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National Events: November 2010

Medha-led campaign exposed scam in 2008
• The National Alliance of Peoples' Movements (NAPM) led by Medha Patkar exposed the
Adarsh Housing Society scam in 2008 by filing complaints with the Defence Ministry
and the Environment Department and the State government, say activists Simpreet Singh
and Santosh Daundkar.
• On the basis of the NAPM's complaint, the Defence authorities initiated action and the
Department of Environment issued a show cause notice to the Society. The NAPM
activists applied for information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and filed a
complaint on August 27, 2008 with the Department of Defence, the Maharashtra
government, the Department of Environment, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation
and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
• Acting on the complaint, the Ministry of Defence initiated an inquiry and ordered an
investigation. The Department of Environment, Maharashtra, had served a show cause
notice to the Adarsh Society. The scandal was related to the allotment of land at Colaba
that was under the possession of the Army. After the Kargil War, a few Army personnel
demanded the land for building flats to “accommodate and reward the heroes of the
Kargil operation and those who had laid down their lives for the protection of the
motherland.”
• They said the initial list of the Society members comprised 40 members and included
only Defence personnel. Now there are 103 members of which only 37 belonged to the
Army and only three had any connection with the Kargil War.
Mobile number portability service from November 25
• Mobile Number Portability (MNP) service — which allows a person to change his
telecom operator while retaining his number — from November 25. “The launch of MNP
services will start from Haryana licensed service area (telecom circle) on November 25,
2010,” the Department of Telecom (DOT) said in a statement.
• Due to the vast scale of the project, the DoT has divided 22 circles into two geographic
zones. Each zone is further divided into 11 service areas that represent cities within the
zone.
Government to step up oil and gas exploration
• The government, which was aggressively pushing for exploration of conventional oil and
gas, had taken steps to tap shale gas to reduce the country's import dependence, Union
Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Deora said .
• “India launched its 9th New Exploration Licensing Policy (auction) this month offering
34 blocks, covering approximately 88,000 sq.km. (for exploration of hydrocarbons),” he
said while inaugurating the Petrotech-2010 exhibitionin in New Delhi.
• The previous eight licensing rounds since 1999 had resulted in the enhancement of
exploration coverage of the Indian Sedimentary Basin from 11 per cent to 58 per cent.
• “India imports 75 per cent of its crude oil requirement. Therefore, it is important that the
Indian Sedimentary Basin may be explored vigorously to bridge this gap,”
• Mr. Deora said the government was creating strategic oil and gas reserves as insurance
against supply disruptions. Underground crude oil storages were being built at Vizag in
Andhra Pradesh and Mangalore in Karnataka that would hold sufficient reserves to cover
the nation's requirement for 15 days.

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Forest management panels to come under Gram Sabha
• In a bid to give local communities a key role in managing forest resources, the Forest
Department's smallest unit at the grassroots-level will now report to panchayati-raj
institutions instead.
• In a letter to all Chief Ministers, Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh directed
State governments to amend State acts and rules to bring all Joint Forest Management
Committees (JFMCs) under the supervision of Gram Sabhas.
• This means that the village leaders of the Gram Sabha will get control of the Rs.1,000
crore of forestry-related funding that is currently routed through the nation's one lakh
JFMCs.
9 Indian research institutes get TTI grant
• The Think Tank Initiative (TTI), a partnership of major donors, has awarded $21 million
in grants to 16 independent policy research institutions in South Asia, nine of them from
India.
• These include;
• The Indian Institute of Dalit Studies;
• Public Affairs Centre;
• Center for Study of Science,
• Technology and Policy;
• Institute of Rural Management;
• National Council of Applied Economic Research;
• Centre for Policy Research;
• Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability;
• and the Institute of Economic Growth and Centre for the Study of Developing Societies
from India.
• The TTI is a multi-donor programme dedicated to strengthening independent policy
research institutions in the developing world.
Oil firms being encouraged to secure assets abroad: Manmohan
• Stating that the growing Indian economy would require tremendous amount of energy
sources to maintain its pace, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said India was
encouraging its oil companies to acquire gas and oil assets abroad to meet the increasing
demand that is likely to grow by 40 per cent in the next decade.
• Delivering the inaugural address at the three-day Petrotech 2010 Oil and Gas Conference
at Vigyan Bhavan (New Delhi).
• India, which consumed over 138 million tonnes of fuel in 2009-10, imports three-fourth
of its oil needs and one-third of its gas requirement. It imported $79.5 billion worth of
159.2 million tonnes of crude oil.
• Demand over the next 10 years will increase by over 40 per cent, whereas the increase in
supply from the maturing domestic oilfields is expected to be around 12 per cent.
Mayawati launches welfare scheme for the poor
• To empower the poorest of the poor, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati launched a
new welfare scheme whose basic objective is to enable the beneficiaries to meet their
daily needs. Named “Uttar Pradesh Mukhya Mantri Mahamaya Garib Arthik Madad
Yojana”,
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• The scheme was announced by the Chief Minister on her 54th birthday on January 15.
• About 31 lakh people belonging to Below Poverty Line families stood to benefit from the
measure. Around 50 per cent of the beneficiaries will belong to the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes.
• Under the scheme, the beneficiaries are entitled to a monthly financial assistance of
Rs.300.
Private sector has a big role in health care”
• Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said that every year 20
lakh children and 70,000 pregnant women die due to insufficient medical facilities.
• “The private sector has a big role to play in providing health facilities. When the rich go
to private hospitals, the poor get a place in the government hospitals,”
• Government has invested Rs. 45,000 crore in the health sector. Need to double the
investment in the next five years so that the hospitals and health centres will be able to
serve the growing population.
Interlocutors submit report to Chidambaram
• The interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir submitted their report to Union Home
Minister P. Chidambaram after their maiden visit to the State.

• Dileep Padgaonkar, who leads the three-member team, said he was “hopeful” of a
solution, but did not have a “magic formula.” The interlocutors briefed Mr.
Chidambaram about their visit from October 23 and presented their report, which
included recommendations.

Extradition of Holcks to India rejected

• A Danish court overturned a decision by the justice authorities to extradite a self-
confessed gunrunner who parachuted weapons into India, saying he risked
mistreatment. Along with six others, Niels Holcks parachuted arms in West Bengal in
1995.

Sen tribunal reserves verdict

• At the conclusion of arguments, the Vikramajit Sen tribunal reserved verdict on the
validity of the May 14, 2010 notification of the Centre extending the ban on the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for two years under the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act.
• The one-man tribunal is mandated to give its verdict within six months of the
notification, which is due to expire on November 13.
Bio-tech gets nod for pre-medical entrance
• The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has approved the proposal for inclusion
of bio-technology as an eligible subject for the common pre-medical entrance test. The
subject is expected to be included in the entrance examination from the next academic
year.
• The Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India (MCI) had approached the
Ministry with the recommendation. The CBSE introduced bio-technology as a subject for
Class XII courses in 2005.

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• Bio-technology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and
bio-processes in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bio-
products.

More funding for Ganga clean-up

• States through which the Ganga flows will soon be given additional funding to operate
and maintain projects to clean the river and restore its environmental health. However,
States lobbied for more aid and free power to those affected by scrapping of hydel
projects.
• At a meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) headed by Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal demanded
that his State be granted 2,000 MW of free power in compensation for scrapped projects.
• The NGRBA ratified the decision of the three-man Ministerial committee — comprising
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and
Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh — to abandon three major hydel
projects along the Bhagirathi which runs through the State. The Loharinag Pala,
Bhaironghati and Pala Maneri projects were shelved following protests by local
communities, environmental activists and religious leaders.
• The NGRBA also gave in principle approval to declare the 135-km stretch between
Gaumukh and Uttarkashi an eco-sensitive zone. This means no hydel project will be
allowed there.
• The NGRBA said the Central government would bear 70 per cent of the cost of operating
and maintaining projects set up to prevent pollution, clean the river and improve its
environmental status, for up to five years. The Centre already funds the cost of setting up
these projects.
• However, the affected States lobbied for a burden-sharing formula of 90 per cent by the
Centre and 10 per cent by States.
• By April 2011, the government also expects to finalise a $ 1 billion line of credit from the
World Bank for NGRBA projects. Last year the NGRBA approved Rs. 1,400 crore worth
of projects.
• The meeting also approved a Conservation Action Plan for the Gangetic dolphin, recently
declared the national aquatic animal.
• There are less than 2,000 Gangetic dolphins left.
Policy of Chief Justice from outside State to continue
• The Supreme Court collegium has decided to put on hold its decision to review the nearly
two decades-old transfer policy that the Chief Justice of a High Court must be from
outside the State.
• The collegium, comprising Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia and Justices Altamas
Kabir, R.V. Raveendran, Dalveer Bhandari and D.K. Jain, at a meeting .Decided to
continue the present system of having the Chief Justice from outside the State.
Forest panel to recommend withdrawal of clearance to Posco
• After 10 days of back and forth discussion, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) plans
to recommend withdrawal of the clearance granted to the South Korean giant Posco for
its Rs.54,000-crore integrated steel plant in Orissa.

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• If Minister of State for Environment Jairam Ramesh accepts the recommendation of the
FAC, a key statutory panel in his Ministry, India's largest foreign direct investment
project could be shut down in its current location.
• All work on the Posco project has already been suspended on the Environment Ministry's
orders, following a report on the FRA violations by the N.C. Saxena panel.
• Another committee set up under the leadership of the former Environment Secretary,
Meena Gupta, then found there were many violations in the project, including those
related to the FRA.
• While Ms. Gupta recommended that a further comprehensive impact assessment report
and a deadline for the FRA implementation be ordered, all the other members of her
committee called for a withdrawal of the clearance.
• At its meeting on October 25 to discuss the Meena Gupta panel's report, the FAC
members expressed differing opinions on how to deal with the Posco project.
8 Indian States have 421 million multidimensionally poor people
• Eight Indian States are home to 421 million multi dimensionally poor people, more than
the figure of 410 million in 26 poorest African countries.
• The Multidimensional Poverty Index — which identifies serious simultaneous
deprivations in health, education and income at the household level in 104 countries —
brought out in the latest United Nations Human Development Report has calculated that
South Asia is home to half of the world's multi-dimensionally poor population, or 844
million people.
• The rates of multidimensional poverty are, however, relatively low in most of East Asia
and the Pacific including China and Thailand. In Delhi, the rate is close to Iraq and
Vietnam's (about 14 per cent), while that of Bihar is similar to Sierra Leon and Guinea's
(about 81 per cent), according to the report released. The Indian States include Bihar,
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, often referred to as the BIMARU States.
• The report's new Inequality-adjusted HDI, measuring the effect of inequality in 139
countries, shows South Asia with an average 33 per cent loss due to inequality in health,
education and income — the second largest for a development region after sub-Saharan
Africa. India loses 30 per cent overall on the Inequality-adjusted HDI, including 41 per
cent in education and 31 per cent in health.
• Women's inequality remains a major barrier to human development throughout Asia, the
2010 report shows. The new Gender Inequality Index — which captures gender gaps in
reproductive health, empowerment and workforce participation in 138 countries —
shows that six countries of East Asia and the Pacific fall in the lower half in gender
inequality, with Papua New Guinea among the lowest.
• Several countries in East Asia and the Pacific have little or no female representation in
Parliaments, although the Philippines and Indonesia have elected women leaders in recent
decades. South Asia is characterised by relatively weak female empowerment with an
inequality loss of 35 per cent compared with 16 per cent in developed nations.
• India ranks 122 out of the138 countries on the Global Instability Index based on 2008
data – with nine per cent of the parliamentary seats held by women, and 27 per cent of
adult women having secondary or higher levels of education compared to 50 per cent
among men.
• The Multidimensional Poverty Index, the Inequality-adjusted Index and the Gender
Inequality Index have been added as new indicators in this year's report, which runs into
its 20th year. It spotlights countries that made the greatest progress in recent decades as

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measured by the HDI, with China, Nepal, Indonesia, Lao PDR and South Korea making
it to the “Top 10 Movers” list.
• Among the South Asian countries, Nepal is second among the top movers on non-income
HDI, while India is among the top 10 movers in GDP growth.
Sonia, Tata in Forbes' list of 68 people “who matter”
• Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Tata Sons
Chairman Ratan Tata are among the five Indians named among the most powerful
people in the world in Forbes' list this year of 68 people “who matter.”

• India's business tycoons Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and steel giant
ArcelorMittal Chairman Lakshmi Mittal also make this year's list.

• Chinese President Hu Jintao has topped the 2010 Forbes list of the “World's Most
Powerful People.”

• For the top spot, Mr. Hu pipped United States President Barack Obama, who comes in
at second place. Forbes' list picks 68 who matter, out of the 6.8 billion people on the
planet.

• Ms. Gandhi debuts at the 9th spot in this year's list of the world's most powerful
people. Incidentally, she was not featured in Forbes' recent list of the world's most
powerful women.

• Dr. Singh, “universally praised as India's best Prime Minister since Nehru,” is ranked
18th on the list. He has moved up in the list from being 36th last year.

• Mr. Ambani, who has a net worth of $29 billion, comes in at the 34th spot. His ranking
too improved from his last year's 44th place. The 53-year-old “business maharaja” is
Asia's richest person, who certainly likes to live like a king, Forbes said.

• Occupying the 44th spot is Lakshmi Mittal, chairman of the world's largest steel
company ArcelorMittal. The 60-year-old steel magnate has a net worth of $28.7 billion.

• London's wealthiest resident, Mr. Mittal is sponsoring London's 2012 Olympic games,
paying for most of a 400-foot twisting steel tower to be named ArcelorMittal Orbit at
the city's Olympic Park.

• Mr. Tata, having dropped two notches from last year, comes in at the 61st position in
the list of the world's most powerful people.

Cabinet approves Bill for women's protection at workplace

• The Union Cabinet approved the Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at
Workplace Bill, 2010, that ensures a safe environment for women at work place, both in
the public and private sectors, in the organised and unorganised sectors. The Bill, to be
introduced in Parliament in the winter session beginning next week, will help in
achieving gender empowerment and equality. Domestic help have, however, been kept
out of the purview of the proposed law that also proposes a fine of Rs. 50,000 if found
violating the provisions of the law.
• The move will contribute to realisation of their right to gender equality, life and liberty,
and equality in working conditions everywhere. The sense of security will improve

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women's participation in work, resulting in their economic empowerment and inclusive
growth.
• The Bill proposes a definition of sexual harassment, as laid down by the Supreme Court
in Vishaka vs State of Rajasthan (1997). Additionally, it recognises the promise or threat
to a woman's employment prospects or creation of hostile work environment as ‘sexual
harassment' at workplace and seeks to prohibit such acts.
• It provides protection not only to women who are employed but also to any woman who
enters the workplace as a client, customer, apprentice, daily wage worker, or in ad hoc
capacity. Students, research scholars in colleges/universities and patients in hospitals
have also been covered.
• The Bill provides for an effective complaints and redressal mechanism. Under the
proposed Bill, every employer is required to constitute an Internal Complaints
Committee.
• Since a large number of the establishments (41.2 million out of 41.83 million as per
Economic Census, 2005) in the country have less than 10 workers for whom it may not
be feasible to set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), it provides for setting up
of Local Complaints Committee (LCC) to be constituted by the designated District
Officer at the district or sub-district levels, as the need be. This twin mechanism would
ensure that women in any workplace, irrespective of its size or nature, have access to a
redressal mechanism.
• The LCCs will enquire into the complaints of sexual harassment and recommend action
to the employer or District Officer.
• Since there is a possibility that during the pendency of the inquiry, the woman may be
subjected to threat and aggression, she has been given the option to seek interim relief in
the form of transfer either of her own or the respondent or seek leave from work.
• The Complaint Committees are required to complete the inquiry within 90 days and a
period of 60 days has been given to the employer/District Officer for implementation of
the recommendations of the Committee. The Bill provides for safeguards in the case of
false or malicious complaint of sexual harassment.
• However, mere inability to substantiate the complaint or provide adequate proof would
not make the complainant liable for punishment.
• Implementation of the Bill will be the responsibility of the Central government in case of
its own undertakings/establishments and of the State governments in respect of every
workplace established, owned, controlled or wholly or substantially financed by it as well
as of private sector establishments falling within their territory.
• Through this implementation mechanism, every employer has the primary duty to
implement the provisions of law within his/her establishment while the State and Central
governments have been made responsible for overseeing and ensuring overall
implementation of the law.
• The governments will also be responsible for maintaining data on the implementation of
the law. In this manner, the proposed Bill will create an elaborate system of reporting and
checks and balances, which will result in effective implementation of the law.
Nod for scientific institution in Thiruvananthapuram
• The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a national centre for molecular
materials in Thiruvananthapuram at a cost of Rs. 76.7 crore.
• The centre will be the first of its kind in the country, pursuing high-end science and
developing technologies in niche areas such as sensors for biomedical devices, materials
for better harvesting of solar energy, and space electronics.
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• It will collaborate with other academic institutions and actively interact with industry and
other user groups. It will come up on a 40-acre land provided free of cost by the State
government.
Cyclone ‘Jal' likely to bring heavy rain
• The severe cyclonic storm ‘Jal,' which lay centred 500 km east southeast of Chennai,
bring heavy rain in and around Chennai.
Media can't report on sexual assault on children without consent
• In an attempt to rein in the media, the draft Protection of Children from Sexual Offences
Bill, 2010 prevents reporting on any child involved in an offence without “complete and
authentic” information and without the consent of the child or his or her guardian. The
publisher or owner of the media or the studio or photographic facilities shall be jointly
held liable for the “acts and omissions” of his employees.
• The Bill, piloted by the Women and Child Development Ministry, seeks to protect
children against sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography, and provide for
establishment of special courts for trial of such offences. The gender neutral draft
describes a child as an individual under 18.
Global meet on ‘Crisis and Hegemonic Dilemmas'
• World-renowned political and economic experts participate in a three-day conference on
“The Global Crisis and Hegemonic Dilemmas'' the India International Centre(New
Delhi).
India to join convention on removal of ship wrecks
• India has decided to join the Nairobi International Convention on Removal of Wrecks
and adopt international norms in shipping.
• The Union Cabinet cleared the path by approving amendments to the Merchant Shipping
Act, 1958, which proposes to enable a more purposeful approach towards removal of
wrecks and salvage.
• These amendments — which have become necessary consequent to India's accession of
the Nairobi Convention — would seek to address problems arising from the increasing
number of wrecks and remove discrepancies in the existing rules and regulations so as to
bring them in line with developments in international shipping, maintained official
sources.
• Adopted by 64 countries, the convention lays out a firm jurisdictional basis for dealing
with hazardous wrecks, apart from aiming at improving navigational safety and maritime
security.
Draft bill moots harsh punishment for sexual offences against children
• The draft Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Bill, 2010, describes any kind of
physical contact with “sexual intent'' — though without the actual ‘penetration' — as
sexual assault.
• It describes a child — boy or girl — as an individual below the age of 18 and suggests
that in cases where “penetrative sexual assault” is committed against a child between 16
and 18 years (both inclusive), it should be considered whether the consent for such an act
has been obtained against his or her will; or through fraud, deceit, coercion, undue
influence, threats; or when the child did not have the capacity to understand the nature of
the act; or if it was committed without the child's consent. The punishment recommended
in such cases is imprisonment up to five years.

