Polity Current Affairs Compilation Part-1

DIADEMY.
COM CA Rahul Kumar and Team
POLITY (PRELIMS) CURRENT AFFAIRS –

COMPILATION PART 1
TOPICS
POLITY
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Index
Rules, Articles and Schedules in News
1. Article 246(3) of the Constitution
2. Article 48
3. Article 370
4. Rule 49MA
5. Section 375 of IPC
6. Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code
7. Article 156
8. 6th Schedule of the Constitution
10. Article 44
11. Article 130
12. Article 161
13. Article 142
15. Eighth Schedule Section 144 CrPC
Parliament and State Legislatures

1. Removal of Article 370 and 35A
2. Legislative Council of Jammu and Kashmir
3. Cabinet Committees
4. Speaker of the Lok Sabha
5. Motion of thanks to President’s Address
6. Pro- tem Speaker
7. Leader of Opposition
8. President’s address to both Houses of Parliament
9. Privilege Motion
10. Code of Conduct for MPs and MLAs
11. Legislative Council of Madhya Pradesh
12. 15 Point Reform Charter for Better Functioning of Parliament
13. Starred Questions
14. Rules for the Conduct of Business
15. Pardoning Powers of President
16. Equal Representation to All States in Rajya Sabha Sought
17. Private Member’s Bill
18. Administration of Oath in Legislature
19. Extension of President’s Rule in J&K
20. Maharashtra Placed Under President’s Rule
21. Parliamentary Standing Committees
22. Anglo- Indians in Lok Sabha and Assemblies
23. Strength of Lok Sabha
24. Legislative Council
25. Unparliamentary Speech and Conduct

26. Parliamentary Privileges
27. Supplementary Grants
28. Elections to Rajya Sabha
Judiciary/Judgements/Cases
1. Chief Justice of India’s Office under RTI Act
2. SC Strikes Down Finance Act Rules for Appointments to Judicial Tribunals
3. Sabarimala Case
4. Contempt of Court
5. Essar Steel Verdict
6. Chief Justice of India
7. Maharashtra Floor Test Plea and Supreme Court’s Demands
8. Review Petition
9. Strength of the Supreme Court increased from 31 to 34 including the CJI
10. POCSO Court
11. Ambit of RTI expanded
12. Ayodhya Verdict
13. Creamy layer principle in SC, ST quota for promotion
14. Supreme Court Bats Against Transfer of Community Resources
15. State can Regulate Minority Institutions
16. Curative Petition
17. SC Verdict on Internet Shutdowns
18. Private property is a Human Right
19. Criminalization of Politics
20. Supreme Court Panel Recommends Several Prison Reforms
21. Reservation in Promotion in Public Posts Not a Fundamental Right: SC
22. Supreme Court Upholds Changes to SC/ST Atrocities Law
23. HC Seeks Government Stand on Plea to Ban Acid Sale
24. Uniform Civil Code
25. Voting Rights of Prisoners
26. Don’t Detain Children in Jails, Lockups, Supreme Court Tells Police
27. Criminalization of Politics
28. Slapping Section 144 during CAA Protests ‘Illegal’: Karnataka HC
29. Ram Temple Trust
30. Kerala High Court Bans All Forms of Agitations in Schools, Colleges
31. Permanent Commission for Women
32. Grounds for Divorce under Hindu Law
33. Gram Nyayalayas
34. Police and Public Order in Delhi
35. Powers of Speaker under 10th schedule
Councils, Commissions, Tribunals, Regulatory Bodies and Agencies

1. North Eastern Council
2. Haryana Administrative Tribunal
3. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)
4. Fifteenth Finance Commission
5. GST Council

6. National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT)
7. 25th Meeting of the Western Zonal Council
8. 29th Meeting of the Northern Zonal Council
9. Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT)
10. NITI Aayog
11. Foreigners (Tribunals)
12. Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
13. National Investigation Agency (NIA)
14. Cauvery Water Management Authority (CMA)
15. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
16. Central Consumer Protection Authority
17. Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC)
18. Law Commission of India
19. National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)
20. Recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission
Political Parties/Electoral Issues

1. Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System (PPRTMS)
2. Delimitation of Constituencies
3. Registration of political parties under Section 29A of the RP Act, 1951
4. Electoral Bond Scheme
5. Postal Ballot Facilities Expanded
6.
Citizenship/ Permits/ Inhabitant Certificates/Agreements
1. MLA’s Citizenship Revoked for Hiding Foreign Visits
2. National Population Register (NPR)
3. Centre-state disputes and Article 131
4. Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN)
5. National Register of Citizens (NRC)
6. Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC)
7. Assam NRC additional draft exclusion list
8. Inner Line Permit (ILP)
9. Visitors to Meghalaya Must Register
10. Land Boundary Agreement (LBA)
Important Bills, Amendments, Laws, Policies and Acts

1. 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act 2019
2. Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Area) Act, 1996
3. Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
4. Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest
Rights) Act, 2006
5. Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA)
6. Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019
7. Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime (GCTOC) Bill
8. Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009

9. Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Act, 1951
10. Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) 2016
11. Citizenship Act of 1955
12. Model Contract Farming Act, 2018
13. Disha Bill
14. Social Security Code
15. Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act
16. Mineral Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2020
17. Karnataka anti-superstition law
18. National Investigation Act
19. Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2020
20. Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
21. National Security Act
22. Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019
23. Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019
24. Amendments in Arms Act, 1959 and Arms Rules, 2016 Notified
25. Private Member’s Bill Calls for Two-Child Norm
26. Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019
27. Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019
28. Labour Code on Industrial Relations 2019
29. Bill banning e-cigarettes passed
30. International Financial Services Centres Authority Bill, 2019
31. Punjab’s new Right to Business Bill
32. 2019 NIA Amendment Act
33. Major Port Authority Bill, 2020
34. Pesticides Management Bill 2020
35. Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill
Centre-State Relations
1. Assam Accord
2. Special Category Status
3. Kerala becomes first state to pass anti-CAA resolution
4. Bru-Reang Refugee Agreement
5. Mizoram Revokes Forest Rights Act
6.
Union, Concurrent and Sate list
1. Police and Public Order
2. Water
3. Public Health and Hospital
4. Land and its management
Miscellaneous
1. Disturbed Area
2. Meghalaya to have State Water Policy
3. Reservation of Limboo and Tamang Communities

4. Cabinet Secretary
5. Compulsory Retirement
6. E-Rozgar Samachar
7. Office of Profit
8. Central Adverse List
9. Removal of State Chief Information Commissioner
10. Indian Penal Code
11. No Assam Govt Jobs for Those with More than Two Children
12. Constitution Day of India
13. Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli to be merged
14. Jammu and Kashmir Bifurcation
15. Union Home Ministry and AFSPA
16. Delhi MLAs and Office of Profit
17. What next in Maharashtra?
18. Study Moots Lowering the Age of Consent
19. Arunachal Seeks New Officer Cadre
20. Bodoland Dispute
21. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas
22. Kannadigas to get priority in the private sector
23. creation of CDS
24. National Anthem
25. Instrument of Accession (IoA)
26. Arunachal Pradesh Teachers Transfer & Posting Policy, 2020
27. Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS)
28. Chief of Defence Staff
29. Tulu
30. Farm Loan Waiver
31. World Hindi Day 2020
32. National Youth Day
33. Kolkata Port Renamed
34. Three capitals for Andhra Pradesh
35. 71st Republic Day
36. Govt signs accord with NDFB, ABSU to resolve Bodo issue
37. Enemy Properties
38. Reciting Preamble is Compulsory in Maharashtra
39. Tougher law against sexual harassment at work
40. Anticipatory Bail
41. How to Treat a Child Witness
42. Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses
43. Joint Commands
44. International Judicial Conference
45. Panel Suggests Steps to Curb Child Porn
46. Assam is Proposing a Census of Indigenous Muslim Groups
47. Tribes of Tripura
48. Clause 6 in Assam Accord
49. Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR)

50. Sedition Cases in India
51. Five-Day Working Week for Maharashtra Government Employees
52. Chhattisgarh Moots Law To Protect Journalists
53. FCRA and Foreign Funding
54. Gram Sabha
55. Chhattisgarh panchayats to have disabled quota
56.

Rules, Articles and Schedules in News
Article 246(3) of Preservation of cattle is a matter on which the legislature of the States has
the Constitution exclusive powers to legislate
Article 48 The state shall endeavour to organize agriculture and animal husbandry on
modern and scientific lines and shall in particular take steps for
preserving improving the breed, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows
and calves and other milch and draught cattle
Article 370 Article 370 of the Indian Constitution is a ‘temporary provision’ which
grants special autonomous status to Jammu & Kashmir→under Part XXI of
the Constitution of India, which deals with “Temporary, Transitional and
Special provisions”, the state of Jammu & Kashmir has been accorded
special status under Article 370→All the provisions of the Constitution
which are applicable to other states are not applicable to J&K→According
to this article, except for defence, foreign affairs, finance and
communications, Parliament needs the state government’s
concurrence for applying all other laws→thus the state’s residents live
under a separate set of laws, including those related to citizenship, ownership
of property, and fundamental rights, as compared to other Indians
Rule 49MA Mentioned under ‘the Conduct of Elections Rules’ → Under the rule, where
printer for paper trail is used, if an elector after having recorded his vote under
rule 49M alleges that the paper slip generated by the printer has shown the
name or symbol of a candidate other than the one he voted for, the presiding
officer shall obtain a written declaration from the elector as to the allegation,
after warning the elector about the consequence of making a false
declaration→the rules outline that if after investigation, the allegation of EVM
malfunctioning is found to be false or incorrect, then the complainant can be
prosecuted under Section 177 of the Indian Penal Code for “furnishing
false information”
Section 375 of IPC India’s gender-specific rape law under which the perpetrator of the offence
can only be a ‘man’→In India, sexual crimes against boys under 18 years are
covered under the POCSO Act, but once they become adults they do not have
any legal recourse
Section 124-A of Sedition law→Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by

the Indian Penal visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or
Code contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the
Government established by law shall be punished with imprisonment for

life or any shorter term, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment
which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine
Article 156 Term of office of the Governor
6th Schedule of • National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has recommended to include
the Constitution Union Territory of Ladakh under 6th Schedule of Constitution of
India→total tribal population in Ladakh region is more than 97% and
is inhabited by following Scheduled Tribes: Balti, Beda, Bot, Boto,
Brokpa, Drokpa, Dard, Shin, Changpa, Garra,Mon and Purigpa
• What? Under Article 244, it deals with the administration of the tribal
areas in the four northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and
Mizoram→Passed by the Constituent Assembly in 1949, it seeks to
safeguard the rights of tribal population through the formation
of Autonomous District Councils (ADC)→Governor is empowered
to organise and re-organise the autonomous districts→The acts of
Parliament or the state legislature do not apply to autonomous districts
and autonomous regions or apply with specified modifications and
exceptions→Governor can appoint a commission to examine and report
on any matter relating to the administration of the autonomous districts or
regions→ He may dissolve a district or regional council on the
recommendation of the commission
10th Schedule of It was inserted in the Constitution in 1985 by the 52nd Amendment Act→
the Constitution lays down the process by which legislators may be disqualified on grounds
of defection by the Presiding Officer of a legislature based on a petition by
any other member of the House→the decision on question as to
disqualification on ground of defection is referred to the Chairman or the
Speaker of such House, and his decision is final→the law applies to both
Parliament and state assemblies
Article 44 It says that there should be a Uniform Civil Code→According to this article,
“the State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code
throughout the territory of India”→Since the Directive Principles are only
guidelines, it is not mandatory to use them
Article 130 It says that “the Supreme Court shall sit in Delhi or in such other place or
places, as the Chief Justice of India may, with the approval of the
President, from time to time, appoint”→Supreme Court Rules give the
Chief Justice of India the power to constitute Benches — he can, for
instance, have a Constitution Bench of seven judges in New Delhi, and set up
smaller Benches in, say, four or six places across the country

Article 161 Deals with power of Governor to grant pardons and to suspend, remit or
commute sentences in certain cases→it states that the Governor of a State
shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of
punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person
convicted of any offence against any law relating to a matter to which the
executive power of the State extends
Article 142 It provides a unique power to the Supreme Court, to do “complete justice”
between the parties, i.e., where at times law or statute may not provide a
remedy, the Court can extend itself to put a quietus to a dispute in a manner
which would befit the facts of the case
6th Schedule of The centre has asserted that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 has been
the Constitution tweaked so that states where the Inner Line Permit (ILP) is applicable, and
tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram that are notified
under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution would be kept out of its
purview→The tweaked CAB states that areas under the Sixth Schedule are
exempted from its purview, which means non-Muslim refugees from the
three countries who are granted Indian citizenship will not have any land or
trading rights in the autonomous regions→This essentially means the
refugees can neither reside or settle in the 10 autonomous districts, nor enjoy
benefits extended to the tribals, even if they are provided with Indian
citizenship→Further, the laws made by Autonomous District Councils
(ADCs) with the powers bestowed upon them by the Sixth Schedule will not be
scrapped by the CAB
Eighth Schedule What? Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India lists the official
languages of the Republic of India→As per Articles 344(1) and 351 of the
Indian Constitution, the eighth schedule includes the recognition of 22
languages
Section 144 CrPC It was recently widely invoked by police forces across the country in order to
contain the massive public protests against the recently passed Citizenship
Amendment Act→It gives power to a District Magistrate, a sub- divisional
Magistrate or any other Executive Magistrate on behalf of the State
Government to issue an order to an individual or the general public in a
particular place or area to “abstain from a certain act” or “to take certain
order with respect to certain property in his possession or under his
management”→ also empowers the authorities to block the internet
access→Moreover, there shall be no movement of public and all educational
institutions shall also remain closed and there will be a complete bar on
holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation
of this order→No order under Section 144 shall remain in force for more

than two months but the state government can extent the validity for two
months and maximum up to six months→ As held by the Supreme
Court, mere apprehension of danger is not a sufficient ground to curb
citizens’ rights by invoking Section 144 CrPC

Parliament and State Legislatures
Removal of President of India in “concurrence” with the “Jammu and Kashmir government”
Article 370 and promulgated Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019
which states that constitution will be applicable in J&K →this scraps Article 35A
35A →A presidential order under Article 370 (1) amended Article 367 which contains
guidance on how to interpret some provisions including Article 370→ it remains to
be seen whether the manner in which Article 370 has been repealed stands the
test of judicial review
Legislative Legislative council abolished in J&K as per Section 57 of the J&K

Council of Reorganisation Bill, 2019, which reduced the State to the Union Territories of
Jammu and J&K and Ladakh
Kashmir
Cabinet These are extra-constitutional in nature→Government has reconstituted 8

Committees key cabinet committees under the Transaction of Business Rules→ two new
Cabinet Committees formed, namely Cabinet Committee on Investment&
Growth and Cabinet Committee on Employment & Skill Development
Speaker of the Om Birla has been named as the new Lok Sabha Speaker→ speaker of the
Lok Sabha Lok Sabha is elected from all other members by simple majority→any
member of Parliament is eligible to be nominated as a speaker but most
commonly the candidate of ruling party or the party with majority wins this
post
Motion of thanks President makes an address to a joint sitting of Parliament at the start of
to President’s the Budget session→the address is followed by a motion of thanks moved
Address in each House by ruling party MPs→during the session, political parties
discuss the motion of thanks also suggesting amendments→motion must be
passed in both of the houses→ failure to get motion of thanks
passed amounts to defeat of government and leads to collapse of
government, that is why, the Motion of Thanks is deemed to be a no-
confidence motion→President’s Address and Motion of Thanks are governed
by Articles 86 (1) and 87 (1) of the Constitution and Rules 16 to 24 of the
Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
Pro- tem Speaker Is a Latin phrase which translates to for the ‘time being’ in English→Pro-tem
Speaker is a temporary speaker appointed for a limited period of time→
senior most member is elected as the pro-tem speaker→ president/governor
administers the oath of the office→ speaker of the Lok Sabha/legislative
assembly vacates the office immediately before the first meeting of the
newly elected house, hence President/ or governor appoints the pro-tem
speaker to preside over the sittings of the house
Leader of Leader of the largest party that has not less than one-tenth of the total
Opposition strength of the house→ It is a statutory post defined in the Salaries and
Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977
President’s As per Article 87(1): “At the commencement of the first session after each
address to both general election to the House of the People and at the commencement of the
Houses of first session of each year the President shall address both Houses of
Parliament
Parliament assembled together and inform Parliament of the causes of its
summons”
Privilege Motion • Congress moves privilege motion against Smriti Irani for remark on Rahul
Gandhi→Parliamentary privileges are certain rights and immunities
enjoyed by members of Parliament, individually and collectively, so that
they can “effectively discharge their functions” →When any of these
rights and immunities are disregarded, the offence is called a breach of
privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament→The Speaker/RS
chairperson is the first level of scrutiny of a privilege motion→ The
Speaker/Chair can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or

refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament→If the Speaker/Chair
gives consent under Rule 222, the member concerned is given an
opportunity to make a short statement
• Parliamentary privileges are certain rights and immunities enjoyed by
members of Parliament, individually and collectively, so that they can
“effectively discharge their functions”. When any of these rights and
immunities are disregarded, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is
punishable under law of Parliament→ A notice is moved in the form of a
motion by any member of either House against those being held guilty of
breach of privilege→ Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule
Book and correspondingly Rule 187 in Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha
rulebook governs privilege→Rules says that a member may, with the
consent of the Speaker or the Chairperson, raise a question involving a
breach of privilege either of a member or of the House or of a committee
thereof→ rules however mandate that any notice should be relating to an
incident of recent occurrence and should need the intervention of the
House→notices have to be given before 10 am to the Speaker or the
Chairperson→ Speaker/Chair can decide on the privilege motion himself or
herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament
Code of Conduct Lok Sabha Speaker has said that a common code of conduct will be framed
for MPs and for legislative bodies to check interruptions and for this a committee of
MLAs presiding officers will be formed, which, after due consultations with Speakers
of Legislative Assemblies and the Chairmen of Legislative Councils, will
present its report later this year
Legislative Madhya Pradesh government has indicated that it plans to initiate steps
Council of towards creation of a Legislative Council→A second House of legislature is
Madhya Pradesh considered important for two reasons: one, to act as a check on hasty actions
by the popularly elected House and, two, to ensure that individuals who might
not be cut out for the rough-and-tumble of direct elections too are able to
contribute to the legislative process→Under Article169 of the
constitution, Parliament may by law create or abolish the second chamber in a
state if the Legislative Assembly of that state passes a resolution to that effect
by a special majority→currently, six states have Legislative Councils. Jammu
and Kashmir too had one, until the state was bifurcated into the Union
Territories of J&K and Ladakh
15 Point Reform Expressing concern over the functioning of parliamentary institutions in the
Charter for country and erosion of public trust in them, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu
Better has unveiled a 15-point reform charter→his may serve as the basis for a
Functioning of
new political normal to enable effective functioning of the Parliament and
Parliament
State Legislatures→15-point charter includes: parties need to ensure
attendance of at least 50% of their legislators all through the proceedings of
the Houses by adopting a roster system, review of anti-defection law, review

of the whip system which is “stifling reasonable dissent even on non-
consequential matters”, set up special courts for time-bound adjudication of
criminal complaints against legislators, address problem of rising number
of legislators with criminal background etc
Starred Questions As many as 20 starred questions were taken up during Question Hour in one
day, a record since 1972→A Starred Question is one to which a member
desires an oral answer from the Minister in the House and is required to be
distinguished by him/her with an asterisk→Answer to such a question may be
followed by supplementary questions by members
Rules for the The suspension of two Congress members by Lok Sabha Speaker Om
Conduct of Birla after unruly scenes in the House has brought back focus on the conduct
Business of MPs and related issues→Powers of Speaker under the Rules for the
Conduct of Business: Rule 378 of the Rules for the Conduct of Business
states: “The Speaker shall preserve order and shall have all powers necessary
for the purpose of enforcing own decisions.”→Rule 373 says: “The Speaker, if
is of the opinion that the conduct of any member is grossly disorderly, may
direct such member to withdraw immediately from the House, and any
member so ordered to withdraw shall do so forthwith and shall remain absent
during the remainder of the day’s sitting.”
Pardoning Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a letter to the Punjab government to
Powers of commute the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted for the
President assassination of former Chief Minister Beant Singh→MHA took an “in
principle” decision to commute the sentence as a “humanitarian gesture”
ahead of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, the
founder of Sikhism→based on the replies received by the Centre, the
President can commute the death sentence under Article 72 of the
Constitution
Equal On the occasion of its 250th session, Rajya Sabha MPs have made the
Representation to following suggestions: Giving all States, irrespective of their population and
All States in size, an equal number of seats in the Rajya Sabha→All members,
Rajya Sabha
irrespective of their parties’ strength in the House, the same amount of time to
Sought
speak in debates→Rajya Sabha traces its direct history to the first bicameral
legislature introduced in British India in 1919 as a consequence of the
Montagu-Chelmsford reforms
Private Member’s 28 private member’s Bills introduced in Lok Sabha→Any MP who is not a
Bill Minister is referred to as a private member→admissibility of a private

member’s bill is decided by the Chairman for Rajya Sabha and Speaker in the
case of Lok Sabha→private member’s Bills can be introduced and discussed
only on Fridays
Administration of Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has alleged that
Oath in the oath-taking ceremony of the new government had violated the
Legislature Constitution- the format of the oath was not followed→Article 164(3)
says: “Before a Minister enters upon his office, the Governor shall administer
to him the oaths of office and of secrecy according to the forms set out for the
purpose in the Third Schedule”→The Third Schedule requires the taker of
the oath to either “swear in the name of God” or to “solemnly affirm” to “bear
true faith and allegiance to the Constitution…”→Article 164 makes it clear
that the text of the oath is sacrosanct, and the person taking the oath has to
read it out exactly as it is, in the given format→If a person wanders from the
text, it is the responsibility of the person administering the oath — in this
instance the Governor — to interrupt and ask the person being sworn in to
read it out correctly
Extension of • Extension of President’s Rule in J&K for six months (Article 356(4) ) with
President’s Rule effect from 3rd July, 2019
in J&K • What? Since J&K has a separate Constitution, Governor’s rule is first
imposed under Article 370 Section 92 for six months after an approval by
the President→in case the Assembly is not dissolved within six
months, President’s rule under Article 356 is extended to the State
Maharashtra President Ram Nath Kovind has approved a proclamation imposing

Placed Under President’s Rule in Maharashtra under Article 356(1) of the
President’s Rule Constitution, following a recommendation from Governor Bhagat Singh
Koshyari→ the Assembly will be kept under suspended animation →in his
report to the President, the governor said a situation had arisen in which it
was impossible to constitute or form a stable government in the State, and the
government could not be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the
Constitution
Parliamentary Persistent absenteeism from meetings of department-related standing

Standing committees should cost MPs their spot on these parliamentary panels was a
Committees strong view that emerged during a meeting of chairpersons of the committees
with Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu recently→Parliamentary
committees are an instrument of Parliament for its own effective
functioning→The smaller cohort of lawmakers, assembled on the basis of the
proportional strength of individual parties and interests and expertise of
individual lawmakers, could have more open, intensive and better-informed
discussions→This mechanism also enables parliamentarians to understand

the executive processes closely
Anglo- Indians in Anglo-Indians are unlikely to be nominated to Lok Sabha and state
Lok Sabha and Assemblies from now on with the government recently introducing a bill to
Assemblies amend the Constitution seeking to not to extend the provision that is in place
for the past 70 years but expires in January next year→Article 334 has laid
down provisions for reserving the seats for SCs and STs and nomination of
Anglo-Indians to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, which shall cease to be in
effect on the 25 January 2020, if not extended further→Under article 331; the
President of India is authorised to nominate 2 members of the Anglo Indian
community if no member of this community is elected among the 543
members for the Lok Sabha→In the same way the governor of the state is
authorised to nominate 1 Anglo Indian in the lower house of the
State Legislature (in case of under representation)
Strength of Lok Former President Pranab Mukherjee has advocated for increase in the number
Sabha of seats in Lok Sabha should be increased to 1,000 from the present 543
→Article 81 of the Constitution defines the composition of Lok Sabha→It
states that the House shall not consist of more than 550 elected members of
whom not more than 20 will represent UTs→It 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→However, this logic does not apply to small states whose
population is not more than 60 lakh→So, at least one seat is allocated to
every state even if it means that its population-to-seat-ratio is not enough
to qualify it for that seat

Legislative • Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has approved a statutory resolution seeking the
Council abolition of the Legislative Council.
• Vidhan Parishad of united Andhra Pradesh was created on July 1, 1958,
and dissolved on May 31, 1985. It was resurrected after 22 years, on
March 30, 2007→ Since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the
Council has had 58 members.
• Councils in other states: Besides Andhra Pradesh, five other states have
Vidhan Parishads — Bihar (58 members), Karnataka (75), Maharashtra
(78), Telangana (40), UP (100) →Jammu and Kashmir had a Council
until the state was bifurcated into the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
• Creation of legislative council: Under Article 169 of the constitution,
Parliament may by law create or abolish the second chamber in a state
if the Legislative Assembly of that state passes a resolution to that effect
by a special majority
Unparliamentary • Few recent instances of heated exchanges in Parliament have brought back
Speech and recurring questions around “unparliamentary” speech and conduct.
Conduct • Checks available on MPs’ speech: Despite Article 105(2) of the
constitution, whatever an MP says is subject to the discipline of the Rules
of Parliament, the “good sense” of Members, and the control of
proceedings by the Speaker
• Rule 380 (“Expunction”) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of
Business in Lok Sabha says: “If the Speaker is of opinion that words have
been used in debate which are defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or
undignified, the Speaker may, while exercising discretion order that such
words be expunged from the proceedings of the House”
• Rule 381 says: “The portion of the proceedings of the House so expunged
shall be marked by asterisks and an explanatory footnote shall be inserted in
the proceedings as follows: ‘Expunged as ordered by the Chair”
Parliamentary • A Rajya Sabha member has filed a petition with the Chairman of the House
Privileges seeking to initiate breach of privileges and contempt proceedings against
the Chief Minister of Kerala after the Kerala Assembly passed a
resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
• What? Parliamentary privileges are certain rights and immunities
enjoyed by members of Parliament, individually and collectively, so that
they can “effectively discharge their functions” →these are defined in
Article 105 of the Indian Constitution and those of State legislatures in
Article 194
‘Supplementary Finance Minister Sitharaman recently tabled the first batch of

Grants’ Supplementary Demands for Grants for the financial year 2019-20 in both the
Houses of Parliament→ Supplementary grants are the additional grant
required to meet the required expenditure of the
government→Supplementary, additional or excess grants and Votes on

account, votes of credit and exceptional grants are mentioned in the
Constitution of India 1949→Article 115: Supplementary, additional or
excess grants→Article 116: Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional
grants
Elections to Rajya • The biennial elections for 55 Rajya Sabha seats will take place on March
Sabha 26, 2020→The announcement was made by the Election Commission
recently
• Rajya Sabha: Constitution provides that the Rajya Sabha shall consist of
250 members, of which 12 members shall be nominated by the President
from amongst persons having special knowledge or practical experience in
respect of such matters as literature, science, art and social service; and not
more than 238 representatives of the States and of the Union Territories

Judiciary/Judgements/Cases
Chief Justice of The Supreme Court has held that office of the Chief Justice of India is a
India’s Office public authority under the transparency law, the Right to Information
under RTI Act Act→the landmark judgment was pronounced by five-judge constitution
bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi→Previously, the Delhi High
Court judgment which ruled that office of the Chief Justice comes under the
purview of RTI→the concept of judicial independence is not judge’s
personal privilege but responsibility cast on the person, the HC had said in its
ruling
SC Strikes Down Supreme Court has passed an interim order that said the appointments to
Finance Act Rules tribunals shall be on the basis of existing statutes and not the rules framed
for Appointments under the Finance Act of 2017→The government should reframe the rules
to Judicial
and ordered that until then, the existing laws will govern the tribunals→The
Tribunals
Ministry of law should conduct an impact study and submit report to the apex
court→ Validity of passage of Finance Act 2017 as Money Bill should be
decided by a larger bench
Sabarimala Case The Supreme Court has referred to a 7 judge- bench a clutch of review
petitions challenging its September 2018 verdict allowing entry of women of
all age groups into the Sabarimala temple→the verdict was given by a 5-
judge bench
Contempt of The Supreme Court has held former Ranbaxy promoters Malvinder and
Court Shivinder Singh guilty of contempt for violating its order that had asked them
not to divest their shares in Fortis Healthcare Limited→Contempt of
Courts Act, 1971, divides contempt into civil contempt and criminal
contempt→‘Civil contempt’ is a ‘wilful disobedience to any judgment,
decree, direction, order, writ or other processes of a Court or wilful breach of
an undertaking given to the court’→‘Criminal contempt’ is ‘the publication
(whether by words, spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation,
or otherwise) of any matter or the doing of any other act whatsoever which:
scandalises or tends to scandalise, or lowers or tends to lower the authority of,
any court, prejudices, or interferes or tends to interfere with the due course of
any judicial proceeding and interferes or tends to interfere with, or obstructs or
tends to obstruct, the administration of justice in any other manner’
Essar Steel In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court has upheld the supremacy
Verdict of the Committee of Creditors comprising the financial creditors of the
bankrupt firms over the distribution of claims→SC quashed the earlier NCLAT

order which brought parity between financial and operational creditors of
Essar Steel in matters of distribution of proceeds→The Court has done away
with the 330-day mandatory deadline for the resolution of insolvency
and bankruptcy cases after which liquidation will be
invoked→The mandatory nature of the 330-day mark as a violation of
Article 14 (right to equal treatment) of the Constitution and an “excessive and
unreasonable restriction on the litigant’s right to carry on business
under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution”
Chief Justice of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has recommended Justice Sharad Arvind
India Bobde as his successor and the 47th Chief Justice of India in keeping with
convention and the seniority norm→CJI is traditionally appointed by the
outgoing Chief Justice of India on the day of his (or her) retirement→By
convention, the outgoing Chief Justice of India selects the most senior then-
sitting Supreme Court judge
Maharashtra Supreme Court has put on hold a plea for ordering a floor test in the
Floor Test Plea Maharashtra Assembly till it examined records that might shed light on what
and Supreme led Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to invite BJP leader Devendra
Court’s Demands
Fadnavis to form the government and later swear him in as the Chief
Minister on November 23
Review Petition Petitioners plan to seek review of the recently delivered Babri Masjid-Ram
Janmabhoomi and telecom revenue verdicts→besides, the Supreme Court
itself agreed to review its Sabarimala verdict but refused to do so in the
Rafale case→Article 137, the Supreme Court has the power to review any of
its judgments or orders→when a review takes place, the law is that it is
allowed not to take fresh stock of the case but to correct grave errors that
have resulted in the miscarriage of justice
Strength of the Parliament has passed the legislation to increase the sanctioned strength of the
Supreme Court Supreme Court from 31 to 34 including the Chief Justice of India →Originally,
increased from 31 under Article 124 of the Indian Constitution the strength of Supreme Court was fixed
to 34 including the at eight → Article 124 (1) provides the power to the Parliament to increase the
CJI number of judges if it deems necessary→ The Parliament through the Supreme
Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 increased strength of Supreme Court to ten
→The Act was last amended in 2009 to increase the judges’ strength from 25 to 31
POCSO Court Supreme Court has directed the Centre to set up special courts in each district
across the country that have over a 100 cases of child abuse and sexual assault
pending trial under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO)
Act
Ambit of RTI Supreme Court of India in its recent judgment has held that non-

expanded governmental organisations (NGOs) “substantially” financed by the
government fall within the ambit of the Right to Information Act
Ayodhya Verdict A bench led by CJI Ranjan Gogoi delivered the Ayodhya verdict alongside
CJI designate S.A. Bobde, and Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan
and S.A. Nazeer→verdict was unanimous
Creamy layer Central government has asked the Supreme Court of India to refer to a
principle in SC, seven-judge Bench the question whether the creamy layer concept should
ST quota for apply (or not) to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes while giving them
promotion reservation in promotions→The Centre has asked the CJI to refer a September
26, 2018 judgment of a five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court in Jarnail
Singh versus Lachhmi Narain Gupta to a larger Bench of seven judges for a
review→In Jarnail Singh, the court had agreed with its 12-year-old verdict
in the M. Nagaraj case that the creamy layer applied to SCs and STs in order
to prevent the socially advanced in a backward community or class from eating
the whole cake while leaving the weak among them impoverished

Supreme Court • Recently, the Supreme Court of India held that the Government has no
Bats Against right to transfer “invaluable” community resources like village water
Transfer of ponds to powerful people and industrialists for commercialisation of the
Community property
Resources • What? The judgment came on a plea against the transfer of village ponds’
sites of Saini Village in the National Capital Region to some private
industrialists by the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority
• Observations made by the Court: Protection of such village commons is
essential to safeguard the fundamental right guaranteed by Article 21 of our
Constitution→The State cannot divest villagers of their existing source of
water even if it promises to provide them an alternative site where the water
body can be replicated. Such an attitude would display “a mechanical
application of environmental protection”
State can • In an important judgement which could have bearing on running of all
Regulate government-aided minority educational institutions across the country→
Minority the Supreme Court has held that such institutions cannot claim to have
Institutions absolute right in deciding appointment of teachers and it can be regulated
by a government to ensure excellence in imparting education
• What? These observations were made by the court while upholding
constitutional validity of West Bengal Madrassas Service Commission
Act, 2008, under which the selection and appointment of teachers in
madrassas are to be decided by a commission
• Article 30: It says all minorities, whether based on religion or language,
shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of
their choice
Curative Petition • Curative petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court by two convicts in
the Nirbhaya case. The petitions come just days after a Delhi sessions
court scheduled the execution of the four convicts at Tihar Jail on January
22
• What? It is the last judicial resort available for redressal of grievances in
court which is normally decided by judges in-chamber→It is only in rare
cases that such petitions are given an open-court hearing
• The concept was first evolved by the Supreme Court of India in the
matter of Rupa Ashok Hurra vs. Ashok Hurra and Anr. (2002) where
the question was whether an aggrieved person is entitled to any relief
against the final judgement/order of the Supreme Court, after dismissal of
a review petition→ Supreme Court in the said case held that in order to
prevent abuse of its process and to cure gross miscarriage of justice, it
may reconsider its judgements in exercise of its inherent powers→ For this
purpose, the Court has devised what has been termed as a “curative”
petition
• Article 137 of the Constitution subjects to the provisions of the guidelines
made under Article 145, by which it is clear that the Supreme Court has the

ability to review any judgment declared by it
SC Verdict on • Supreme Court has delivered the verdict on a clutch of petitions

Internet challenging the Union government’s decision to impose restrictions on the
Shutdowns erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir after the August 5 revocation of
provisions of Article 370
• The Court said that all restrictive orders under Section 144 of CrPC and
suspension of internet services in Jammu and Kashmir have to be
reviewed by the administration within a week
• Implications: The verdict has laid down a framework of how the Internet
can be suspended, and what rights and legal recourses a citizen has
when it is suspended
Private property • The Supreme Court has recently held that a citizen’s right to own private
is a Human Right property is a human right and the state cannot take possession of it
without following due procedure and authority of law
• Issue: The Himachal Pradesh government had forcibly taken over four
acres of land belonging to a person at Hamipur district to build a road in
1967→ Even after 52 years, the state has failed to pay the compensation
• Important observations: The state cannot trespass into the private
property of a citizen and then claim ownership of the land in the name of
‘adverse possession’→Grabbing private land and then claiming it as its
own makes the state an encroacher→A welfare state cannot be permitted
to take the plea of adverse possession, which allows a trespasser i.e. a
person guilty of a tort, or even a crime, to gain legal title over such
property for over 12 years
• ‘Right to private property was previously a fundamental right’ under
Article 31 of the Constitution→Property ceased to be a fundamental right
with the 44th Constitution Amendment in 1978→Nevertheless, Article
300A required the state to follow due procedure and authority of law to
deprive a person of his or her private property
Criminalization • Supreme Court has asked EC to devise mechanism to curb criminalization

of Politics of politics→ The court also asked the poll body to come up with a
framework within one week, which can contribute towards the larger issue
of containing the entry of candidates having criminal background into
politics.
• Need: According to an analysis by New Delhi based Association of
Democratic Reforms (ADR), nearly half the MPs of the 17th Lok Sabha
elected in May last year had declared criminal cases against them
• Currently, under the Representation of Peoples (RP) Act, lawmakers
cannot contest elections only after their conviction in a criminal
case→Section 8 of the Representation of the People (RP) Act, 1951
disqualifies a person convicted with a sentence of two years or more from
contesting elections→But those under trial continued to be eligible to

contest elections→the Lily Thomas case (2013), however, ended this
unfair advantage
Supreme Court • Key recommendations: Every new prisoner should be allowed a free
Panel phone call a day to his family members to see him through his first week
Recommends in jail→Modern cooking facilities, canteens to buy essential items and
Several Prison trial through video-conferencing should be made available→Speedy trial
Reforms remains one of the best ways to remedy the unwarranted phenomenon of
over-crowding→There should be at least one lawyer for every 30
prisoners, which is not the case at present→Special fast-track courts
should be set up to deal exclusively with petty offences which have been
pending for more than five years
• The court had in September 2018 appointed the Justice Roy Committee to
examine the various problems plaguing prisons, from overcrowding to lack
of legal advice to convicts to issues of remission and parole
Reservation in • Supreme Court has recently ruled that the states are not bound to
Promotion in provide reservation in appointments and promotions and that there is
Public Posts Not a no fundamental right to reservation in promotions
Fundamental • What did the court say? Reservation in promotion in public posts
Right: SC cannot be claimed as a fundamental right→Articles 16 (4) and 16 (4-A)
of the Constitution do not confer individuals with a fundamental right to
claim reservation in promotion→ It only empowers the State to make a
reservation in matters of appointment and promotion in favour of the
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, only if in the opinion of the
State they are not adequately represented in the services of the State→
The judgment also noted that even the courts could not issue a
mandamus directing the States to provide reservation
Constitutional basis for reservations
• Article 335 recognises that special measures need to be adopted for
considering the claims of SCs and STs in order to bring them to a level-
playing field
Supreme Court • What? Supreme Court has upheld a 2018 amendment which barred
Upholds Changes persons accused of committing atrocities against those belonging to the
to SC/ST Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes from getting anticipatory
Atrocities Law bail→The Court upheld the constitutionality of Section 18A of the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities)
Amendment Act of 2018→The sole purpose of Section 18A was to nullify
a controversial March 20, 2018, judgment of the Supreme Court diluting
the stringent anti-bail provisions of the original Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989
• Views of the Court: A High Court would also have an “inherent power”
to grant anticipatory bail in cases in which prima facie an offence under
the anti-atrocities law is not made out→Besides, a High Court, in

“exceptional cases”, could also quash cases to prevent the misuse of the
anti-atrocities law→However, the courts should take care to use this power
to grant anticipatory bail “only sparingly and in very exceptional cases”
HC Seeks • Delhi High Court has sought the State government’s stand on a plea by
Government an acid attack survivor, who has alleged that the chemical was easily
Stand on Plea to available despite the Supreme Court’s directions to regulate its sale→She
Ban Acid Sale also alleged that the statutory rules which regulate the sale of acid were not
being implemented by the authorities.
• Till 2013, there was no separate provision in the Indian Penal Code to
charge those accused of acid attacks, nor were there rules restricting sale
and purchase of acid→ But after the Supreme Court directives to regulate
the sale of harmful substances like acid, the government declared acid
attacks a cognizable offence under Section 326 (A) of the Indian Penal
Code with punishment up to 10 years
Uniform Civil • Last week, while hearing a matter relating to properties of a Goan, the
Code Supreme Court described Goa as a “shining example” with a Uniform
Civil Code, observed that the founders of the Constitution had “hoped and
expected” a Uniform Civil Code for India but there has been no attempt at
framing one
• What?A generic set of governing laws for every citizen without taking
into consideration the religion→Article 44 of the Constitution says that
there should be a Uniform Civil Code i.e. “The State shall endeavour to
secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India”
Voting Rights of • Delhi High Court has rejected a petition seeking voting rights for
Prisoners prisoners
• Observations made by the Court: Right to cast vote is neither a
fundamental right nor a common law right and is only provided by a
statute→The right to vote provided under the statute — Representation of
the People Act — was subject to restrictions imposed by the law, which
does not allow prisoners to cast vote from jails
• Under Section 62(5) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951,
individuals in lawful custody of the police and those serving a sentence
of imprisonment after conviction cannot vote→Undertrial prisoners are
also excluded from participating in elections even if their names are on
electoral rolls→Only those under preventive detention can cast their vote
through postal ballots
Don’t Detain • Supreme Court has made it clear that the police have no right to detain
Children in Jails, children in conflict with law in a lockup or a jail
Lockups, • Observations: A juvenile in conflict with law, if apprehended, has to be
Supreme Court placed immediately under the care of the special juvenile police unit or
Tells Police a designated child welfare officer→The child has to be produced before

the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB)→Once a child is produced before a JJB,
bail is the rule. And even if, for some reason, bail is not granted, a child
cannot be put behind bars. He has to be lodged either in an observation
home or in a place of safety→Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
Children) Act, 2015 is meant to protect children and not detain them in jail
or keep them in police custody
• The order came after the court’s attention was drawn by the recent media
reports about “children being detained in police custody and tortured in
Delhi and Uttar Pradesh”
Criminalization • Expressing concern about the “alarming increase” in number of persons

of Politics with criminal backgrounds being elected Members of Parliament and
Legislative Assemblies of states, the Supreme Court has passed
directions to compel political parties to “explain” why such candidates are
given tickets.
• Directions: It is mandatory for all political parties to publish all details
regarding pending criminal cases against their chosen candidates, not only
in local newspapers, but also on party websites and social media
handles→Along with the details of pending cases, the parties will also have
to publish “the reasons for such selection, as also as to why other
individuals without criminal antecedents could not be selected as
candidates”
Slapping Section • Karnataka High Court has declared as “illegal” the order passed by the
144 during CAA Bengaluru City Police Commissioner imposing Section 144 of the Code
Protests ‘Illegal’: of Civil Procedure (Cr.PC) from December 19 to 21, 2019, ahead of a
Karnataka HC series of pro- and anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rallies
• Key observations: The court held that the order did not stand judicial
scrutiny in terms of the parameters laid down by the Supreme Court in the
cases of Anuradha Bhasin Vs Union of India and the Ramlila Maidan
Incident Vs Union of India→The police commissioner was expected to
form an opinion citing reasons in his order for imposing Section 144→But,
in the present instance, he has only referred to the recommendations made
by eight Deputy Commissioners of Police to invoke Section 144 and ‘there
was no indication of independent application of mind by the
Commissioner”
Ram Temple • A 15-member trust to oversee the construction of a Ram temple in

Trust Ayodhya has been constituted→The announcement of a “broad scheme”
for developing a Ram Temple and formation of a Trust named ‘Shri Ram
Janambhoomi Teertha Kshetra’ was made by the prime minister
• When the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on November 9, 2019, it
directed the Centre to formulate within three months a scheme to set up a
“Trust with a Board of Trustees or any other appropriate body” under
the Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act, 1993, with powers

“including the construction of a temple”→The court used its powers under
Article 142 to direct that “appropriate representation may be given in the
Trust to the Nirmohi Akhara”
Kerala High • Kerala High Court has ruled that strikes, rallies and gheraos that affect
Court Bans All regular classes should not be held on the campuses of schools and colleges
Forms of • Observations made by the Court: Those who are not participating in the
Agitations in strike have every right to attend their classes and no one should force
Schools, Colleges them to participate in agitations that affect smooth conduct of
classes→Academic institutions are only meant for studies and they
should not be venues for strikes and protests→Nobody has the right to
override a student’s right to study and action can be against those who
indulge in strikes, rallies and gheraos that affect regular
classes→Campuses can have peaceful discussions and sharing of
thoughts in a peaceful manner
• The important verdict came in the wake of some private schools in
Pathanamthitta moving the court with a plea to restrain student politics→
Though the court had banned politics on the campus earlier also it was not
implemented properly and students were suffering due to frequent
disruptions of classes during strikes, they contended
• Measures: If such incidents take place in schools, the authorities
concerned, including the district educational officer, can take action
against erring students→ They can even summon the police to restore the
peace in the campus
Permanent • Supreme Court has brought women officers in 10 streams of the Army
Commission for on a par with their male counterparts in all respects, setting aside
Women longstanding objections of the government→The court ordered the
government to implement its judgment in three months
• Court’s observations: Supreme Court rejected arguments against greater
role for women officers, saying these violated equality under law→The
biological argument was also rejected as disturbing→The court has rejected
government’s arguments, saying they are based on sex stereotypes premised
on assumptions about socially ascribed roles of gender which discriminate
against women→It has also said that it only shows the need “to emphasise
the need for change in mindsets to bring about true equality in the Army”
• Background: The case was first filed in the Delhi High Court by women
officers in 2003, and had received a favourable order in 2010. But the order
was never implemented, and was challenged in the Supreme Court by the
government
Grounds for Last week, the Supreme Court used extraordinary powers under Article 142
Divorce under of the Constitution to grant divorce in a case of “irretrievable breakdown of
Hindu Law marriage”→This is a situation that exists when either or both spouses are no
longer able or willing to live with each other, thereby destroying their

husband and wife relationship with no hope of resumption of spousal
duties→Currently, Hindu marriage law does not include “irretrievable
breakdown of marriage” as a ground for divorce. However, the apex court in
a number of cases has provided the said relief using its extraordinary powers
that allow it to do “complete justice”

Gram Nyayalayas • Supreme Court has directed the states, which are yet to come out with
notifications for establishing ‘Gram Nyayalayas’, to do so within four
weeks, and asked the High courts to expedite the process of consultation
with state governments on this issue
• Issue:So far only 11 states have taken steps to notify Gram Nyayalayas→
Several states have issued notifications for establishing ‘Gram Nyayalayas’
but all of them were not functioning except in Kerala, Maharashtra and
Rajasthan
• Gram Nyayalayas: These are village courts established under the Gram
Nyayalayas Act, 2008 for speedy and easy access to justice system in the
rural areas of India→Composition:These are presided over by a
Nyayadhikari, who will have the same power, enjoy same salary and
benefits of a Judicial Magistrate of First Class. Such Nyayadhikari are to
be appointed by the State Government in consultation with the
respective High Court→They have both civil and criminal jurisdiction
over the offences →Appeal in criminal cases shall lie with the Court of
Session, which shall be heard and disposed of within a period of six
months from the date of filing of such appeal→Appeal in civil cases shall
lie to the District Court, which shall be heard and disposed of within a
period of six months from the date of filing of the appeal
Police and Public • Delhi High Court has issued a series of directions to the Delhi police, the
Order in Delhi State government and other agencies for providing all necessary assistance
to those affected by the violence in northeast Delhi→The directions were
given on a petition seeking police protection for the safe passage of the
injured persons from Al Hind Hospital to other nearest hospitals.
• Background: More than 20 people have been killed in Delhi’s worst-ever
communal violence since 1984 which resulted in clashes that began over the
Citizenship (Amendment) Act
• Role of elected legislature in Delhi: The NCT of Delhi, under Article 239
AA, has been given a special status→It gives powers of law-making and
administration to an elected legislature and the council of ministers→
But, puts two subjects — public order and police — directly under the
Union government, however, with exceptions- two sections of Criminal
Procedure Code (CrPC) —129 & 130 — give the Executive Magistrate
certain powers relating to “unlawful assembly”→Under these two limited
powers, the Executive Magistrate, who reports to the Chief Minister, can
issue orders relating to public security
Powers of • Supreme Court has recently held that disqualification petitions under the
Speaker under tenth schedule should be adjudicated by a mechanism outside
10th schedule Parliament or Legislative Assemblies
• The Court has suggested a permanent tribunal headed by a retired
Supreme Court judge or a former High Court Chief Justice as a new
mechanism→This would require an amendment to the

Constitution→The suggestion for devising an independent mechanism
came in a judgment by which the top court asked the Manipur assembly
speaker to decide within four weeks the plea of a Congress leader seeking
disqualification of BJP lawmaker and Manipur forest minister Th
Shyamkumar
• The Anti-Defection Law was passed in 1985 through the 52nd
amendment to the Constitution→It added the Tenth Schedule to the
Indian Constitution

Councils, Commissions, Tribunals, Regulatory Bodies and Agencies
North Eastern It was established under the North Eastern Council Act, 1971→as an apex
Council level body for securing balanced and coordinated development and
facilitating coordination with the States→subsequent to the Amendment of
2002, NEC has been mandated to function as a regional planning body for
the North Eastern Area→Union Cabinet, in June 2018, approved the
proposal of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region for the
nomination of the Union Home Minister as ex-officio Chairman of North
Eastern Council
Haryana Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association has suspended work
Administrative indefinitely since a notification came out on July 24 for setting-up the Haryana
Administrative Tribunal→the tribunal is meant to adjudicate over the service
Tribunal
matters of the state employees that earlier would be directly heard by the High
Court→Haryana Administrative Tribunal is a quasi-judicial body on the lines
of Central Administrative Tribunal for redressal of the grievance of state
employees concerning their employment→tribunal orders can be challenged
before the High Court→Article 323-A, which came by way of 42nd
constitutional amendment in 1976, enabled the Centre to enact
the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 for setting-up the Tribunals for
adjudication over “disputes and complaints with respect to recruitment and
conditions of service of persons
National Was set up in March 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child
Commission for Rights Act, 2005→works under the administrative control of the Ministry
Protection of of Women & Child Development→Child is defined as a person in the 0 to
Child Rights 18 years age group→its mandate is to ensure that all laws, policies,
(NCPCR) programmes, and administrative mechanisms are in consonance with the
Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also
the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Fifteenth Finance Cabinet approves extension of the term of the Fifteenth Finance Commission
Commission up to 30th November, 2019→Finance Commission is constituted by the
President under article 280 of the Constitution, mainly to give
its recommendations on distribution of tax revenues between the Union and the
States and amongst the States themselves
GST Council GST is governed by the GST Council→ Article 279 (1) of the amended Indian
Constitution states that the GST Council has to be constituted by the President
within 60 days of the commencement of the Article 279A→ GST Council will
be a joint forum for the Centre and the States→Composition: Union Finance
Minister will be the Chairperson, Union Minister of State will be in charge
of Revenue of Finance, Minister in charge of finance or taxation or any other

Minister nominated by each State government, as members
National Government to set up National Company Law Appellate Tribunal Bench in

Company Law Chennai→NCLAT was constituted under Section 410 of the Companies
Appellate Act, 2013→ he President of the Tribunal and the chairperson and Judicial
Tribunal
Members of the Appellate Tribunal shall be appointed after consultation with
(NCLAT)
the Chief Justice of India→Functions:It hears appeals against the orders of
National Company Law Tribunal(s) (NCLT), with effect from 1st June,
2016→It is the Appellate Tribunal for hearing appeals against the orders
passed by NCLT(s) under Section 61 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code, 2016 (IBC), it is the Appellate Tribunal to hear and dispose of appeals
against any direction issued or decision made or order passed by the
Competition Commission of India (CCI) etc

25th Meeting of • 25th meeting of the western zonal council will be held in January
the Western 2020→ Maharashtra will be the lead coordinator this time
Zonal Council • What? These are statutory bodies established under the States
Reorganisation Act 1956 and are not constitutional bodies→ They are only
deliberative and advisory bodies
• Aim: to promote interstate cooperation and coordination
• There are five zonal councils namely: Northern Zonal Council, Central
Zonal Council, Eastern Zonal Council, Western Zonal Council and
Southern Zonal Council→Union Home Minister is the chairman of each of
these Councils
• North Eastern States are not included in the Zonal Councils and their
special problems are looked after by the North Eastern Council, set up
under the North Eastern Council Act, 1972
29th Meeting of 29th Meeting of the Northern Zonal Council was held recently
the Northern
Zonal Council
Central • Established by an Act of Parliament namely Administrative Tribunals
Administrative Act, 1985 as sequel to the 42nd amendment of the Constitution of India
Tribunal (CAT) inserting Article 323 A
• Functions: It adjudicates disputes and complaints with respect to
recruitment and conditions of service of the persons appointed to the
public services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or
any State or of any other local authorities within the territory of India
or under the control of the Government of India
• Composition: Headed by the Chairman and 65 Members, 33 from
Judicial (including Chairman) and 33 from the Administrative
stream→ Chairman is normally a retired Chief Justice of a High Court
NITI Aayog In January 2015, NITI Aayog replaced Planning Commission→

Chairperson: Prime Minister of India→Governing Council: Chief
Ministers of all the States and Lt. Governors of Union Territories→ important
initiatives:“15 year road map”, “7-year vision, strategy and action plan”,
AMRUT, Digital India and Atal Innovation Mission
Foreigners • Ministry of Home Affairs has amended the Foreigners (Tribunals)

(Tribunals) Order, 1964→it has empowered district magistrates in all States and
Union Territories to set up tribunals to decide whether a person staying
illegally in India is a foreigner or not→the amended Foreigners
(Tribunal) Order, 2019 also empowers individuals to approach the
Tribunals→so far, the powers to constitute tribunals were vested only with
the Centre but now all States can constitute Foreigners Tribunals
• What? These are quasi-judicial bodies meant to “furnish opinion on the
question as to whether a person is or is not a foreigner within the meaning

of Foreigners Act, 1946”→ FTs get two kinds of cases: those against whom
a “reference” has been made by border police, and those whose names in
the electoral rolls have a D (Doubtful) against them
Unique Established as an attached office of the erstwhile Planning Commission,
Identification UIDAI is now a statutory authority under the provisions of Aadhaar (Targeted
Authority of India Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act,
(UIDAI) 2016 under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
National • The Delhi High Court has sought response of the Centre and the AAP
Investigation government on a PIL seeking National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe
Agency (NIA) under the unlawful activities law UAPA into the violence in northeast
Delhi over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act
• A petition filed has urged the court to direct the Centre to order the National
Investigation Agency (NIA) to find out the “anti-national forces” behind the
agitations and to probe the role of People’s Front of India (PFI) which is
allegedly “funding, motivating and supporting the protests”
• NIA: It acts as the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement
Agency→It is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states
without special permission from the states→Established under the
National Investigation Agency Act 2008→Governing Body: Ministry of
Home Affairs
• Jurisdiction: A State Government may request the Central Government to
hand over the investigation of a case to the NIA, provided the case has been
registered for the offences as contained in the schedule to the NIA Act
• Composition: Officers of the NIA are drawn from the Indian Police
Service and Indian Revenue Service
Cauvery Water • Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have strongly objected to Karnataka’s bid
Management to seek approval for the Mekedatu dam project at the fifth Cauvery
Authority (CMA) Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting in New Delhi→
Following the objections, the CWMA dropped the discussion on
Karnataka’s application
• Mekedatu Project: Is a multi-purpose balancing reservoir project over
Mekedatu, built at a cost of Rs 5,912→ was aimed at solving the drinking
water problems of Bengaluru and Ramnagar district→This project was
also touted as one that could generate hydroelectricity to meet the power
demand in the state
• Tamil Nadu has contended that “the proposed reservoir would affect the
natural flows of the river Cauvery→It argued that Cauvery was already a
deficit basin and the construction of the project, or any other project
“would drastically affect the lower riparian State in getting their due
share of waters
• CMAs Composition: Comprises a chairman, a secretary and eight
members→Out of the eight members, two will be full time, while two will
be part-time members from centre’s side→Rest four will be part time

members from states
• CMAs Functions: Main mandate is to secure implementation and
compliance of the Supreme Court’s order in relation to “storage,
apportionment, regulation and control of Cauvery waters”→Also advises
the states to take suitable measures to improve water use efficiency→It
will do so by promoting use of micro-irrigation, change in cropping
patterns, improved farm practices and development of command areas
•
Central Bureau of Andhra Pradesh CM Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has allowed the CBI to go
Investigation (CBI) ahead with investigations and raids in the State without prior permission of
the State government→it is governed by the Delhi Special Police
Establishment Act that makes a state government’s consent mandatory for
conducting investigation
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the premier investigating agency of
India→Operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public
Grievances and Pensions, the CBI is headed by the Director→In 1946, it was
brought under the Home Department and its remit was expanded
to investigate corruption in central and state governments under the Delhi
Special Police Establishment Act
Central • The government is all set to establish a Central Consumer Protection

Consumer Authority.
Protection • What? The authority is being constituted under Section 10(1) of The
Authority Consumer Protection Act, 2019
• Aim: To protect the rights of the consumer by cracking down on unfair
trade practices, and false and misleading advertisements that are
detrimental to the interests of the public and consumers
• It will be headquartered in the National Capital Region of Delhi but the
central government may set up regional offices in other parts of the country
• Powers and Functions: Inquire or investigate into matters relating to
violations of consumer rights or unfair trade practices suo motu, or on a
complaint received, or on a direction from the central
government→Recall goods or withdrawal of services that are
“dangerous, hazardous or unsafe→Pass an order to refund the prices of
goods or services so recalled to purchasers of such goods or services;
discontinuation of practices which are unfair and prejudicial to consumer’s
interest”→Impose a penalty of up to Rs 10 lakh, with imprisonment up to
two years, on the manufacturer or endorser of false and misleading
advertisements→ The penalty may go up to Rs 50 lakh, with
imprisonment up to five years, for every subsequent offence committed
by the same manufacturer or endorser→Ban the endorser of a false or
misleading advertisement from making endorsement of any products or
services in the future, for a period that may extend to one year→ The ban
may extend up to three years in every subsequent violation of the Act
• Complaints of violation of consumer rights or unfair trade practices can be
filed before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, State

Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, and the National Consumer
Disputes Redressal Commission
Chief Vigilance • Sanjay Kothari, Secretary to the President of India, will be the next CVC
Commissioner • What? It is the apex vigilance institution created via executive resolution
(CVC) in 1964 but was conferred with statutory status in 2003→It submits its
report to the President of India→The Commission was set up on the
recommendation of the K.Santhanam Committee on Prevention of
Corruption
• Composition: Consists of a central vigilance commissioner along with 2
vigilance commissioners
• Appointment: Appointed by the President of India on the
recommendations of a committee consisting of Prime Minister, Union
Home Minister and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha
• Term: Their term is 4 years or 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• Removal: Removed from his office only by order of the President on the
ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity after the Supreme Court, on
a reference made to it by the President, has, on inquiry, reported that
the Central Vigilance Commissioner or any Vigilance Commissioner, as the
case may be, ought to be removed
Law Commission • Union Cabinet has approved the creation of the 22nd Law Commission,
of India which advises the government on complex legal issues→ The term of the
previous law panel had ended in August last year→With the cabinet
approval, the law ministry will now notify the new panel, which will have a
term of three years
• Background: It is an executive body established by an order of the
Government of India→Originally formed in 1955, the commission is
reconstituted every three years and so far, 277 reports have been
submitted to the government→ Last Law Commission, under Justice B.S.
Chauhan (retd.), had submitted reports and working papers on key issues
such as simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies and
a uniform civil code→Prior to independence, the First Law Commission
was established in 1834 by the British Government under the
Chairmanship of Lord Macaulay
• Composition: Apart from having a full-time chairperson, the commission
will have four full-time members, including a member-secretary→Law and
Legislative Secretaries in the Law Ministry will be the ex-officio members
of the commission→It will also have not more than five part-time
members→A retired Supreme Court judge or Chief Justice of a High Court
will head the Commission
• Roles and functions: Law Commission shall, on a reference made to it by
the Central Government or suo motu, undertake research in law and
review of existing laws in India for making reforms and enacting new
legislation→It shall also undertake studies and research for bringing

reforms in the justice delivery systems for elimination of delay in
procedures, speedy disposal of cases, reduction in cost of litigation, etc
National • Established by University Grants Commission (UGC) to assess and

Assessment and accredit institution of higher learning in the country→ It was originally
Accreditation formed in 1992 as a result of recommendations from ‘National Policy on
Council (NAAC) Education – 1986’
• Functions: It certifies institutions of higher learning (Colleges,
Universities, Institutes, etc) in the country; however, it does not include the
institutes providing technical education
Recommendation • Report of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, along with an Action

s of the 15th Taken Report, was recently tabled in Parliament.
Finance • Division of revenue: FC has considered the 2011 population along with
Commission forest cover, tax effort, area of the state, and “demographic
performance” to arrive at the states’ share in the divisible pool of
taxes→In order to reward population control efforts by states, the
Commission developed a criterion for demographic effort — which is
essentially the ratio of the state’s population in 1971 to its fertility rate
in 2011 — with a weight of 12.5%→The total area of states, area under
forest cover, and “income distance” were also used by the FC to arrive at
the tax-sharing formula
• Key recommendations: Commission has reduced the vertical devolution
— the share of tax revenues that the Centre shares with the states — from
42% to 41%.
The Commission has said that it intends to set up an expert group to initiate
a non-lapsable fund for defence expenditure.
• State- wise distribution:Shares of the southern states, except Tamil
Nadu, have fallen — with Karnataka losing the most→Shares of states
like Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, along with Tamil
Nadu, all of which have fertility rates below the replacement level, have
increased slightly→On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala,
Karnataka, and West Bengal’s shares have fallen, even though their
fertility rates are also low
Political Parties/Electoral Issues

Political Parties Election Commission of India has reviewed the system and process of
Registration registration of political parties→The new guidelines will be effective from
Tracking 1st January, 2020→PPRTMS will be implemented through an online portal,
Management to facilitate tracking of status of application by applicants →The Registration
System (PPRTMS) of Political Parties is governed by the provisions of section 29A of the
Representation of the People Act, 1951
Delimitation of • About six months after the State of Jammu and Kashmir was split into the

Constituencies Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh, the government has moved to start
the delimitation of Assembly constituencies in J&K
• Background: Bifurcation of J&K into two UTs has led to redrawing of
Assembly constituency boundaries→While, the UT of Ladakh will not
have its own legislature, J&K will→This would be similar to Puducherry
or Delhi→Such delimitation was also necessitated in 2014 when Andhra
Pradesh and Telangana were bifurcated
• Delimitation literally means the process of fixing limits or boundaries of
territorial constituencies in a state that has a legislative body→For the
delimitation exercise, the population figures of 2011 census shall be taken
as the basis→ Delimitation is undertaken by a highly powerful
commission→ They are formally known as Delimitation Commission or
Boundary Commission→These bodies are so powerful that its orders have
the force of law and they cannot be challenged before any court→The
J&K Representation of the People Act 1957 has now been invalidated
and, instead, delimitation will be done as per the Representation of the
People Act, 1950 (as amended from time to time) and provisions of
Sections 59, 60 of Act 34 of 2019
Registration of Jannayak Janta Party of Haryana has been granted the status of
political parties a recognised State party by the ECI→registration of political parties is
under Section governed by the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the
29A of the RP
People Act, 1951
Act, 1951
Electoral Bond Sale of Electoral Bonds at authorised branches of State Bank of India→
Scheme electoral bonds allow donors to pay political parties using banks as an
intermediary→ it will not carry the name of the payee→only the registered
Political Parties which have secured not less than one per cent of the votes
polled in the last Lok Sabha elections or the State Legislative Assembly
are eligible to receive the Electoral Bonds→→Although called a bond, the
banking instrument resembling promissory notes will not carry any
interest→will be a bearer instrument→ can be bought for any value, in
multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh or Rs 1 crore→may be
purchased by a citizen of India, or entities incorporated or established in
India→a person being an individual can buy electoral bonds, either singly or
jointly with other individuals
Postal Ballot Election Commission of India has started working on detailed guidelines and
Facilities SoPs to facilitate the process of postal ballot paper for Absentee voters of
Expanded essential services, Senior citizens of more than 80 years and marked PwD
electors→On October 22, the Law Ministry amended the Conduct of Election
Rules, 1961, to extend the facility of postal ballots to people who are
unable to cast their vote because of service conditions→ Key facts: A

concept of ‘absentee voter’ has been introduced and defined for the
elections→People under the new category can choose to vote through postal
ballot by filling up Form 12D and submitting it to the nodal officer within
five days of notification of an election→These votes will be registered at a
special centre specified by the Election Commission (EC)→Definition-
absentee voter: An absentee voter is someone who is employed in “essential
services”→The EC will notify which jobs and professions are covered under
“essential services” after consulting the government

Citizenship/ Permits/ Inhabitant Certificates/Agreements
MLA’s The home ministry has revoked the citizenship of Telangana MLA Ramesh
Citizenship Chennamaneni on the ground of misrepresentation of facts at the time of
Revoked for applying for citizenship in 2008→Ramesh, who had been living in Germany
Hiding Foreign since 1993, applied for Indian citizenship on March 31, 2008 and was
Visits granted the same on February 4, 2009→When the MLA applied for Indian
Citizenship, he was holding Germany’s citizenship and never stayed in India
for more than 12 months as required for a foreign national in the Foreigners
Act
National Populati Following the footsteps of West Bengal, the Kerala Government has decided
on Register to put on hold all proceedings for updating the National Population Register
(NPR) (NPR)→Because of the apprehensions among the general public about the
conduct of NPR related activities would lead to national register of citizens
(NRC) in the wake of citizenship amendment act 2019
Centre-state • Kerala has become the first state to challenge the Citizenship (Amendment)
disputes and Act (CAA) before the Supreme Court under Article 131 of the
Article 131 Constitution→Besides, Chhattisgarh government has also filed a suit in
the Supreme Court under Article 131, challenging the National
Investigation Agency (NIA) Act on the ground that it encroaches upon the
state’s powers to maintain law and order
• Article 131: the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction to deal with any
dispute between the Centre and a state; the Centre and a state on the one
side and another state on the other side; and two or more states→Criteria:
Dispute has to necessarily be between states and the Centre, and must
involve a question of law or fact on which the existence of a legal right
of the state or the Centre depends→Article 131 cannot be used to settle
political differences between state and central governments headed by
different parties
Register of Nagaland government has decided to set up RIIN→aims to prevent fake

Indigenous indigenous inhabitants’ certificates→it will be the master list of all
Inhabitants of indigenous inhabitants of the state→will involve official records of indigenous
Nagaland (RIIN) residents from rural and (urban) wards and would be prepared under the
supervision of the district administration→ all indigenous inhabitants of the
state would be issued a barcoded and numbered Indigenous Inhabitant
Certificate→ will be monitored by the Commissioner of Nagaland→the state
government will designate nodal officers of the rank of a Secretary to the state
government→ they will have no say in the adjudication process→after
finalising RIIN, no fresh indigenous inhabitant certificates will be issued
except to newborn babies born to the indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland

National Register NRC originated from Memorandum of Settlement or the Assam Accord signed
of Citizens (NRC) between the Assam State Students Union and the Government of India in 1985
→ It is a list of all the legal citizens of Assam, the only state with such a document
→It will include persons whose names appear in any of the electoral rolls up to the
midnight of 24th March, 1971 or National Register of Citizens, 1951 and their
descendants. → NRC governed by the Citizenship Act, 1955, and the Citizenship
(Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 (amended
in 2009) and a 2010 order of the Ministry of Home Affairs, published in the
Gazette of India
Assam National It is basically a list of Indian citizens of Assam→NRC prepared in 1951 is

Register of being updated to include the names of people or their descendants who appear
Citizens (NRC) in the 1951 NRC, in any of the Electoral Rolls, or in any one of the other
admissible documents issued up to the midnight of March 24, 1971
Assam NRC Over one lakh people who were part of the final draft of the National
additional draft Register of Citizens (NRC) published in July last year but were found
exclusion list ineligible thereafter — they have been named in the Additional Draft
Exclusion List published recently→the list includes people who were found
ineligible during re-verification for any one of the following reasons:
Persons who were found to be DF (Declared Foreigner) or DV (Doubtful
Voter) or PFT (persons with cases Pending at Foreigners Tribunals)
etc→ preparation of the draft exclusion list of the NRC was approved by the
SC under the Clause 5 of the Schedule of the Citizenship (Registration of
Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003
Inner Line Permit • Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the civil society groups
(ILP) that the Citizenship Bill would provide protection to such regions and states
where the Inner Line Permit (ILP) is applicable, and autonomous
administration has been granted under the Sixth Schedule of the
Constitution→The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill aims to make it easier
for non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to
obtain Indian citizenship→If it is implemented with provisions for
excluding from its ambit the states under the ILP regime, it means that
beneficiaries under CAB will become Indian citizens but will not be able to
settle in these three states
• It is an official travel document required by Indian citizens residing
outside certain “protected” states while entering them→ILP is issued by
the Government of India and is obligatory for all those who reside
outside the protected states→With the ILP, the government aims to
regulate movement to certain areas located near the international
border of India→ can be issued for travel purposes solely→it is
operational in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland
Visitors to Meghalaya has brought an ordinance that makes registration on entry

Meghalaya Must mandatory for visitors who intend to spend more than 24 hours in the

Register state→an amendment to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act,
2016 has been passed to include this provision amid demands for an inner
line permit (ILP) system to stop illegal immigration into the
state→Exemption: Central and state government employees are exempted
from the new entry rule
Land Boundary The intractable discord regarding the implementation of the measures as
Agreement (LBA) promised to the new citizens, coupled with lack of coordination between the
Centre and the state in India, has apparently transformed the enclaves into
hotbeds of local politics→Under the Land Boundary Agreement between, the
Bangladeshi enclaves in India and Indian enclaves in Bangladesh were
transferred on July 31, 2015→The agreement involved handing over 17,000
acres of land to Bangladesh in return for 7,000 acres in 162 enclaves in West
Bengal, Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya→It also required an amendment to
the Constitution (the 119th amendment)

Important Bills, Amendments, Laws, Policies and Acts
103rd 10 percent reservation to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of the
Constitutional society
Amendment Act
2019
Panchayats Provides that the Gram Sabha or the Panchayats at the appropriate level
(Extension to shall be consulted before making the acquisition of land in the Scheduled
Scheduled Area) Areas or development projects and before resettling or rehabilitating persons
Act, 1996 affected by such projects in the Scheduled Areas, the actual planning and
implementation of the projects in the Scheduled Areas shall be coordinated at
the State Level

Scheduled Castes Introduced to prevent the commission of offences of atrocities against
and the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes→ to provide
Scheduled Tribes for the trial of such offences and for the relief of rehabilitation of the victims of
(Prevention of such offences for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto
Atrocities) Act,
1989
Scheduled Tribes Aims to recognize and vest the forest rights and occupation in forest land in
and other forest dwelling STs and OTFDs (other Traditional Forest Dwellers) who have
Traditional been residing in forests for generations→ Chapter IV of the Act, 2006
Forest Dwellers provides that the Gram Sabha shall be the authority to initiate the process for
(Recognition of determining the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights or
Forest Rights) both that may be given to the forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other
Act, 2006 traditional forest dwellers within the local limits of its jurisdiction
Jammu and • Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s
Kashmir Public detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) has been extended to three
Safety Act (PSA) months→The Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA) received the
assent of the J&K Governor on April 8, 1978→was introduced as a tough
law to prevent the smuggling of timber and keep the smugglers “out of
circulation”→allows the government to detain any person above the age
of 16 without trial for a period of two years
• Jammu and Kashmir administration has slapped the stringent Public
Safety Act (PSA) against former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers
Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah besides two political stalwarts from
the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party→PSA: Within
four weeks of passing the detention order, the government has to refer the
case to an Advisory Board→Advisory Board will have to give its
recommendations within eight weeks of the order→If the Board thinks that
there is cause for preventive detention, the government can hold the person
up to two years
Public Premises Parliament has passed Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised

(Eviction of Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 for speedy eviction of unauthorised
Unauthorised occupants from government residential accommodations
Occupants)
Amendment Bill,
2019
Gujarat Control President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the ‘Gujarat Control of
of Terrorism and Terrorism and Organised Crime (GCTOC) Bill’, controversial anti-terror
Organised Crime legislation passed in March 2015→the Bill, earlier named as the Gujarat
(GCTOC) Bill Control of Organised Crime Bill, failed to get the presidential nod thrice since

2004→now, sixteen years after the first version of it was passed by the Gujarat
Assembly, the Gujarat GCTOC has finally become law
Punjab The Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009 is being blamed for
Preservation of contributing to the air pollution over Delhi and surrounding areas→the law led
Subsoil Water to the sowing and transplantation of the summer paddy crop to be delayed
Act, 2009 by about a fortnight, and moved the harvesting season to end-October and
early November — a time when the moist air and largely inactive wind
systems cause particulate matter and gases from burning paddy stubble to
hang in the atmosphere→this air is carried by northwesterly winds towards
Delhi, which lies to the southeast of Punjab
Jallianwala Bagh It provided for the erection of a National Memorial in memory of those killed
National or wounded on April 13, 1919, in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar→Act also
Memorial Act, provided for a Trust to manage the National Memorial→Composition of the
1951 Trust: the Prime Minister, as Chairperson, (ii) the President of the Indian
National Congress, (iii) the Minister in-charge of Culture, (iv) the Leader of
Opposition in Lok Sabha, (v) the Governor of Punjab, (vi) the Chief Minister
of Punjab, and (vii) three eminent persons nominated by the central
government
Meghalaya Aims to ensure the security of the tenants as well as the safety and security
Residents Safety of the citizens of the state→ provides for verification and regulation the
and Security Act tenants residing in rented houses in the state→also establishes District Task
(MRSSA) 2016 Force and Facilitation Centres for effective enforcement of various laws for
the safety and security of the citizens
Citizenship Act of Sections 5(1)(f) and 10(2) of the Act deal with grant of citizenship and the
1955 authority of the government to cancel the same→According to Section
5(1)(f), “the Central Government may, on an application made in this behalf,
register as a citizen of India any person if a person of full age and capacity
who, or either of his parents, was earlier citizen of independent India, and has
been residing in India for one year immediately before making an
application for registration”→Section 10(2) says: “Subject to the provisions
of this section, the Central Government may, by order, deprive any such
citizen of Indian citizenship, if it is satisfied that the registration or certificate
of naturalisation was obtained by means of fraud, false representation or the
concealment of any material fact”→Protection against arbitrary
action: Section 10(3) of the Act says, “The Central Government shall not
deprive a person of citizenship under this section unless it is satisfied that it is
not conducive to the public good that person should continue to be a citizen of
India”

Model Contract It lays special emphasis on protecting the interests of the farmers→ It
Farming Act, ensures buying of entire pre-agreed quantity from producer at fixed pre-
2018 agreed price and quality standards as per the contract→ It includes all
categories of agronomic and horticulture crops, livestock, dairy, poultry
and fishery→All services in the agriculture value chain, including pre-
production, production (including extension services) and post-production
services, are under its ambit→ It seeks to setup a Contract Farming
(Development and Promotion) Authority at state level to ensure
implementation and popularize contract farming among stakeholders→It
promotes Farmer Producer Organization (FPOs) / Farmer Producer
Companies (FPCs) to mobilize small and marginal farmers to benefit from
scales of economy in production and postproduction activities→Contract
farming will remain outside the ambit of respective Agricultural Produce
Marketing Act of the states/UTs
Disha Bill Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly has passed the Andhra Pradesh
Disha Bill, 2019 (Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law (Amendment) Act
2019)→Disha is the name given to a veterinarian who was raped and
murdered in Hyderabad on November 27→Key features of the Bill:
Completion of investigation in seven days and trial in 14 working days, where
there is adequate conclusive evidence, and reducing the total judgment time to
21 days from the existing four months→Prescribes life imprisonment for
other sexual offences against children and includes Section 354 F and 354 G
in IPC→In cases of harassment of women through social or digital
media, the Act states two years imprisonment for the first conviction and four
years for second and subsequent convictions. For this, a new Section 354 E
will be added in IPC, 1860.→Andhra Pradesh government will establish,
operate and maintain a register in electronic form, to be called the ‘Women &
Children Offenders Registry’→This registry will be made public and will be
available to law enforcement agencies→Establishing exclusive special courts
in each district to ensure speedy trial→government will constitute special
police teams at the district level to be called District Special Police Team to
be headed by DSP for investigation of offences related to women and
children→appoint a special public prosecutor for each exclusive special court
Social Security Labour Minister has introduced the Code on Social Security, 2019, in the Lok
Code Sabha→Aims to amalgamate a clutch of existing laws and proposes several
new initiatives including universal social security for unorganized sector
workers and insurance and health benefits for gig workers→Also plans to
corporatize existing organizations like EPFO and ESIC headed by people
other than the labour minister

Prevention of Despite a law against the destruction of property, incidents of rioting,
Damage to Public vandalism, and arson have been common during protests across the
Property Act country→Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 punishes
anyone “who commits mischief by doing any act in respect of any public
property” with a jail term of up to five years and a fine or both→Provisions
of this law can be coupled with those under the Indian Penal Code

Mineral Laws • The Union Cabinet has approved the promulgation of Mineral Laws
(Amendment) (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 that will amend the Mines and Minerals
Ordinance 2020 (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 and Coal Mines (Special
Provisions) Act 2015
• Under the ordinance: Allocation of coal/lignite blocks for composite
prospecting licence cum mining lease has been provided→Will speed up
the process of implementation of projects, ease of doing business,
simplification of procedure and benefit all the parties in areas where
minerals are located
• In 2018, the government had allowed commercial mining by private
entities but non-coal companies couldn’t participate in the auction→In
August 2019, the government announced 100 per cent foreign direct
investment (FDI) under the automatic route in coal mining for open sale,
besides creating associated infrastructure, such as washeries.
• Who? The state governments grant permission for mining, known as
mineral concessions, for all the minerals located within the boundary of the
state, under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and
Regulation) Act, 1957 and Mineral Concession Rules, 1960→However,
for minerals specified in the First Schedule to the Mines and Minerals
(Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, Central government approval
is necessary before granting the mineral concession→Minerals specified
under the First Schedule include hydrocarbons, atomic minerals and
metallic minerals such as iron ore, bauxite copper ore, lead precious
stones, zinc and gold
Karnataka anti- • A controversial anti-superstition law in Karnataka has formally been

superstition law notified by the current government→It is called the Karnataka Prevention
and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Act, 2017
• The bill bans the following: performing any inhumane act, evil practices
and black magic in search of treasure, bounty, tantric acts including
physical and sexual assault, making claims of healing power, propagating
practices that involve self-mutilation
National • Chhattisgarh government has moved the Supreme Court against the
Investigation Act National Investigation Act, 2008 stating it violates the Constitution→
According to the state, the 2008 Act allows the Centre to create an agency
for investigation, which is a function of the state police.--> ‘Police’ is an
entry in the State List of the Constitution’s 7th Schedule
• NIA Act: Governs the functioning of India’s premier counter-terror
agency→It was passed in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist
attacks→
It gives the NIA powers to take suo motu cognisance of terror activities
in any part of India and register a case, to enter any state without
permission from the state government, and to investigate and arrest people

Surrogacy • Union Cabinet has approved the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2020
(Regulation) Bill, • The amended bill is reformed version of the draft legislation which was
2020 passed by Lok Sabha in August 2019 but its provisions, including that only
a close relative of a couple can be a surrogate mother, had invited
criticism→The bill incorporates all recommendations made by a Rajya
Sabha select committee, which studied an earlier version of the draft
legislation, and is aimed at banning commercial surrogacy and allowing
altruistic surrogacy
• Key features: It allows any “willing” woman to be a surrogate mother
and proposes that widows and divorced women can also benefit from its
provisions, besides infertile Indian couples→It also proposes to regulate
surrogacy by establishing National Surrogacy Board at the central level
and State Surrogacy Board and appropriate authorities in states and Union
Territories respectively→The proposed insurance cover for surrogate
mother has now been increased to 36 months from 16 months provided
in the earlier version→Commercial surrogacy will be prohibited
including sale and purchase of human embryo and gametes→Ethical
surrogacy to Indian married couples, Indian-origin married couples and
Indian single woman (only widow or divorcee between the age of 35 and 45
years) will be allowed on fulfilment of certain conditions
Juvenile Justice • Recently, a Group of Ministers (GoM) chaired by the Home Minister met
(Care and to discuss proposed amendments to the Juvenile Justice (Care and
Protection of Protection of Children) (JJ) Act, 2015
Children) Act, • JJ Act: It replaced the 2000 act i.e. the Juvenile Justice (Care and
2015 Protection of Children) Act, 2000
• Aim: To comprehensively address children in conflict with law and
children in need of care and protection→It mandates setting up Juvenile
Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees in every district→Both
must have at least one woman member each→Also, the Central
Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) was granted the status of a
statutory body to enable it to perform its function more effectively→The
Act included several new offences committed against children (like
illegal adoptions, use of child by militant groups, offences against disabled
children, etc) which are not adequately covered under any other law→All
Child Care Institutions, whether run by State Government or by voluntary
or non-governmental organisations are to be mandatorily registered under
the Act within 6 months from the date of commencement of the Act
• Key changes proposed- the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
Children) Amendment Bill, 2018 provides that instead of the court, the
district magistrate will issue adoption orders to address the high
pendency of adoption cases→It also seeks to transfer all pending matters
related to adoption before any court to the district magistrate having
jurisdiction over the area

National Security • NSA has repeatedly come under criticism for the way it is used by the
Act police→As per a Law Commission report from 2001, more than 14 lakh
people (14,57,779) were held under preventive laws in India
• National Security Act: It is a stringent law that allows preventive
detention for months, if authorities are satisfied that a person is a threat to
national security or law and order→An individual can be detained
without a charge for up to 12 months; the state government needs to be
intimated that a person has been detained under the NSA→ A person
detained under the National Security Act can be held for 10 days without
being told the charges against them. Appeal: The detained person can
appeal before a high court advisory board but they are not allowed a
lawyer during the trial → The goal is to prevent the individual from
committing a crime→ It was promulgated on September 23, 1980, during
the Indira Gandhi government
Transgender • The Ministry of Social Justice notified the Transgender Persons

Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019→The Bill was passed by Parliament in
(Protection of November 2019
Rights) Act, 2019 • According to the new definition, a transgender person is somebody “whose
gender does not match the gender assigned to that person at birth and
includes trans-men or trans-women, persons with intersex variations,
gender-queers, and persons having socio-cultural identities such as kinnar,
hijras, aravani, and jogta”
• Highlights of the Bill: It aims to stop discrimination against a
transgender person in various sectors such as education, employment, and
healthcare→ It also directs the central and state governments to provide
welfare schemes for them→It states that a person will be recognized as
transgender on the basis of a certificate of identity issued by the District
Magistrate→Going by the Act, a person would have the right to choose
to be identified as a man, woman or transgender, irrespective of sex
reassignment surgery and hormonal therapy→It also requires transgender
persons to go through a district magistrate and “district screening
committee” to get certified as a transperson
Citizenship • It seeks to allow illegal migrants from certain minority communities in

(Amendment) Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for Indian citizenship by
Act, 2019 amending the Citizenship Act of 1955→These minority communities
include—Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians —after
6 years of stay in India even if they do not possess any proper document→
The current requirement is 12 years of stay→The Bill provides that the
registration of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders may be
cancelled if they violate any law
Amendments in • Amendments in Arms Act, 1959 and Arms Rules, 2016 notified
Arms Act, 1959 • Key changes: As per the new rules, now International

and Arms Rules, medallists/renowned shooters are allowed to keep additional weapons
2016 Notified up to a total of twelve under the exempted category, which earlier was
seven→If a shooter is renowned in one event, he/she can keep
maximum eight (previously it was four), if a shooter is renowned in two
events he/she can keep maximum ten (previously it was seven) and if a
shooter is renowned in more than two events, he/she can keep maximum
twelve (previously it was seven) firearms under the exempted
category→Junior target shooters/aspiring shooters are now allowed to
possess two weapons (previously one) of any category in which the person
is engaged→Apart from the above exemptions, shooters are entitled to
possess two firearms as normal citizens under provisions of the Arms Act,
1959→Similarly, by amending the provision under Rule 40 of the Arms
Rules, 2016 the quantity of ammunition that can be purchased by the
shooters during the year for the practice has also been increased
considerably→Through these amendments, it has also been clarified that
no licence is required for Indian citizens for acquisitions, possession of
small arms falling under the category of curio→However, appropriate
licence as prescribed would be required for use or to carry or transport such
small arms
• Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019: It seeks to enhance the punishment for
existing offences like illegal manufacture, sale, transfer, etc.; illegal
acquiring, possessing or carrying prohibited arms or prohibited
ammunition; and illegal manufacture, sale, transfer, conversion, import,
export, etc., of firearms
Private Member’s • Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member Anil Desai has introduced a Private
Bill Calls for Member’s Bill in the Rajya Sabha that proposes incentives in taxation,
Two-Child Norm education and employment for people who limit their family size to two
children
• The Bill has sought the incorporation of a new provision, Article 47A in
Part IV of the Constitution, to withdraw all concessions from people who
fail to adhere to the “small-family” norm
Jallianwala Bagh Parliament has passed the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial
National (Amendment) Bill, 2019→it seeks to amend Jallianwala Bagh National
Memorial Memorial Act, 1951 to change provisions related to composition of Trustees
(Amendment) of memorial and termination of trustee
Bill, 2019
Recycling of Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for enactment of Recycling of Ships
Ships Bill, 2019 Bill, 2019 and accession to the Hong Kong International Convention for Safe
and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009→the Hong Kong
Convention was adopted at a diplomatic conference held in Hong Kong in
2009→was adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in
2009→aims at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the
end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risks to human

health, safety and to the environment→the Convention is yet to come into
force
Labour Code on The Union cabinet has approved the Labour Code on Industrial Relations
Industrial 2019→the code will combine Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, the Trade
Relations 2019 Unions Act, 1926, and the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act,
1946→Key features: It seeks to allow companies to hire workers on fixed-
term contract of any duration→it has retained the threshold on the worker
count at 100 for prior government approval before retrenchment, but it has a
provision for changing ‘such number of employees’ through
notification→also provides setting up of a two-member tribunal (in place of
one member) wherein important cases will be adjudicated jointly and the rest
by a single member, resulting speedier disposal of cases
Bill banning e- Parliament has passed the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production,
cigarettes passed Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and
Advertisement) Bill, 2019→Its provisions: The Bill categorizes production,
manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage, and
advertisement of e-cigarettes and similar devices as cognizable
offences→Stipulates that persons found in violation of the law for the first
time will face a jail term of up to one year or a fine of up to one lakh rupees,
or both. For subsequent offences, a jail term of up to three years and fine
upto Rs 5 lakh→It further punishes storage of e-cigarettes with
imprisonment up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 50,000, or both→
Once the Bill comes into force, the owners of existing stocks of e-cigarettes
will have to declare and deposit these stocks at the nearest office of an
authorized officer
International An IFSC enables bringing back the financial services and transactions that
Financial Services are currently carried out in offshore financial centres by Indian corporate
Centres Authority entities and overseas branches / subsidiaries of financial institutions (FIs) to
Bill, 2019
India by offering business and regulatory environment that is comparable to
other leading international financial centres in the world like London and
Singapore→It would provide Indian corporates easier access to global
financial markets→ The bill seeks to setup an International Financial
Services Centres Authority

Punjab’s new • The Punjab Cabinet has given its approval to a Punjab Right to Business
Right to Business Bill, 2020
Bill • Aim: to ensure ease of doing business for the Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSME) sector
2019 NIA • The amendment has expanded the type of offences that the investigative
Amendment Act body could investigate and prosecute→it can now investigate offences
related to human trafficking, counterfeit currency, manufacture or sale
of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism, and offences under the Explosive
Substances Act, 1908 → also enables the central government to designate
sessions courts as special courts for NIA trials→also allows an NIA
officer to conduct raids, and seize properties that are suspected to be linked
to terrorist activities without taking prior permission of the Director
General of Police of a state→The investigating officer only requires
sanction from the Director General of NIA
Major Port • Cabinet has given its nod to Major Ports Authority Bill that will replace
Authority Bill, a 1963 law governing country’s 12 major ports→ The proposed law is
2020 aimed at enhancing the overall efficiencies of the ports
• At present the ports are governed by a ports law of 1963→The major port
sector has not seen the required level of fixed assets creation to pare the
country’s high logistic costs owing to legacy issues including the Tariff
Authority for Major Ports (TAMP)’s archaic regulatory grip
• India has 12 major ports — Deendayal (erstwhile Kandla), Mumbai, JNPT,
Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Kamarajar (earlier Ennore),
V O Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including
Haldia)
Pesticides • Union Cabinet has approved the Pesticide Management Bill 2020 to
Management Bill promote the use of organic pesticides in the country
2020 • Key provisions: The bill will empower farmers to get all the
information regarding pesticides including their strengths and weaknesses
and the risk and alternatives involved, as the data would be made available
in open source, in a digital format and in all languages → It will also
include the provision of compensating the farmers in case of losses due to
the use of spurious or low quality of pesticides→The union government
may form a central fund to take care of the compensation→Any person who
wants to import, manufacture, or export pesticides would have to
register under the new bill and provide all details regarding any claims,
expected performance, efficacy, safety, usage instructions, and
infrastructure available to stock that pesticide
Assisted • Cabinet clears Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill, aims

Reproductive to regulate IVF clinics
• Overview: It would lead to the creation of a national board to lay down

Technology and implement a code of conduct for people working at IVF
Regulation Bill clinics→Determines the minimum standards of physical infrastructure,
laboratory, diagnostic equipment and expert manpower to be employed by
ART clinics and banks→It intends to make genetic testing of the embryo
mandatory before implantation for the benefit of the child born through
ART→It also seeks to streamline the cryo-preservation processes for
sperm, oocytes and embryo→It also proposes to constitute a national
registry and registration authority to maintain a central database and
assist the national board in its functioning→ It proposes stringent
punishment for those “practising sex selection, sale of human embryos
or gametes and running agencies/rackets/organisations for such
unlawful practices
• What? Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), as commonly
understood, comprises procedures such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF),
intra-uterine insemination (IUI), oocyte and sperm donation,
cryopreservation and includes surrogacy as well
Centre-State Relations
Assam Accord • Signed between the Union government and leaders of the All Assam
Students Union (AASU) in 1985, the Assam Accord came at the end of a
six-year-long agitation demanding the expulsion of illegal immigrants from
Bangladesh
Special Category • Andhra Pradesh has revived its demand for Special Category Status
Status (SCS)→It was the bifurcation promise and 15th Finance Commission
report that stated that ‘grant of SCS lies in the hands of the Centre’. SCS
was promised to Andhra Pradesh by the then Congress government at the
Centre in 2014, at the time of bifurcation which resulted in the formation
of Telangana→The then opposition party BJP too agreed to it and even
stated that SCS would be extended by five more years if it was voted to
power
• What? There is no provision of SCS in the Constitution; the Central
government extends financial assistance to states that are at a
comparative disadvantage against others→The concept of SCS emerged
in 1969 when the Gadgil formula (that determined Central assistance to
states) was approved
• Prominent guidelines for getting SCS status: Must be economically
backward with poor infrastructure→The states must be located in hilly
and challenging terrain→They should have low population density and
significant tribal population→Should be strategically situated along the

borders of neighbouring countries
• Benefits: Central government bears 90 percent of the state expenditure
on all centrally-sponsored schemes and external aid while rest 10 percent
is given as loan to state at zero percent rate of interest→Preferential
treatment in getting central funds→Concession on excise duty to attract
industries to the state→30 percent of the Centre’s gross budget also goes
to special category states→These states can avail the benefit of debt-
swapping and debt relief schemes→States with special category status are
exempted from customs duty, corporate tax, income tax and other taxes
to attract investment→Special category states have the facility that if they
have unspent money in a financial year; it does not lapse and gets carry
forward for the next financial year
Kerala becomes • Kerala has become the first state in India to pass a resolution demanding
first state to pass rollback of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)
anti-CAA • Why? Kerala argues that the CAA act contradicts the basic values and
resolution principles of the Constitution→It is against the “secular” outlook and fabric
of the country and would lead to religion-based discrimination in granting
citizenship
Bru-Reang • The centre has signed a historic pact for permanent solution of Bru
Refugee refugees’ issue→The agreement is between Union Government,
Agreement Governments of Tripura and Mizoram and Bru-Reang representatives
to end the 23-year old Bru-Reang refugee crisis
• Highlights: the centre has announced a package of Rs. 600 crore under this
agreement→ the Bru tribes would be given land to reside in Tripura→A
fixed deposit of Rs. 4 lakh will be given to each family as an amount of
government aid, displaced families will be given 40×30 sq ft residential
plots, Rs. 5,000 cash per month for two years etc
Mizoram Revokes The Mizoram government has passed a resolution revoking the
Forest Rights Act implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest
Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA)→Special powers
Under Article 371 (G): Under Article 371 (G) of the Constitution, Mizoram
has a special provision which makes it mandatory for all legislations of
Parliament pertaining to land ownership and transfer to be first passed by
the state’s assembly through a resolution before it can be implemented in the
state→The state government used this provision of the Constitution to pass a
resolution to revoke FRA from the state→The revocation is being seen as a
misuse of Article 371 (G) by the state government
Union, Concurrent and Sate list

Police and Public State subjects under the Seventh Schedule
Order
Water State list
Public Health and State subject
Hospital
Land and its State list
management
Miscellaneous
“Disturbed Area” Declared by notification under Section 3 of the AFSPA→ An area can be
disturbed due to differences or disputes between members of different
religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities→
Central Government or the Governor of the State or administrator of the Union
Territory can declare the whole or part of the State or Union Territory as a
disturbed area
Meghalaya to Meghalaya will become the 1st state in India to ensure conservation of
have State Water water and have its own State Water Policy→policy’s objective is to
Policy recognise water resources as a common pool resource, to provide hygienic
water for drinking, domestic needs, sanitation and livelihood development
Reservation of A proposal for reservation of seats for Limboo and Tamang communities
Limboo and in Sikkim Legislative Assembly is under consideration of the Government of
India→Article 371F(f) and Article 332 of the Constitution of India govern
Tamang
reservation of seats in the Legislative Assembly of Sikkim
Communities
Cabinet Secretary Govt amends 60-year-old rule to pave way for Cabinet Secretary
Extension→current Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha, has become the
longest-serving bureaucrat in the post in the country’s history→appointed for a
fixed tenure of two years→as per All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement-
Benefits) Rules, 1958, the government can give extension in service to a
cabinet secretary provided the total tenure does not exceed four years→Now,
the central government may give an extension in service for a further
period not exceeding three months, beyond the period of four years to a
cabinet secretary
Compulsory 15 senior Finance Ministry officials of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and
Retirement Customs (CBIC) have been sent into compulsory retirement to clean up the
government service→Orders were issued by the Finance Ministry under clause
J of rule 56 of the Fundamental Rules→ Clause (J) of Rule 56 of the
Fundamental Rules says: “The Appropriate Authority shall, if it is of the
opinion that it is in the public interest to do so, have the absolute right to retire

any government servant by giving him notice of not less than three months in
writing or three months’ pay and allowances in lieu of such notice”
E-Rozgar The e-version of Rozgar Samachar has been launched recently by Ministry of
Samachar Information & Broadcasting
Office of Profit Punjab cabinet has decided to bring an ordinance to exclude the
appointments of advisors to CM from the ambit of the office of
profit→these appointments were termed by the opposition as an attempt to
circumvent the constitutional cap on the size of state’s Cabinet→ 91st
Amendment of Article 164(1A) of the Constitution mandates that the
strength of ministers cannot exceed 15% of the total members of the House
Central Adverse The Centre has removed from the Central Adverse List names of few foreign
List nationals involved in anti-India activities→It is a list maintained by the Union
Ministry of Home Affairs→it contains names of individuals who supported
the Khalistan movement in 1980s and 90s but left India to take asylum in
foreign countries→names of those individuals who are suspected to have
links with terrorist outfits or have violated visa norms in their previous visit to
India→names of those persons who have indulged in criminal activities or
have been accused of sexual crimes against children in their respective
countries
Removal of State Nine Karnataka information commissioners ask Governor to suspend their
Chief Information chief→they have charged chief information commissioner N C Srinivasa
Commissioner with high-handedness and taking decisions unilaterally→Subject to the
provisions of sub-section (3), the State Chief Information Commissioner or a
State Information Commissioner shall be removed from his office only by
order of the Governor on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity
after the Supreme Court, on a reference made to it by the Governor, has on
inquiry, reported that the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State
Information Commissioner, as the case may be, ought on such ground be
removed
Indian Penal The Home Ministry is all set to overhaul the Indian Penal Code designed by
Code the British→ Rebooting the code introduced by the British in 1860 was
necessary as it is primarily based on the spirit of “master and servant”→IPC
replaced Mohammedan Criminal Law, which had a very close relationship
with Islam→thus, the IPC laid the foundation of secularism→It was the first
codification of criminal law in the British Empire

No Assam Govt The Assam Cabinet has decided that no government jobs will be given to
Jobs for Those persons having more than two children after January 1, 2021→in
with More than September 2017, the Assam Assembly had passed the ‘Population and
Two Children Women Empowerment Policy of Assam’ that specified that job candidates
with two children only would be eligible for government employment and
the existing government staff were to strictly follow the two children
family norm
Constitution Day Constitution day which is also known as the Samvidhan Divas is celebrated
of India every year on November 26 to mark the day on which the Constitution of
India was adopted→while the adoption of the Constitution took place on
November 26, 1949, it came into effect on January 26, 1950→the draft of the
constitution was prepared by the drafting committee under BR Ambedkar’s
aegis→according to the government notification, the Constitution Day was
also a tribute to Ambedkar→earlier, this day was commemorated as
National Law Day, after a resolution by the Supreme Court Bar Association, a
lawyers’ body, in 1979
Daman and Diu, Two Union Territories — Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli —
Dadra and Nagar will be merged into one and a bill in this effect will be tabled in
Haveli to be Parliament→ merger of the two UTs, located along the western coast near
merged Gujarat, will be done for better administration and check duplications of
various work
Jammu and Jammu and Kashmir is no more a state; it has been divided into two Union
Kashmir Territories→Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 also comes into
Bifurcation effect from 31st October 2019→changes in Jammu and Kashmir, and
Ladakh: Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and the Ranbir Penal Code
will cease to exist→Union Territory of J&K will have a legislature while the
UT of Ladakh will have no legislature→both the Union Territories will
have Lieutenant Governors as administrators who will be appointed by the
President of India→their tenure will be determined by the
President→Four sitting members of the Council of States representing the
existing state of Jammu and Kashmir shall be deemed to have been elected
to fill the seats allotted to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Union Home Cabinet Secretariat has notified rules reasserting the Union Home Ministry as
Ministry and the authority that would decide on the imposition of the Armed Forces
AFSPA (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the Union Territories of Jammu and
Kashmir and Ladakh
Delhi MLAs and President Ram Nath Kovind has rejected a petition demanding
Office of Profit disqualification of 11 Delhi MLAs belonging to Aam Aadmi Party for
allegedly holding office of profit→the decision of the President rejecting the

plea is based on an opinion rendered by the Election Commission→as per
law, the President accepts the opinion of the Election Commission in cases
of office of profit
What next in Term of current government in Maharashtra ends tomorrow→it has been
Maharashtra? two weeks since the results of the Assembly election were announced,
but no party has staked claim yet to form a government→While the BJP-Shiv
Sena alliance has a clear majority, they have been wrangling over power-
sharing and the Chief Minister’s post→ in such a circumstance the Governor
would be expected to go as per an order of preference set out in the
Sarkaria Commission recommendations, which have also been ratified by the
Supreme Court→ by the order of preference, the Governor can invite:a pre-
poll alliance of parties, invite the single largest party which stakes a claim to
form government→invite a post-poll alliance of parties, with all the partner
in the coalition joining the government and invite a post-poll alliances of
parties, with some becoming part of the government and some supporting from
outside
Study Moots A new study calls for a need to distinguish between self-arranged marriages
Lowering the Age among older adolescents and forced child marriages to protect teens from
of Consent social stigma, parental backlash and punitive action→Key findings: the
study makes a case for an age of consent that is lower than the age of
marriage to decriminalise sex among consenting older adolescents to
protect them from the misuse of law for enforcing parental and caste controls
over daughters→demanded uniform age for marriage→the study again
provides evidence of the misuse of POCSO, which raised the age of consent
from 16 to 18 years→activists have long argued that this would result in
adolescents being wrong
Arunachal Seeks Arunachal Pradesh is planning for a separate cadre of bureaucrats because
New Officer of its cultural and topographical diversity→presently, officials and police
Cadre officers posted in the State belong to the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram
and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, and are deputed for a minimum of two
years and above→besides, there is no institutional memory as officers are
transferred frequently→this affects governance and benefits do not reach
people→the advantage of having a separate cadre is that they can understand
the pulse of the local people well→the State has 27 major tribes and more
than 100 sub-tribes
Bodoland Dispute Home Ministry has declared the National Democratic Front of Bodoland
(NDFB) along with all its groups, factions, and front organisations as an

“unlawful association” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,
1967→the ban has been extended by five more years for its involvement in
a series of violent activities including killings and extortion, and for joining
hands with anti-India forces
Rashtriya Ekta It was observed on 31st October across the nation→it marks the occasion of
Diwas the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel→this occasion provides an
opportunity to re-affirm the inherent strength and resilience of the nation
to withstand the threats to its unity, integrity and security→Sardar Patel is
credited with uniting all 562 princely states in pre-independent India to build
the Republic of India
Kannadigas to get The Karnataka government has amended rules directing industrial
priority in the establishments that have taken any support from the government to give
private sector priority to Kannadigas in jobs on the shop floor in ‘C’ and ‘D’ category of
employees→The industries getting incentives from the government must
provide 100 percent reservation in their blue-collared jobs and those not
availing any benefits are required to accord priority to Kannadigas→The
revised rules also empower the state to intervene if private companies fail
to implement the rules in letter and spirit
Cabinet Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved the creation of a chief
Committee on of defence staff →CDS will be the single-point military adviser to the
Security (CCS) government as suggested by the Kargil Review Committee in 1999→
approves the
CDS oversees and coordinates the working of the three Services→Will also
creation of CDS
function as the military advisor to the PM-led Nuclear Command
Authority, as also have direct command of tri-Service organizations to handle
the new warfare domains of space and cyberspace→CDS will be member
of Defence Acquisition Council and Defence Planning Committee
National Anthem On December 27, 1911, the National Anthem was first sung at the Calcutta
session of the Congress→‘Jana Gana Mana’ was adopted as the country’s
National Anthem by the Constituent Assembly of India on January 24,
1950, the last day of its last session→Reverence to the National Anthem is a
Fundamental duty as per Article 51A (a) of the Constitution→
Originally written in Bengali, it is the first of five stanzas of a
poem written and later set to notations by Rabindranath Tagore
Instrument of From 2020, people in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will

Accession (IoA) have a public holiday on October 26 for the first time→ The day, which will
be observed as Accession Day, marks the signing of the Instrument of
Accession by the last Dogra ruler of J&K, Maharaja Hari Singh, with the
then Governor-General of India, Lord Mountbatten→The IoA gave India’s
Parliament the power to legislate in respect of J&K only on the matters of
defence, external affairs and communications→Apart from defence,
communications and external affairs, the IoA mentions ancillary subjects that
include elections to the dominion legislature and offences against laws with
respect to any of the said matters→Using IoA, Article 370 was incorporated
in the Constitution of India
Arunachal Arunachal Pradesh has approved the Arunachal Pradesh Teachers Transfer
Pradesh Teachers & Posting Policy, 2020, which will help rationalize transfer and posting of
Transfer & teachers serving under the state government→Under the new policy, all the
Posting Policy,
government schools will be divided into three categories – hard, middle and
2020
soft→All new recruits will be initially given hard posting for a mandatory
period of three years, including probationary posting, and subsequently
middle posting for five years→All general transfer of teachers will be made in
the month of April/May through online process→The policy will ensure need-
based distribution of teachers to protect the academic interests of the
students, and optimize job satisfaction among the teachers in a free and
transparent manner
Indian Railway Cabinet has approved the merger of its eight services into one — the Indian
Management Railway Management Service (IRMS)→The decision to merge the services
Service (IRMS) is to ensure that officers put railways first instead of their service which had
become the case under the present system→This is in line with the
recommendations of numerous committees, notably Rakesh Mohan (2001)
and the Bibek Debroy panel (2015)→Changes: a. Railway Board
composition: Chairman along with four members responsible for
infrastructure, operations and business development, rolling stock and finance
respectively will form the Railway Board→b. Roles and
functions: The Chairman shall be the cadre controlling officer responsible
for Human Resources (HR) with assistance from a DG (HR)→c. The Board
will also have some independent non-executive members, who will be highly
distinguished professionals and 30 years of experience including at the top
levels in industry, finance, economics and management fields to help Railway
Board in setting a strategic
Chief of Defence The outgoing Army chief, Gen. Bipin Rawat, has been appointed as the

