Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 04 September 2014

Increasing clamour among criminals to obtain law degree: High Court

The Madras High Court Bench wondered how the Central and State governments as well as the bar councils could turn a blind eye to autorickshaw drivers, rape accused and those who could not even affix their signatures practising as lawyers in various courts in the State after “purchasing” law degrees from neighbouring States.
Justice N. Kirubakaran told Additional Advocate General K. Chellapandian and Assistant Solicitor General G.R. Swaminathan that a judicial officer had informed him of an autorickshaw driver practising as a part-time lawyer in a court at Ambur town in Vellore district.

The Department of Personnel and Training has notified amendments giving autonomy to the Lokpal search committee to shortlist and recommend names independently for selection of Chairman and members of the anti-corruption body.
The amendments act as a course correction after the former Supreme Court judge Justice K.T. Thomas opted out from heading the search committee in March 2014, citing lack of autonomy.
Eminent jurist Fali Nariman too had turned down the post of a member of the panel for that reason.
Justice Thomas had objected to the provision that the search committee should only shortlist candidates from a list provided by the department.
The amendment made in Rule 10 of the Search Committee Rules removed this roadblock by omitting the words “from among the list of persons provided by the Central Government in the Department of Personnel and Training.”

Unhappy with the government’s affidavit setting out its plans to clean the Ganga, the Supreme Court said it wanted to monitor the progress made in efforts to restore the river and asked for a roadmap.
It is better if you can show us a PowerPoint presentation. Also, fix milestones so that we can assess the progress, a Bench comprising Justices T.S. Thakur and R. Banumathi said.
“It seems the Ganga will not be cleaned even after 200 years,” the Bench observed after perusing an affidavit filed by the Director of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, which outlined plans to rejuvenate the river and its ecology.

The State Cabinet decided to impose strict norms for providing fitness certificates to aided recognised schools by making it mandatory to build toilets.
The norms relating to issuance of fitness certificates for aided recognised schools will be amended by including a provision for setting up facilities in addition to the present one related to safety of the school building.
Erring schools will not be issued a fitness certificate and would not be allowed to take up new admissions.