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• Where a person is prosecuted for violating any of the provisions of the proposed Bill, and
where the victim is below 16 years, the burden of proving that he has not committed such
violation shall be on the accused person.
• But harsher punishment, ranging from a minimum of 10 years to life term, has been
recommended for those accused of aggravated penetrative sexual assault. Policemen,
personnel of the security forces and the armed forces, and public servants found guilty of
sexual offences against children will be tried under this category. It will include
managements of hospitals, educational institutions, jails and even private institutions.
Sexual offences committed in a place of custody or care or protection, or when under the
guardianship or foster care, too fall under this severe category.
• Committing this offence with a deadly weapon, physically incapacitating the child or
causing the child to become mentally ill or unfit to perform regular tasks, even causing
pregnancy, or inflicting the child with Human Immunodeficiency Virus or Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome or any other life threatening disease will be treated under
the category.
• The Bill seeks to protect children against offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment
and pornography and provide for establishment of special courts for trial of such
offences.
GoM to decide on change in gas allocation policy
• The Group of Ministers (GoM) meet on November 10 to decide on a change in the
government's gas allocation policy and allocate natural gas to power plants that are likely
to come up in the next two-three years.
• Till now, the Centre has maintained that owing to the scarcity of gas, it does not favor
reserving gas allocation for plants that are still to become operational. But now it is ready
to review the policy and make allocations to plants that are likely to come up till 2012.
These include the expansion programme of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's Samalkot
power project.
• At its last meeting on July 28, the GoM, headed by Union Finance Minster Pranab
Mukherjee, asked the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to give the completion report
for seven projects, including the 2,400-MW Samalkot plant in Andhra Pradesh. The CEA
stated that commissioning of these projects during the 11th Plan was subject to the
suppliers and the developers adhering to the contractual and erection schedule, and a real
assessment could be made only after substantial work was done on the ground.
• The GoM will consider allocating 4.67 mmscmd to the 1,500-MW Bawana project in
Delhi; 3.08 mmscmd to Lanco's 770-MW Kndapalli expansion project in Andhra
Pradesh; 3.07 mmscmd to GMR's 768-MW Vemagiri expansion project in Andhra
Pradesh; 2.62 mmscmd to the 702-MW Pipavav project in Gujarat; 1.31 mmscmd to the
351-MW Hazira unit of the Gujarat State Electricity Corporation; and 0.84 mmscmd to
the 225-MW Kashipur project in Uttarakhand.
• Reliance Industries Limited is expected to turn out 80 mmscmd of gas from its eastern
offshore KG-D6 fields some time in 2012 or 2013. It now produces 57-58 mmscmd.
India to hold higher education summit
• Taking forward deepening ties between India and the United States in the education
sector, India announced the holding of a higher education summit next year.
• The announcement was made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his opening
remarks during a joint press conference with the U.S. President Barack Obama.

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Manmohan to attend G-20 meet in Seoul
• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leaves for Seoul to attend the G-20 Summit that will
review the global economic situation and the status of recovery.

Seeds Bill to be opposed in Rajya Sabha

• Having failed to reach an agreement with the government on the price control
mechanism, Opposition parties, including the Left parties, Samajwadi Party and Telugu
Desam Party, plan to oppose the contentious Seeds Bill, 2004 that the government is
going to move in the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passing.
• The Bill seeks to regulate the production, distribution and sale of seeds and requires
every seller of seeds, including farmers, to meet a certain minimum standard. Farmers'
organisations have opposed the Bill, which they say, has opposed the substantive
amendments proposed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee. Mr. Pawar's meetings
in July with MPs failed to reach an agreement on price regulation.
• “The amendments proposed by the government seriously compromise the rights of
farmers and will lead to unrestricted commercialisation of varieties in the public domain
including farmers' varieties,” the All-India Kisan Sabha said.
House passes Bills to rename Orissa, its language
• The Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010 and Constitution (113th Amendment) Bill,
2010 for change of name of the language were moved by Home Minister P.
Chidambaram on the basis of resolutions passed by the Orissa Assembly.
• The Bills provide for change of name of State to Odisha and language to Odia.
Parliamentary panel holds Justice Sen guilty of misconduct
• A Parliamentary Inquiry Committee has held Justice Soumitra Sen of the Calcutta High
Court guilty of ‘misconduct' tantamount to ‘misbehaviour,' warranting his removal as a
judge.
• The report, tabled in the Rajya Sabha said the two charges — misappropriation of
Rs.33,22,800 which Justice Sen had received in his capacity as Receiver appointed by the
High Court and misrepresentation of the facts with regard to the misappropriation to the
High Court — stood proved.
• The Committee — headed by Justice B. Sudershan Reddy of the Supreme Court —
rejected as untenable Justice Sen's contention that as the probe pertained to his conduct as
Receiver and not as judge, the Committee could not go into it. The Committee included
Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Mukul Mudgal and eminent jurist
Fali Nariman.
• The conduct of a Judge under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, viz., whether a Judge
whose conduct is under investigation.
Sen is second judge to face removal proceedings
• Justice Soumitra Sen of the Calcutta High Court is the second judge in the country's
history to face removal proceedings in Parliament. The first was V. Ramaswami, former
Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, who later became a Supreme Court
judge, though the motion for his removal failed.
• The report of a three-member committee, headed by Justice B. Sudershan Reddy of the
Supreme Court, said it felt that Justice Sen was “guilty of misbehaviour” under Article
124(4) read with Article 217(1) (b) of the Constitution.