Staff country’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) →The upper age limit for the
CDS has been fixed at 65 years. However, the tenure of CDS has not been
fixed→He will be a Four-star General→Not eligible to hold any Government
office after demitting the office of CDS→No private employment without
prior approval for a period of five years after demitting the office of CDS

Tulu • A demand for including Tulu in the Eighth Schedule
• What? Tulu is a Dravidian language whose speakers are concentrated in
two coastal districts of Karnataka and in Kasaragod district of Kerala.
The Census reports 18,46,427 native speakers of Tulu in India→this is
larger in number than speakers of Manipuri and Sanskrit, which have the
Eighth Schedule status.
• Why? If included in the Eighth Schedule, Tulu would get recognition
from the Sahitya Akademi→Tulu books would be translated into other
recognised Indian languages. Members of Parliament and MLAs could
speak in Tulu in Parliament and State Assemblies, respectively→
Candidates could write all-India competitive examinations like the Civil
Services exam in Tulu
Farm Loan • The new Maharashtra government has announced a loan waiver for
Waiver farmers who had up to Rs 2 lakh in pending loans between April 1, 2015
and March 31, 2019
• Farmers with outstanding crop loan up to Rs 2 lakh pending from April
1, 2015 to March 31, 2019
World Hindi Day • Celebrated on January 10 → marks the anniversary of first World Hindi
2020 Conference which was held in 1975 by then Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi→World Hindi Day was first observed on January 10, 2006
• Focus: to promote the language at the global stage
• National Hindi Diwas marks adaptation of Hindi, written in Devanagari
script as the official language
National Youth • January 12 marks the birthday of Swami Vivekananda→National Youth

Day Day is being celebrated on this day since 1984.
• Objective: to promote rational thinking among the youth, believed to be
the future of the country.
• Swami Vivekananda was an ardent disciple of Sri Ramakrishna
Paramahansa and a major force in the revival of Hinduism in India→He
pushed for national integration in colonial India, and his famous speech
remains as the one that he gave in Chicago in 1893→He formed the
Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 “to set in motion a machinery which will
bring noblest ideas to the doorstep of even the poorest and the meanest”
Kolkata Port • Centre has renamed the Kolkata Port Trust after Bharatiya Jana Sangh
Renamed founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee
• It is the only riverine port in the country, situated 203 km from the sea→
The river Hooghly, on which it is located, has many sharp bends, and is
considered a difficult navigational channel
Three capitals for • The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has passed the Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Equal Development of All Regions Bill, 2020→ It
paves the way for three capitals for the state namely: Amaravati–
legislative capital, Visakhapatnam– executive capital and Kurnool– judicial
capital.
• Why? The government says it is against building one mega capital while
neglecting other parts of the state→ Three capitals ensure equal
development of different regions of the state
• Decentralisation has been the central theme in recommendations of all
major committees that were set up to suggest a suitable location for the
capital of Andhra Pradesh→These include Justice B N Srikrishna
Committee, K Sivaramakrishnan Committee, G N Rao Committee etc.
71st Republic Day • India celebrated its 71st Republic Day on January 26, 2020→ Guest of
Honour: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro
• India showcased the following at the parade: Dhanush Artillery Gun, Rafale
and Tejas aircrafts, Anti-Satellite Weapons System (ASAT), Gujarat –
Rani ki Vav – Jal Mandir, Meghalaya – Living Root Bridge, Punjab –
550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev etc
Govt signs accord • Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Assam government and the Bodo
with NDFB, groups have signed an agreement to redraw and rename the Bodoland
ABSU to resolve Territorial Area District (BTAD) in Assam
Bodo issue • The BTAD district is currently spread over four districts of Kokrajhar,
Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri
• Agreement: As per the agreement, villages dominated by Bodos that were
presently outside the BTAD would be included and those with non-Bodo
population would be excluded→The memorandum of settlement says that
the criminal cases registered against members of the NDFB factions for
“non-heinous” crimes shall be withdrawn by the Assam government and in
cases of heinous crimes it will be reviewed
Enemy Properties • A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Union Home Minister will
monitor the disposal of over 9,400 enemy properties, which the
government estimates is worth about Rs 1 lakh crore
• What? Properties that were left behind by the people who took citizenship
of Pakistan and China
• Under the Defence of India Rules framed under the Defence of India Act,
1962, the Government of India took over the properties and companies of
those who took Pakistani nationality.
• These “enemy properties” were vested by the central government in the
Custodian of Enemy Property for India
• Enemy Property Act, enacted in 1968, provided for the continuous
vesting of enemy property in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India

Reciting • Maharashtra government has made it compulsory to recite the
Preamble is Preamble to the Constitution in all schools starting January 26.
Compulsory in • Objective: to instil values such as justice, freedom and equality
Maharashtra enshrined in the Constitution
Tougher law • Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by the Home Minister, which was
against sexual constituted to strengthen the legal framework to prevent sexual
harassment at harassment at the workplace, has finalised its recommendations
work • GoM was constituted first in October 2018 in the aftermath of the #MeToo
movement after many women shared their ordeal on social media
• Present scenario: The Women and Child Development Ministry had
steered the Sexual Harassment of Women and Workplace (Prevention,
Prohibition and Redressal) Act in 2013, which was applicable to
government offices, the private sector, NGOs and the unorganised sector
• Definition of sexual harassment: Sexual Harassment of Women at
Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition And Redressal) Act, 2013 defines
sexual harassment: It includes “any one or more” of the following
“unwelcome acts or behaviour”committed directly or by implication:
physical contact and advances, sexually coloured remarks, showing
pornography, a demand or request for sexual favours, any other unwelcome
physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature
Anticipatory Bail • Constitution bench of the Supreme Court has ruled that an anticipatory
bail cannot be limited to a fixed time period and can continue till the end of
the trial
• Issue: The judgment came in a reference made by a three-judge bench in
the case of Sushila Aggarwal v. State of NCT of Delhi regarding the
scope of Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) which
provides for grant of anticipatory bail
• Section 438 is a procedural provision concerned with personal liberty of
each individual, who is entitled to the benefit of the presumption of
innocence
How to Treat a • In the Bidar school sedition case, spotlight has fallen on reports that police
Child Witness questioned children
• Issue: Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has
pulled up the district police for violations, including repeated questioning of
the children→Additionally, a public interest petition has been filed in the
Karnataka High Court seeking a departmental inquiry against the
policemen who allegedly questioned the children of Shaheen School, aged
between 9 and 12, without the consent of their parents or guardians, and
also video-recorded them without consent→PIL has asked for guidelines to
be issued to police regarding interrogation of minors in criminal
proceedings in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act and United
Nations resolutions

• Convention on the Rights of the Child since 1992 was adopted by the
General Assembly of the United Nations in 1989→ As per the Convention,
in all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private
social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or
legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary
consideration
Institute for • Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses has been renamed as
Defense Studies Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses→IDSA is
and Analyses an autonomous body under the Ministry of Defence→Dedicated to
objective research and policy-relevant studies on all aspects of defense
and security
Joint Commands • Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) office is working on a tentative timeline for
the establishment of joint commands among the three defence services —
Army, Navy and Air Force — beginning with an Air Defence Command
• Joint commands: It is a unified command in which the resources of all
the services are unified under a single commander looking at a
geographical theatre→Meaning, a single military commander, as per the
requirements, will have the resources of the Army, the Navy and the Air
Force to manage a security threat.
• Functions of joint command: The commander of a joint command will
have the freedom to train and equip his command→He will have logistics
of all the services at his beckoning→However, the three services will
retain their independent identities as well
International • Held recently in New Delhi→It discussed the changes being introduced by
Judicial the Government of India to bring gender equality in recruiting women in
Conference military services, selection process of fighter pilots→It also discussed on
freedom of women to work in mines at night and focused on the need for
technology to deliver rapid justice
Panel Suggests • A parliamentary panel has recommended a code of conduct for Internet
Steps to Curb service providers (ISPs) and strengthening the National Commission
Child Porn for Protection of Child Rights to curb child pornography
• The report was prepared by an ad hoc committee set up by the Rajya
Sabha and led by Congress MP Jairam Ramesh
Assam is • Assam’s Welfare of Minorities and Development Department has

Proposing a announced plans to hold a census of four communities broadly known as
Census of “Assamese Muslims” —Goriya, Moriya, Deshi, and Julha
Indigenous • Why? The government plans to set up a corporation to look after the
Muslim Groups welfare of these communities whose number is an estimated 16 lakh in
Assam’s 3.3-crore population

Tribes of Tripura • Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) has
passed resolutions to codify the customary laws of three tribal clans-
Mizo, Kaipeng and Malsom
• Autonomous District Council: As per the Sixth Schedule, the four states
viz. Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram contain the Tribal Areas
which are technically different from the Scheduled Areas→Though these
areas fall within the executive authority of the state, provision has been
made for the creation of the District Councils and regional councils for
the exercise of the certain legislative and judicial powers→ Each district is
an autonomous district and Governor can modify / divide the boundaries
of the said Tribal areas by notification
Clause 6 in • Three major communities, perceived to be migrants in Assam, have

Assam Accord expressed concern over the recommendations of the high-powered
committee on the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord of
1985→ These communities are the Bengal-origin or Bengali-speaking
Muslims (referred to as Miyas), the Bengali Hindus and the Gurkhas
• What are the concerns? Implementation of this clause would lead to
exclusion of these communities from the list of indigenous
communities→More than 80% of these have been living in Assam for
centuries
• Clause 6 states: “Constitutional, legislative and administrative
safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve
and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the
Assamese people”→However, no government has passed any legislation
since 1985 to provide constitutional protection to the Assamese people as
envisaged under Clause 6
Bengal Eastern • Mizoram government has sought the revision of the boundary with
Frontier Assam, based on the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873 and
Regulation the Inner Line of the Lushai Hills Notification of 1993
(BEFR) • What? BEFR allows Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and
Nagaland not to let non-resident Indians in without an inner-line permit
for a temporary stay
• Key facts: Mizoram used to be the Lushai Hills district of Assam before
being made a Union Territory in 1972 and a State in 1987→Mizoram
shares a 123-km border with southern Assam and has been claiming a 509-
square mile stretch “occupied” by the neighbouring State
Sedition Cases in • Latest data suggest that the sedition law remains as relevant as ever with
India sedition arrests increasing in recent years
• National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), though, has only been
collecting separate data on sedition cases since 2014→In 2014, there were
47 cases of sedition but that number increased to 70 in 2018 (the latest year

with available data)→Within India, some parts are emerging as sedition
hotspots→Assam and Jharkhand, for instance, with 37 sedition cases
each, account for 32% of all sedition cases between 2014-2018→In 2018,
there were 1,182 cases registered under UAPA and almost all these cases
(92%) were concentrated in five states (Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and
Kashmir, Assam, Jharkhand and Manipur)
• What? Sedition, which falls under Section 124A of the Indian Penal
Code, is defined as any action that brings or attempts to bring hatred or
contempt towards the government of India and has been illegal in India
since 1870
• Kedarnath Singh vs State of Bihar: Section 124A has been challenged in
various courts in specific cases→Validity of the provision itself was upheld
by a Constitution Bench in 1962, in Kedarnath Singh vs State of
Bihar→That judgment went into the issue of whether the law on sedition is
consistent with the fundamental right under Article 19 (1) (a) which
guarantees each citizen’s freedom of speech and expression→The Supreme
Court laid down that every citizen has a right to say or write about the
government, by way of criticism or comment, as long as it does not “incite
people to violence” against the government established by law or with the
intention of creating public disorder
Five-Day Maharashtra government has announced five-day working week for its
Working Week officers and employees from February 29→Employees will now work 45
for Maharashtra minutes more Monday to Friday to avail of the weekend off→Five-day
Government
week is followed by the central government, in Rajasthan, Bihar, Punjab,
Employees
Delhi, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal→It will not apply to government
offices covered under the Factories Act and the Industrial Disputes Act and
to those that are considered essential services
Chhattisgarh A draft bill has been prepared by a committee to safeguard media persons
Moots Law To in Chhattisgarh from harassment, intimidation and violence→ a committee
Protect was set up in March to draft a law to foster an atmosphere wherein
Journalists
journalists could perform their work fearlessly
FCRA and More than 1,800 NGOs and academic institutes found to be violating laws
Foreign Funding pertaining to foreign funding have been banned by the government from
receiving overseas funds this year→regulation of Foreign Funding: Foreign
Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA) and rules framed under it
regulate the receipt and usage of foreign contribution by non-
governmental organisations in India→ since the Act is internal security
legislation, despite being a law related to financial legislation, it falls into the
purview of Home Ministry and not the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Gram Sabha The Haryana Cabinet has taken an in-principle decision to bring an
amendment in Section 31 of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, allowing
devolution of powers to the Gram Sabha to ban liquor within the local area
of a Gram Panchayat→The quorum of the Gram Sabha meeting for passing
such a resolution shall be one-tenth of its members→Gram Sabha is defined
in the Constitution of India under Article 243(b)→Gram Sabha is the
primary body of the Panchayati Raj system and by far the largest→It is a
permanent body→The power to annul a decision of the Gram Sabha rests
with the Gram Sabha only
Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh Cabinet has approved an amendment to the State Panchayati

panchayats to Raj Act, 1993, which makes mandatory the presence of a person with
have disabled disabilities in all panchayats across the state→this will make it the only State
quota
to have such members in all panchayats


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DIADEMY.

COM CA Rahul Kumar and Team

POLITY (PRELIMS) CURRENT AFFAIRS –

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‘Supplementary Finance Minister Sitharaman recently tabled the first batch of

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SC Verdict on • Supreme Court has delivered the verdict on a clutch of petitions

Criminalization • Supreme Court has asked EC to devise mechanism to curb criminalization

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Criminalization • Expressing concern about the “alarming increase” in number of persons

Ram Temple • A 15-member trust to oversee the construction of a Ram temple in

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National Government to set up National Company Law Appellate Tribunal Bench in

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NITI Aayog In January 2015, NITI Aayog replaced Planning Commission→

Foreigners • Ministry of Home Affairs has amended the Foreigners (Tribunals)

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Central • The government is all set to establish a Central Consumer Protection

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National • Established by University Grants Commission (UGC) to assess and

Recommendation • Report of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, along with an Action

Political Parties/Electoral Issues