internet without the consent of the subjects and as a means of harassing them is known as revenge pornography.
- Cybercrime officials in India have been tracking apps and websites known to produce nude photos of innocent people using artificial intelligence algorithms. These images are often shared by criminals without the person’s consent on pornographic websites.
“Mission Karmayogi”
The Union Cabinet Wednesday approved a new capacity building programme titled ‘Mission Karmayogi’ for civil servants with an aim to upgrade the post-recruitment training mechanism of the officers and employees at all levels. Addressing the media, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said officers and employees in the government will get an opportunity to improve their performance with the Mission Karmayogi.
“Mission Karmayogi aims to prepare Indian Civil Servants for the future by making them more creative, constructive, imaginative, innovative, proactive, professional, progressive, energetic, enabling, transparent and technology-enabled,” .
pRAKASH JAVDEKAR
- Union Minister Jitendra Singh said a Prime Minister-led council will approve and monitor the capacity building plans for the programme. It will also include state Chief Ministers, Union Cabinet ministers and experts.
- The government also plans to have a capacity building department, which will have experts in related fields and global professionals, he added. A nominal fee will be charged for the programme which will be compensated by the organisation of the government employee.
- Among other decisions, the Cabinet approved a bill under which Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi, apart from the existing Urdu and English, will be the official languages in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
- The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill, 2020 will be introduced in Parliament in the upcoming Monsoon Session, Javadekar said. The Bill received the Cabinet nod on Wednesday at a meeting presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Inclusion of Dogri, Hindi and Kashmiri as official languages in Jammu and Kashmir is not only a fulfilment of a long-pending public demand but also in keeping with the spirit of equality ushered after August 5, 2019,”
UNION MINISTER JITENDRA SINGH
- The Cabinet also approved three MoUs – one between the Textile Ministry and Japan for quality evaluation method; between Mining Ministry and Finland; and between the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Denmark.
“Elephant corridor”
The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the power of the Tamil Nadu government to notify an “elephant corridor” and protect the animal migration route through the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
- The reserve is the largest protected forest area in India and spans Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
- A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde said it was the state’s duty to protect a “key species” like elephants, which are extremely important to the ‘environment.
- The corridor is located on the fragile Sigur Plateau, which connects the Western and Eastern Ghats and supports elephant populations and their genetic diversity.
- It has the Nilgiri Hills on its southwest side and the Moyar River Valley on its northeast side. Elephants roam the plateau in search of food and water depending on the monsoon.
“Elephant corridors allow elephants to continue their nomadic survival mode, despite reduced forest cover, by facilitating movement between different forest habitats … these corridors play a crucial role in sustaining wildlife by reducing the amount of ‘impact of habitat isolation,’
said Judge S. Abdul Nazeer, who drafted the judgment.
- The Supreme Court ruling came in 32 appeals filed by private property complexes / landowners, including Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty, against a July 2011 Madras High Court ruling.
- The High Court upheld a ruling by government state of August 2010, notifying the elephant corridor.
- The tribunal established an inquiry committee made up of three members of the former Madras HC judge, Judge K. Venkatraman; Ajay Desai, consultant for the World Wide Fund for Nature-India; and Praveen Bhargava, Senior Wildlife Administrator.
- Appellants can address the committee in four months with their complaints against actions taken by collector Nilgiris, which included sealing his buildings, and allegations of “the arbitrary variation in the elephant corridor area.”
- The court had clearly expressed its empathy for the pachyderms even during the hearing of the case.
“The elephant is a gentleman and the man must give way to the elephant,”
Chief Justice Bobde said before reserving the case for trial on January 22.
- The tribunal took serious note of a report submitted by the amicus curiae, lawyer A.D.N. Rao, to seal or demolish 821 buildings, excluding tribal houses, in areas designated as elephant corridor by the government of Tamil Nadu.
- Mr. Rao suggested a rehabilitation plan for 186 households belonging to the programmed caste, the backward caste and the most backward caste.