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• Article 124(4), when read with Article 217(1) (b), states that a High Court judge shall not
be removed from his office except on the grounds of ‘proved misbehaviour.' The word,
‘proved,' only means proved to the satisfaction of a requisite majority of Parliament.
• Under the Judges Inquiry Act, the motion will now have to be moved in the Rajya Sabha
and debated upon. Justice Sen will be given an opportunity to rebut the charges, either in
person or through counsel. After the debate ends and the judge is heard, if the House
decides to put the motion to vote, the resolution has to be passed by a two-thirds majority
in both Houses in the same session, failing which the motion is deemed dropped and can
only be taken up if the entire process is repeated afresh in any subsequent session. The
resolution is then sent to the President who orders the removal of the judge.
No loss to exchequer: DoT
• No guidelines were violated in the 2G spectrum allotment, and it was the government's
conscious policy decision not to go in for auction as the aim was to increase tele-density
rather than maximising revenue, the Department of Telecommunications informed the
Supreme Court
• This was the DoT's response to the petition filed by the Centre for Public Interest
Litigation seeking action on the basis of the draft audit report of the Comptroller and
Auditor-General (CAG) that the scam involving Communications Minister A. Raja
caused the exchequer a loss of Rs.1,39,652 crore, and helped a few private persons and
companies make a corresponding gain.
• The matter will come up before a Bench of Justices G. S. Singhvi and A. K. Ganguly for
further hearing.
• The affidavit maintained that all decisions on the 2G spectrum allocation were taken as
per the government policy that had been followed by Mr. Raja's predecessors since 1999,
and no loss was caused to the exchequer. It said the decision not to auction the spectrum
was taken on the basis of the 1999 National Telecom Policy, and the recommendations of
the 10th and 11th Plans, and of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Since
2003, from the time of the National Democratic Alliance government, the first-come-
first-served policy was being followed in the spectrum allotment. Furthermore, the
guidelines for the Unified Access Service licence regime, issued in November 2003, were
also followed.
Food Security law soon: Centre
• The Centre informed the Supreme Court that it would soon put in place the National
Food Security legislation after taking into consideration the recommendations of the
National Advisory Council. This law would address the court's concerns over making
foodgrains allotment to the States.
• Attorney-General G. E. Vahanvati said that in terms of the 1993-94 poverty estimates, the
number of additional BPL families, on the basis of the 2010 population estimates, worked
out to 1.17 crore, and not seven crore as stated by the petitioner PUCL.
• In its affidavit, the Centre said: “For the increase of 1.17 crore BPL families between
2000 and 2010, the additional requirement of foodgrains at 35 kg a family a month works
out to 4.09 tonnes a month. As per the directions of the Supreme Court, the government
has already made an additional ad-hoc allocation of 2.5 million tonnes for six months,
which works out to 4.17 lakh tonnes per month.
• The affidavit said the NAC had recommended subsidised grain to every family of the 150
poorest districts, but no recommendation was given for their special coverage.

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Celebrating 60 years of ICCR
• To mark 60 years of its cultural diplomacy, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations
hosted an international seminar on “Indian Culture in a Globalised World” at its Azad
Bhavan premises.
• Inaugurating the seminar that also marked the 122nd birth anniversary of ICCR's founder
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Vice-President Hamid Ansari recalled that Jawaharlal Nehru
had described the Maulana as “an extraordinarily interesting companion” at a time they
were incarcerated in adjoining cells in a British jail.
• According to ICCR President Dr. Karan Singh, the seminar was conceptualised to trace
the contemporary state of Indian culture in global society and explore what role this
vibrant culture can play in this beautiful but conflict-ridden world to show it the way to
peaceful co-existence.
Tribunal upholds extension of ban on LTTE
• Observing that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) still remains a threat to the
country's security, Justice Vikramajit Sen of the Delhi High Court, constituting the one-
man Tribunal, upheld the May 14, 2010 notification of the Centre extending the ban on
the outfit for two years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Lottery ordinance consistent with Central laws: government
• The Kerala government informed the Kerala High Court that the Kerala Tax on Paper
Lotteries (Amendment) Ordinance seeking to steeply increase the tax on paper lotteries
and making other stipulations was not unconstitutional.
• It was not inconsistent with the Central Act and Rules. Nor any provision in the ordinance
was in conflict with the provisions of the Act and Rules.
Apprehend NDFB faction leaders, Chidambaram tells security forces
• Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram instructed the security forces to apprehend the
leaders of the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) and
the perpetrators of the brutal killing of 22 civilians in Assam from November 8 to 11 and
bring them to justice.
• The Centre condemns the action of the NDFB (anti-talk) faction, and warns the faction
that the NDFB is an unlawful association and will be dealt with firmly in accordance with
law. “Its leader Ranjan Daimary is in judicial custody, but seems unwilling to control the
criminal actions of his faction,” the statement added.
• It was noted during the review meeting that the aspirations of the Bodo people have been
met substantially by the creation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in 2003. “It is
a splendid model of self government. It has done good work for the development and
prosperity of the people living within its jurisdiction especially the Bodo people,” the
statement added.
• It was also noted that the NDFB was not satisfied with the creation of the BTC and put
forward demands, some of which fall outside the purview of the Constitution. Recently,
the NDFB split into two factions.
Niyamgiri tribals to step up stir
• Tribals living in and around the Niyamgiri hills in Orissa's Kalahandi district are up in
arms once again.
• The Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, an organisation of tribals that has been opposing
Vedanta's alumina refinery, said it would intensify the agitation.

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• The announcement came a day after a group of pro-Vedanta organisations approached the
Orissa High Court challenging a recent order of the Union Ministry of Environment and
Forests withdrawing the terms of reference for expansion of the capacity of the refinery
from one million to six million tonnes per annum.
Judicial accountability Bill a cure worse than disease: Justice Shah
• Highlighting serious lacunae in the proposed Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill,
2010, the former Chief Justice of the Delhi and Madras High Courts Ajit Prakash Shah
cautioned that the measure was an example of cure being worse than the disease.
• He was delivering the keynote address after inaugurating a two-day seminar on
“Strengthening Democracy: Role of Judiciary” organised by the International Centre Goa
(ICG) in association with the Media Information and Communication Centre of India, the
Friedrich Ebert foundation-India and the Goa High Court Bar Association.
• Emphasising the need for accountability, Justice Shah said that without transparency,
there could be no accountability; secrecy was only the preserve of a dictatorship.
• Analysing judicial accountability and its nuances, Justice Shah said there must be a
balance between the competing principles of judicial independence, on the one hand, and
accountability and transparency, on the other.
• His primary objection is that the Bill seeks to provide a straightjacket definition of
“misbehaviour” under Section 2(j), which tends to lose its elasticity and become both
under-inclusive and over-inclusive. A minor, inadvertent breach of judicial standards
could constitute misconduct, and in so far as the definition is exhaustive, it is incapable of
catching within its fold any “misbehaviour” that might not be covered by this provision.
• Secondly, he said, the Bill tended to render the Oversight Committee just a post office
referring each complaint to the Scrutiny Panel. This was likely to lead to multiplicity of
complaints against judges and also a colossal waste of time.
• Justice Shah's major objection is to the composition of the Scrutiny Panel which consists
of three members, two of whom would be judges sitting in the same court as the judge
against whom a complaint has been made. It would be difficult for judges to
dispassionately decide a case against one of their own colleagues and sitting with them
day in, day out.
• Also, the composition and tenure of the Investigation Committee was undefined.
Theoretically, therefore, it was possible for a layperson without any knowledge,
experience and standing to be part of an inquiry panel against a sitting judge of a superior
court.
• Justice Shah said the Bill would create an atmosphere of total secrecy, more regressive
than the present system, and there did not appear to be any rational reason for the change.
• The idea of “minor” punishment was unworkable and it had the potential to seriously
undermine judicial status.
• Only binary systemwill work
• A situation where sitting judges were publicly censured but they were still sitting on the
Bench and deciding cases would damage the credibility of the entire system.
• “This is an area where only a binary system of punishment can work. Either the judge is
guilty and must be impeached, or he is not, and no action must be taken against him,”
Justice Shah said, observing that the challenge was to develop mechanisms of
accountability that did not undermine judicial independence.

