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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 25 June 2014

Gopal Subramanium opts out

Feeling “let down” by the government and the judiciary, senior advocate and former Solicitor-General Gopal Subramanium informed Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha that he was withdrawing his consent for appointment as a Supreme Court judge.
In his nine-page letter, Mr. Subramanium told the CJI, “I do not want my elevation to be the subject matter of any kind of politicisation. I am dismayed at reports that the file forwarded by the court to the government recommending four names for elevation (including mine) has been segregated and the names of three candidates (not including mine) have been cleared by the government as well as by the President of India and that warrants have been issued for their appointment.”
Mr. Subramanium said, “I withdrew my consent to uphold my self-respect and dignity.” Asked whether he would change his stand if the collegium were to reiterate his appointment, he said his decision was final.

The collegium system is one where the Chief Justice of India and a forum of four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court recommend appointments and transfers of judges. However, it has no place in the Constitution.
The system was evolved through Supreme Court judgments in the Three Judges Cases: S.P. Gupta case (December 30, 1981) or the First Judges Case: It declared that the primacy of the CJI’s recommendation on judicial appointments and transfers can be refused for cogent reasons. The ruling gave the Executive primacy over the Judiciary in judicial appointments for the next 12 years.
Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association versus Union of India or the Second Judges Case(October 6, 1993): The majority verdict gave back CJI’s power over judicial appointments and transfers. It says the CJI only need to consult two senior-most judges. The role of the CJI is primal in nature because this being a topic within the judicial family, the Executive cannot have an equal say in the matter, the verdict reasoned. However, confusion prevails as the CJIs start taking unilateral decisions without consulting two colleagues. The President is reduced to only an approver.
In Special Reference case of 1998 or the Three Judges Case (October 28, 1998): On a reference from former President K.R. Narayanan, the Supreme Court lays down that the CJIs should consult with a plurality of four senior-most Supreme Court judges to form his opinion on judicial appointments and transfers.

Vice President Hamid Ansari’s visit to China to mark the 60th anniversary of Panchsheel on June 28 will set the ball rolling for a series of high-level bilateral visits to strengthen the strategic and cooperative partnership between the two countries.
India, which will roll out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year, is expecting substantive outcome from the visit.
Trilateral talks are also scheduled between China, India and Myanmar. The visit is expected to add new substance to bilateral relations with substantial outcomes.
In Xian, Vice President Ansari will visit the Wild Goose Pagoda, which holds the sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveller Hiuen Tsang.
The fact that Panchsheel continues to remain relevant for India, China and Myanmar can be gauged by the fact that the three countries are jointly celebrating the 60th anniversary.

After deciding to sign the Additional Protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Government has sought to pluck another low-hanging fruit at the international level by approving the signing of an MoU with the Chinese for setting up industrial parks here.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Law and Justice and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that details would be disclosed after the MoU is signed with China.
The subject will be discussed in greater depth by Vice President Hamid Ansari who leaves for Beijing to meet his Chinese counterpart.
The trajectory of discussions has led to the Chinese agreeing to allow India to set up industrial parks there as well but officials said this is a futuristic proposal and could take a couple of years to materialise.
Then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took up the proposal during his visit to Beijing in October last year and agreed with the Chinese leadership that inward investments would be the best way to bridge the widening trade deficit from India’s point of view.

With stock markets on an upturn and SEBI pushing for minimum 25 per cent public holding in PSUs, the Disinvestment Department is likely to revise upwards from the Rs.51,925 crore PSU stake sale target for the current fiscal.
The new government is eyeing higher funds from PSU stake sales. There will be some companies which will be fast tracked for stake sale in the current fiscal in view of 25 per cent public holding norm.

Ukraine’s new Western-backed leader sought urgent talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday after separatist rebels shot down an Army helicopter despite orders from their own commander to observe a fragile truce.
The death of nine servicemen outside the pro-Russian stronghold city of Slavyansk and loss of two other soldiers in militia attacks prompted Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to threaten to unleash a powerful new military campaign in the industrial east. The warning dealt a crushing blow to hopes of the sides mediating an end to 11 weeks of fighting that has killed more than 435 people and brought the ex-Soviet nation to the brink of collapse.
Kiev’s temporary ceasefire was picked up by separatist commanders but was due to expire on Friday morning after just one round of inconclusive and indirect talks.