- Chief Justice Bobde had refused to file individual complaints raised by private landowners against the August 2010 notification under the Tamil Nadu Private Forest Preservation Act of 1949.
- When some of the owners of the complex expressed their opinion that the elephant and the man coexist, Chief Justice Bobde replied wryly: “It is because the elephant is a gentleman … why do you have to go in? the forest? “
- In 2011, the High Court ruled that the government had been authorized by the Centre’s Elephant Project to allocate the corridor because there were no obstacles in the Wildlife Protection Act.
- He argued that the state government’s action to identify the corridor was in full obligation with its duties under Article 51-A (g) of the Constitution, which said it was the duty to every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment, including wildlife.
- The Supreme Court appreciated the efforts of defender “Elephant” Rajendran, whose petition under “In defense of the environment and animals” called for the protection of the free movement of elephants.
‘Digital in India’ a report by the Internet & Mobile
For the first time, India has more internet users in rural areas. Last November, there were 227 million internet users active in rural areas, which is 10% more than about 205 million in urban areas.
In total, India had 504 million active Internet users, the report showed that in rural India, the number of people who actively access the Internet daily has increased by 30 million since March last year. However, the time spent on the Internet is more in urban areas of India than in rural areas.
Nearly 70% of active Internet users in India are daily users, where nine out of 10 in urban India access it at least once a week. The accessibility of affordable devices and inexpensive data plans has greatly boosted the growth of Indian Internet users. In addition, the preferred device for accessing the Internet was mobile in urban and rural areas.
The report also adds that about a third of users access the Internet for more than an hour on Sundays and public holidays compared to a normal weekday. Another highlight of the report is that the increase in the number of female Internet users (26 million) was greater than that of male Internet users. This was a 21% increase, which is much higher than the 9% increase in male Internet users.
Among the states, Delhi has the highest Internet penetration, while Kerala is second, while Delhi retains first place in terms of penetration, at city level, Mumbai has the highest number of Internet users with around 13 million, Delhi is in second place with 11.3 million. Bengaluru ranks third with around 6.6 million users, while Kolkata (6.3 million) and Chennai (6 million) complete the top 5 cities in terms or number of users. (All figures indicate active Internet users over the age of 12).
Significantly, Eastern states as a whole experienced a 24% increase in the Internet population in November 2019 compared to March 2019. Jharkhand and Bihar experienced a 48% and 36% increase in the Internet population . respectively, which is higher than in any other Indian state. Overall, eastern states have historically had comparatively lower levels of Internet penetration, and the new momentum should help this region catch up with the rest of the country.
In terms of demographic data on age, two thirds of Internet users in India belong to the age group 12-29 years and this age group corresponds to more than 70% of Internet users in the areas rural. The ratio of 12-29 year olds and 30 year olds is around 50:50 in Mumbai and Chennai,
India has a total of 504 million active Internet users accessed the Internet in the past month, aged five years or more in November 2019. Of the total, 433 million belong to the age group 12 years of age or older, and 71 million In the age group of 5 to 11 years, those who access the Internet on the devices of family members.
Almost 70% of the Internet workforce in India are daily users. Nine out of 10 Internet users in urban India access the Internet at least once a week. In rural India, 30 million new users accessed the Internet daily, compared to March 2019, nearly a third of users accessed the Internet for “more than an hour” on Sundays and holidays compared to one day normal work.
About 26 million new Internet users were added in November 2019, an increase of 21% compared to a 9% increase in male users. Mobile continues to be the device of choice for accessing the Internet in urban and rural areas. Given the affordability of mobile devices and the availability of cheaper data plans, accessing the Internet via a mobile device has become the first choice, the report said.
The Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) is not-for-profit industry body registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Its mandate is to expand and enhance the online and mobile value added services sectors. It is dedicated to presenting a unified voice of the businesses it represents to the government, investors, consumers and other stakeholders.
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