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Jammu and Kashmir out of U.N. list of disputes
• Jammu and Kashmir has been removed from the United Nations list of unresolved
disputes, in a setback to Pakistan which has been asking the world body to intervene
on the issue.

National litigation policy planned: Moily

• The Union government has envisaged a national litigation policy to reduce the pendency
of cases in various courts, Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily has said.
• He said the award of the 13th Finance Commission to the States would be based on their
implementation of the policy. The Central and State governments are the main litigants in
most of the cases and the policy aimed at expeditious disposal of all cases. IT-enabled
services would be pepped up to deliver judgments without delay. The policy would make
lawyers and judicial officers more accountable.
• According to him, population and litigation explosion, institution of fresh cases, lopsided
prioritisation of cases, accumulation of first appeals and delay in filling vacancies in High
Courts were the reasons for the high rate of pendency.
• More fast track courts would be set up to ensure that no case was pending for more than a
year. Gram nyayalayas and mobile courts in panchayats were the other options to
adjudicate a case within six months from the date of filing.
• Mr. Moily said setting up of commercial benches in High Courts had been planned to
deal with cases involving more than Rs. 5 crore. This would help dispose of such cases
within a year.
Set up Armed Forces Grievances Redressal Commission: Court
• The Supreme Court directed the Centre to constitute the Armed Forces Grievances
Redressal Commission to look into the grievances of serving or former members of the
armed forces (the Army, the Navy and the Air Force) or their widows or family members
for pension or other issues and make suitable recommendations expeditiously to the
Central government in this regard.
• The Commission to be headed by the former Supreme Court, Judge Kuldip Singh, will
also frame and recommend to the Central government a scheme for proper rehabilitation
of discharged soldiers.
• The Bench appointed the retired Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, S.S. Sodhi, as
vice-chairman, and General V.P. Malik, retired Chief of Army Staff, and Lt. Gen Vijay
Oberoi, retired Vice-Chief of Army Staff, as members. The Centre could, at its discretion,
appoint a retired civil servant as another member.
• These grievances include the grievances relating to pay; allowances; one rank, one
pension; other pension matters; suitable benefits to be granted to war veterans, war
widows; promotion matters; rehabilitation of soldiers who are discharged at a young age,
etc.
CAG: role of TRAI, Telecom Commission undermined
• The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India report on the 2G spectrum
allocation process clearly highlights how the role of two important government bodies —
the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the Telecom Commission — responsible
for the growth of the telecom sector was undermined.
• Referring to the TRAI as “a hapless spectator,” the CAG report pointed out that the
Telecom Commission (the decision-making body in the Department of

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Telecommunications), which could have helped in ascertaining the true value of 2G

spectrum, was not properly consulted.
Mamata opens work on eastern freight corridor
• Once completed, the eastern dedicated freight corridor will bring about an “industrial
revolution” in West Bengal, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed at the
inauguration of the work on the project.
• The 1,806-km eastern corridor will extend from Dankuni to Ludhiana and pass through
several mining and industrial towns such as Asansol, Dhanbad, Sonnagar, Khurja and
Saharanpur. It is being designed for a maximum train speed of 100 kmph.
Supreme Court appoints mediator
• The Supreme Court has appointed K.T. Thomas, former Supreme Court Judge, as
mediator to deal with the controversy regarding the constitution of a selection committee
to appoint Melsanthi (chief priest) of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.
• The controversy arose following allegations of irregularities and improprieties in the
appointment of the chief priest. A demand was raised for the constitution of a selection
committee to bring about transparency in the appointment.
A quarter of total deaths from pneumonia among children occur in India: survey
• Pneumonia, which is the world's leading infectious killer among children, claims the lives
of nearly 1.6 million children under five every year, with more than 3,70,000 or nearly
one-quarter of deaths occurring in India alone.
• A Pneumonia Report Card released by the International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC),
on behalf of the Global Coalition against Child Pneumonia, evaluates prevention,
protection and treatment efforts in India and in 14 other countries with the most child
pneumonia deaths against the pneumonia intervention targets established in the Global
Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia (GAPP) issued by the World
Health Organisation and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in
2009.
• India has the highest number of pneumonia-related deaths in the world.
• The 15 countries evaluated in the Report Card — including Afghanistan, Angola,
Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India,
Indonesia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania and Uganda — are responsible for
nearly three-quarters of all pneumonia deaths. Children in these countries are anywhere
from 17 to 400 times more likely to die of pneumonia than a child living in the United
States.
Cancel 69 licences of 6 operators: TRAI
• Two days after the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) report on 2G spectrum
allocation highlighted the non-fulfilment of rollout obligations by new telecom operators,
the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended cancellation of 69
licences of six operators, including five new ones, who were sitting on spectrum and
failed to provide services in the circles allotted to them.
• The companies under the scanner are Etisalat DB (earlier Swan) that has failed to roll out
services in 15 circles, Videocon Communications (earlier Datacom Solutions) in 10
circles, Uninor (Unitech Group) in 8 circles, Loop Telecom (earlier Shipping Stop Dot
Com) in 20 circles, Sistema-Shyam in 11 circles and Aircel in 5 circles.

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Can Sikhs claim minority status in Punjab?' issue for Constitution Bench
• The Supreme Court indicated that it would refer for adjudication by a Constitution Bench
the issue whether Sikhs, who form a majority population in Punjab, can claim ‘minority'
status in that State.
• A Bench of Justices B. Sudershan Reddy and S.S. Nijjar gave this indication during the
course of arguments on a batch of appeals from the State of Punjab and the Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) against a judgment of the Punjab and Haryana
High Court, which held that Sikhs were not “minorities” in Punjab and could not claim
minority rights. In May 2009, the court stayed the operation of the judgment.
• The State and the SGPC argued in the Supreme Court that the High Court erred by
striking down the minority status of the Sikhs. They said that going by the definition of
Sikhs as explained in the Sikh Gurdwaras (SG) Act, 1925, only about 53 lakh, roughly
one-third of the electoral college of the SGPC, were Sikhs as against the 1.66 crore total
voters in the State. They disputed the High Court's reasoning to conclude that Sikhs were
a majority by virtue of a Census report that pegged their population in the State at 59.2
per cent.
• The State said this figure, taken from the 2001 census, was based on a counting of all
sects belonging to Udasis, Nirmala Sadhus, Sant Nirankari Mandal, Dera Sacha Sauda,
Radha Soami Satsang.
• “They are not Sikhs within the meaning of ‘Sikh
NCW favours law to control television programmes
• Concerned over “blatant vulgarity” on prime time television, the National Commission
for Women (NCW) has demanded that the Prohibition of Indecent Representation of
Women and Children Bill, 2008 — the amended Indecent Representation of Women
(Prohibition) Act, 1986 — be passed immediately to ensure monitoring of the content on
the electronic media.
• The demand comes in the wake of public outrage over two reality shows — Bigg Boss
and Rakhi ka Insaf.
• The proposed Bill had a provision to set up a central authority to regulate and prohibit
indecent representation of women, she noted.
• The scope of the proposed Bill would be extended to electronic media, Internet and also
to SMS and MMS clips.
Ban on export of iron ore upheld
• The Karnataka High Court upheld the State Government's ban on transport and export of
iron ore.
• A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice S. Abdul Nazir
passed orders upholding the Government Orders of July 26, 2010, and July 28, 2010,
banning transport of iron ore and its export from ten ports.
• Thirty-two companies, including V.S. Lad and Sons, Kumaraswamy Minerals, Sesa Goa
and others had challenged the two orders on the grounds that the State had no jurisdiction
and authority to pass such orders.
• Karnataka produces iron ore fines and ores and accounts for around a quarter of India's
exports of over 100 million tonnes a year.
• A large amount of iron ore exported from India is believed to land in China, which is the
world's largest steel producer. India is reckoned to be the third largest exporter of iron ore
in the world.

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Gowda: Probe should cover BMIC project also

• The former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president, H.D. Deve Gowda,
welcomed the decision of the Yeddyurappa government to begin a judicial probe, headed
by a retired Supreme Court judge, vis-à-vis land allotment since 1994 and wanted the
Karnataka government to include the controversial Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure
Corridor (BMIC) project too in the terms of reference of the commission.
Scheme for adolescent girls launched
• Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram launched a special scheme for the well-being and
overall empowerment of adolescent girls. The scheme has been launched as a pilot
project in 200 most backward districts.
• ‘Sabla' or the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Adolescent Girls' would be launched in 22
districts of Uttar Pradesh, 15 in Madhya Pradesh, 12 each in Bihar and Sikkim, 11 in
Maharashtra, and 10 in Rajasthan.
• To be based on the Integrated Child Development Services platform, the scheme would
address the nutritional and special training aspects of girls aged 11-18.
• An integrated package of services will be provided to adolescent girls. It includes
nutrition provision of 600 calories and 18-20 grams of protein and micro nutrients, at a
rate of Rs. 5 a beneficiary a day for 300 days a year.
Project to improve dams in State to be taken up in 2011-12
• The World Bank-funded Rs.745-crore Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project
(DRIP), covering 104 dams in the State of Tamil nadu will be launched in the next
financial year (2011-2012).
• They include Manimuthar, Nambiyar, Poygaiyar, Vadaku Pachaiyar, Kodaganar, Veedur,
Gomukhi, Mordhana, Advinainainar, Kadamparai, Mukkurthi, Servalar, Avalanche and
Glenmorgan, according to the two departments' officials. Of the project cost of Rs.745.49
crore, 80 per cent will be contributed by the World Bank and the rest by the State
government.
• Tamil Nadu accounts for the maximum number of dams (104). Madhya Pradesh comes
next with 50 dams, followed by Orissa, 38, and Kerala, 31. In Tamil Nadu and Kerala,
dams under the control of the State power utilities are also covered.
• The total cost of the project in the four States is around Rs.2,100 crore, of which about
one-third is earmarked for Tamil Nadu.
• The project will aim at assuring the full reservoir capacity of project dams, achieving
effective utilisation of the stored water, and managing and monitoring the long-term
performance of the dams.
Manipur Cabinet to recommend extension of AFSPA
• The Manipur Cabinet has decided to recommend to the Union government extension of
the Disturbed Areas Act and the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in the State for
a year with effect from December 1.
• Many sections have been demanding the repeal of the AFSPA, alleging that the State and
the Central forces had been abusing the provisions of the Act to violate human rights.
Irom Sharmila completed 10 years of fasting on November 2, demanding the same. As
there is no indication that the Act would be repealed, she is continuing her fast unto
death.

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Navi Mumbai airport gets the green signal
• After a year-long tussle between the Civil Aviation and Environment Ministries, the
Navi Mumbai airport finally got the green signal.

Children's Film Festival begins in Krishnagiri

• The six-day Children's Film Festival began at Krishnagiri. Krishnagiri District Collector
V. Arun Roy inaugurated the festival at the Shanthi Theater in the town.

Nitish tidal wave sweeps Bihar

• In the manner of a tidal wave sweeping aside anything and everything in its way, the
ruling Janata Dal (United)-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance smashed through the barriers
of region, caste and gender to post the biggest-ever victory in an Assembly election in
Bihar.
• The Opposition stood demolished; leader of the Opposition Rabri Devi lost both
Raghopur and Sonepur seats.
• The JD (U) and the BJP together capturing four-fifths of the seats (206) in the 243-
member House. The alliance fought the election on the twin issues of development and
rule of law.
• The JD(U) won 115 of the 141 seats it contested, while the BJP made a near clean sweep,
bagging 91 of the 102 seats it contested.
• The Rashtriya Janata Dal-Lok Jan Shakti Party alliance finished a distant second with 25
seats (RJD 22; LJP 3), while the Congress brought up the rear with four seats, five less
than its previous tally.
NRIs can now vote in India
• The longstanding wish of millions of non-resident Indians (NRIs) to be able to exercise
their franchise in India has come true, with the Centre issuing a notification to this
effect.

