Author: ForumIAS

SC rejects plea to verify 25% of VVPAT: Context A three-judge Bench refused to entertain the plea, saying that the judiciary cannot question the discretion of the EC. Backdrop An “11th hour” plea by Secretary, Gujarat Pradesh Congress, to direct the Election Commission of India to count and cross-verify at least 25% of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) paper trail with… Continue reading SC rejects plea to verify 25% of VVPAT:

Cabinet nod for Bill making instant triple talaq a crime Context The Union Cabinet on Friday approved a Bill that makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat a criminal offence and a Muslim husband resorting to instant talaq can be jailed for up to three years. This Bill will adjudicate all cases of instant triple talaq across the country except Jammu and Kashmir. The government intends to… Continue reading Cabinet nod for Bill making instant triple talaq a crime

‘We expect Indian aid on Rohingya issue’ Context Delhi needs to play “a similar diplomatic role” to resolve the Rohingya crisis. Bangladesh seeks UN resolution Commending India’s role in the 1971 war with Pakistan to liberate Bangladesh, a senior Bangladesh Minister said here on Friday that Delhi needs to play “a similar diplomatic role” to resolve the Rohingya crisis. India should pressurise… Continue reading ‘We expect Indian aid on Rohingya issue’

Sri Lanka urged to repeal Prevention of Terror Act: Context Reiterating a long-pending demand from human rights activists and some politicians in Sri Lanka visiting UN experts on Friday urged the government to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). UN experts say the act is an enabler of arbitrary detention Following a 10-day visit to the… Continue reading Sri Lanka urged to repeal Prevention of Terror Act:

High growth doesn’t necessarily mean high inequality: Chancel: Context Bottom 50% in India has little access to quality education, health or transport. World Inequality Lab Inequality in India has accelerated in the recent decades, says Lucas Chancel, co-director, World Inequality Lab and of WID.world at the Paris School of Economics There is another way He also… Continue reading High growth doesn’t necessarily mean high inequality: Chancel:

Feed the cure: On paying TB patients  Context Giving TB patients money for an enhanced diet is a good step — but oversight is crucial What The Central TB Division has said the government would hand over a sum of ₹500 a month to each of India’s 35 lakh diagnosed TB patients in order to… Continue reading Feed the cure: On paying TB patients 

Make offices accessible to disabled: SC: Context The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the right to dignity of the disabled while directing that government buildings providing public services should be made fully accessible to differently-abled persons by June 2019. Timeline specified Giving a slew of directions in an 87-page judgment, A Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and… Continue reading Make offices accessible to disabled: SC:

Karnataka HC strikes down rule on stringent tobacco pack warnings: Context The Karnataka High Court on Friday declared the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2014 as unconstitutional ‘2014 rules on graphics unconstitutional’ Cigarette companies have partially won a legal battle against the Union government, as the Karnataka High Court on Friday declared as unconstitutional the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products… Continue reading Karnataka HC strikes down rule on stringent tobacco pack warnings:

For a safe cyberspace:  Context Cybersecurity needs to be integrated in every aspect of policy and planning India is a key player in the digital world India is one of the key players in the digital and knowledge-based economy, holding more than a 50% share of the world’s outsourcing market Pioneering and technology-inspired programmes such… Continue reading For a safe cyberspace: 

Hidden figures of Indian science:  Context It is strange how India ignores some of its best intellectuals Popular intellectuals ignored Many of the greatest scientists that independent India has produced are little known, like hidden figures in their own homeland Amal Kumar Raychaudhuri in cosmology N. Ramachandran in protein crystal structures, and K. Majumdar and… Continue reading Hidden figures of Indian science: