10 PM Current Affairs Quiz : January 1, 2018

A mismatch in the expected revenue and expenditure can result in revenue deficit. Revenue deficit arises when the government’s actual net receipts is lower than the projected receipts. On the contrary, if the actual receipts are higher than expected one, it is termed as revenue surplus. A revenue deficit does not mean actual loss of revenue.

Mind, revenue deficit includes only such transactions which affect current income and expenditure of the government.

LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide. It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction, in any jurisdiction.

The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely, so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked. The first LEIs were issued in December 2012.

Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI), acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India. Besides, entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOU) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) – the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI.

Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of India especially. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Carnatic music is completely melodic with improvised variations. Purandara Dasa is credited with having founded today’s Carnatic music.  He is credited with having elevated Carnatic music from religious and devotional music into the realm of a performing art. Carnatic music is usually performed by a small ensemble of musicians consisting of a principal performer (vocalist) a violin, mridangam,  and a tamburu.

Important elements of carnatic music:

• Sruti: commonly refers to musical pitch
• Swara: refers to type of musical sound that is a single note, which defines a relative position of a note, rather than a defined frequency.
• Raga : A raga in carnatic music prescribes a set of rules for building a melody.
• Tala: Tala refers to the beat set for a particular composition ( a measure of time)

M.S. Subbulakshmi : was a renowned Carnatic vocalist. She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna. She also received Ramon Magsaysay Award. Some of the famous works include Suprabhatam, Bhajagovindam, Vishnu Sahasranamam, Hanuman Chalisa etc.

All the above statements are correct:

Kanishka (AD 78-144):

• He had two capitals- first at Purushpur, near modern Peshawar and second at Mathura.
• Kanishka controlled the famous silk route in Central Asia, which started from China and passed through his empire in Central Asia and Afghanistan to Iran and Western Asia which formed part of Roman Empire.
• Kanishka is known in history for two reasons:

1. He started an era in AD 78, which is now known as Saka era and is used by the Govt, of India.
2. He extended his whole-hearted patronage to Buddhism (Held the fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir).

Charaka lived between the third and second centuries BC, and was the court physician of the Buddhist King Kanishka. He was also the author of the one of the oldest and the most important ancient authoritative writings on Ayurveda, the Charaka Samhita.

Statement 1 is correct:

The Constitution (Article 4) itself declares that laws made for admission or establishment of new states (under Article 2) and formation of new states and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing states (under Articles 3) are not to be considered as amendments of the Constitution under Article 368. This means that such laws can be passed by a simple majority and by the ordinary legislative process.

Statement 2 is Incorrect:

Does the power of Parliament to diminish the areas of a state (under Article 3) include also the power to cede Indian Territory to a foreign country?

This question came up for examination before the Supreme Court in a reference made by the President in 1960. The decision of the Central government to cede part of a territory known as Berubari Union (West Bengal) to Pakistan led to political agitation and controversy and thereby necessitated the Presidential reference. The Supreme Court held that the power of Parliament to diminish the area of a state (under Article 3) does not cover cession of Indian territory to a foreign country. Hence, Indian Territory can be ceded to a foreign state only by amending the Constitution under Article 368. Consequently, the 9th Constitutional Amendment Act (1960) was enacted to transfer the said territory to Pakistan.

Statement 3 is Correct:

The Supreme Court in 1969 ruled that, settlement of a boundary dispute between India and another country does not require a constitutional amendment. It can be done by executive action as it does not involve cession of Indian Territory to a foreign country.

The present position is that the Parliament under Article 368 can amend any part of the Constitution including the Fundamental Rights but without affecting the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution. However, the Supreme Court is yet to define or clarify as to what constitutes the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution. From the various judgements, the following have emerged as ‘basic features’ of the Constitution or elements / components / ingredients of the ‘basic structure’ of the constitution:

1. Supremacy of the Constitution. 2. Sovereign, democratic and republican nature of the Indian polity. 3. Secular character of the Constitution.  4. Separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. 5. Federal character of the Constitution.  6. Unity and integrity of the nation.  7. Welfare state (socio-economic justice) 8. Judicial review 9. Freedom and dignity of the individual 10. Parliamentary system 11. Rule of law 12. Harmony and balance between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles 13. Principle of equality.  14. Free and fair elections 15. Independence of Judiciary 16. Limited power of Parliament to amend the Constitution 17. Effective access to justice 18. Principle of reasonableness 19. Powers of the Supreme Court under Articles 32, 136, 141 and 142.