• In the monsoon session, Parliament had passed the Representation of People

(Amendment) Bill, 2010, to allow NRIs to vote in Indian elections.

Rosaiah resigns, Kiran Kumar Reddy new CM

• Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah stepped down after 14-and-half months in
office, citing “advanced age and work pressure” as the reasons for his decision.
• Assembly Speaker Kiran Kumar Reddy has been chosen the new Chief Minister.
Number portability launched
• Mobile Number Portability that will allow cell phone users to switch operators without
changing numbers has been launched in Rohtak (HARYANA) Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal
launched the service in Haryana.

Court bans diesel vehicles in Ranthambhore

• The Rajasthan High Court has directed the authorities to stop the plying diesel vehicles
inside the Ranthambhore National Park. The court expressed its displeasure over the non-
compliance of the earlier court order in this regard.
.
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Action Plan for 60 Naxal-hit districts
• With the aim of giving a fillip to development schemes in tribal and backward regions,
mostly affected by Naxal violence, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)
approved the commencement of an Integrated Action Plan (IAP) in 60 selected districts.
• The IAP would be an additional central assistance scheme on a 100 per cent grant basis.
It is aimed at quick resolution of problems concerning healthcare, drinking water,
education and roads.
• In 2010-11 alone, each of the 60 districts will be given a block grant of Rs. 25 crore, with
the total coming to a whopping Rs. 1,500 crore. In 2011-12, the grant will go up to Rs. 30
crore each.
• This is in pursuance of the Finance Minister's announcement in his budget speech of
2010-11 and the Prime Minister's address to the National Development Council on July
24.
• Schemes would be decided by a committee, headed by the District Collector. The
Superintendent of Police and the District Forest Officer would be its members. The IAP
would be reviewed for implementation in the 12th Plan at a later stage, Mr. Chidambaram
said.
• The existing Kalahand-Bolangir-Koraput (KBK) plan would continue, with an annual
allocation of Rs. 130 crore for all the eight districts in Orissa put together. The eight KBK
districts have been included in the IAP. They would get an additional block grant of Rs.
25 crore each in the current year and a suitable additional amount under both State and
district components of the IAP in the subsequent years.
• The scheme would focus on effective implementation of the provisions of the Panchayats
(Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, and the Scheduled Tribes and Other
Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
• While the district component would be administered by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj,
the State component would be administered by the Planning Commission.
Experts group to study NAC proposals on food security Bill
• In a significant move, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has formed an experts group
chaired by the chief of Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, C. Rangarajan, to
examine the recommendations of the Sonia Gandhi-headed National Advisory Council
on the proposed food security Bill.

Constitution Bench to decide on RTI vs right to judicial immunity

• A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court will decide the conflict between the right of
citizens to obtain information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and the right to
immunity enjoyed by the judiciary not to disclose information pertaining to appointment
of judges.
• A Bench comprising Justice B. Sudershan Reddy and Justice S.S. Nijjar referred to the
Chief Justice of India, S.H. Kapadia, for posting before a Constitution Bench of
appropriate strength the issues raised in the appeal preferred by the Central Public
Information Officer (CPIO) of the Supreme Court against a Delhi High Court judgment
directing furnishing of information on appointment of judges.
• The Bench said the questions that arise for consideration are whether the concept of
independence of judiciary requires and demands the prohibition of furnishing of the
information sought; whether the information sought amounts to interference in the
functioning of the judiciary; and whether the information sought cannot be furnished to
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avoid any erosion in the credibility of the decisions and to ensure a free and frank
expression of honest opinion by all the constitutional functionaries, which is essential for
effective consultation and for taking the right decision.
• It also covers the question of whether the information sought is exempt under Section 8
(i)(j) of the RTI Act.
Court orders FIR against Roy, Geelani
• A Delhi court ordered the police to register an FIR against writer Arundhati Roy,
hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, revolutionary poet Varavara Rao and
four others for allegedly making anti-India statements at a convention on Kashmir
“Azadi: The Only Way,” organised in New Delhi on October 21.

Dam rehabilitation work from January

• The Kerala government will implement the World Bank-funded Dam Rehabilitation and
Improvement Project (DRIP) from January.

• The project, which aims at improving the safety and operational performance of
selected structures, will cover dams, barrages and regulators, totalling 19, of the
Irrigation Department and 12 projects of the Kerala State Electricity Board.

• The first phase of the project, covering the Malampuzha, Walayar, Peechi and Neyyar
dams.

• The project has mainly two components — comprehensive rehabilitation and

improvement of dams and associated appurtenances and institutional strengthening
for dam safety.

• The first will include hydrological assessments, preparation of asset management plans
and emergency preparedness plans, development of an emergency warning system,
public awareness campaigns and floodplain mapping.

• The second component aims at improving the effectiveness of the Irrigation

Department and the electricity board in overseeing dam safety from the structural and
operational point of view. Dam managers will be assisted with the development of
appropriate skills and modern tools to operate and maintain dams adequately.

Ujjwal Nikam to represent India at convention on terrorism in U.N.

• Criminal lawyer and special government counsel in the 26/11 attack case, Ujjwal
Nikam, will represent India at a global convention on terrorism to be held at the
United Nations in New York from December 1.

• Legal experts from as many as 25 countries, including Pakistan, will participate in the
three-day conference, organised by the U.N. Security Council.

Inquiry ordered into leakage of ‘Radia tapes'

• The Union government ordered an inquiry into how the recorded tapes of
conversations between corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and various businessmen,
politicians and journalists were leaked.

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• While the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which had tapped the conversations,
will conduct the inquiry, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has been asked to submit a report
to the government after finding out who leaked the conversations, how and to whom,
sources in the Home Ministry said.

• The CBDT and its subordinate departments like the Income-Tax Department had
conducted phone tappings over a period of time for which the sanction was accorded
by the Ministry.

• The order to probe the “Radia tapes'' leakage came within hours of Tata group chief
Ratan Tata approaching the Supreme Court, seeking action against those involved in
the leak of tapes containing his conversation with Ms. Radia.

• Mr. Tata contended that the leakage had infringed upon his fundamental right to life,
which includes right to privacy.

• The CBI has informed the court that Ms. Radia's role will be investigated as part of the
inquiry into the 2G scam.

Srinagar-Leh NH reopens after clearing of snow

• The Srinagar-Leh National Highway, which was closed following heavy snowfall, was
reopened to release vehicles stranded on either side of the Zojilla pass.

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