(Current Affairs) National Events | May: 2015

National Events

PwC man Involved in Spying: CBI

  • The Central Bureau of Investigation, which has arrested five suspects in the corporate espionage racket, said that the investigation had revealed the alleged role of a representative of PricewaterhouseCoopers India in obtaining information from the Department of Economic Affairs.

  • The agency produced accused Paresh Chimanlal Buddhadev, a partner in Chitale & Associates, before a Mumbai court that granted his transit remand for being brought to Delhi. Another accused, Ram Niwas, Assistant in the Finance Ministry, was also sent to five days’ CBI custody.

  • The agency earlier arrested Mumbai-based accused Chartered Accountant Khemchand Gandhi, who had allegedly been procuring the documents, Ashok Kumar Singh, Under Secretary in the Department of Disinvestment; and Lala Ram Sharma, Section Officer in the Department of Economic Affairs. The three are in CBI custody.

SC gives one last chance to Sahara

  • The Supreme Court granted the Sahara group a last opportunity to raise bail money to its chief Subrata Roy and two directors in jail since March 2014.

  • A Special Bench of Justices T.S. Thakur, Anil R. Dave and A.K. Sikri, at one point, said the court had lost its patience with Sahara’s repeated assurances that they would sell their assets soon to pay security for
    securing bail.

  • The Bench stopped short of going ahead and appointing ‘court receivers’ to take over from Sahara and initiate sale deals in a “transparent” manner.

  • But Sahara’s counsel and senior advocate Kapil Sibal prevailed over the court and requested to give his client “one last chance” to sell their assets and collect Rs. 6000 crore more required for bail security.

  • Earlier the court had asked 65-year-old Roy to pay a total Rs 10,000 crore to get bail.

  • During the hearing, the Sahara group blamed Mirach Capital for the failure of the second proposed deal for selling of offshore properties.

Haryana set to Ban Cow Slaughter

  • Haryana is all set to bring legislation for banning cow slaughter and making it a punishable offence. The move is not only likely to have an adverse impact on the cuisine and business of premier hotels in the State but also the livelihood of a large number of people dependent on butchery, especially in the minority-dominated district of Mewat.

  • Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said that the State Government is framing a stringent law to clamp a complete ban on cow slaughter which would help in the protection and promotion of cows.

  • Following Maharashtra’s ban on beef, Haryana now looks all set to follow suit. Haryana Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Om Prakash Dhankar had also confirmed that stringent punishment would be handed out for cow slaughter and sale and storage of beef in the State.

You sat on Rape videos, SC tells Home Ministry

  • The Supreme Court pulled up the Home Ministry for sitting on crucial video material about a gang rape highlighted in the “Shame the Rapist” campaign launched by activist Sunitha Krishnan.

  • The Social Justice Bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice U.U. Lalit found the Ministry made no move to hand over the video evidence to the CBI for over 20 days.

  • It received the videos on February 10 from Ms. Krishnan, but chose to pass them on to the CBI only on March 5. Despite repeated queries from the Bench to explain its conduct, the Ministry had nothing to offer.

  • “So between February 10 and March 5, you just sat on these videos. You people did not do anything ... only yesterday you filed the FIRs,” Justice Lokur told Additional Solicitor-General Maninder Singh, who appeared for the Ministry.

  • The court directed Mr. Singh to name the officer who received the video evidence from Ms. Krishnan, and demanded a full explanation on “What you were doing all that time till March 5.”

  • The court, during the previous hearing on February 27, took suo motu cognisance of a letter by Prajwala, a non-governmental organisation of Ms. Krishnan, highlighting the existence of the videos and the immediate necessity to nab the culprits. The Bench had ordered the CBI investigation.

  • In the videos, five men are seen smiling into the camera after taking turns at sexually assaulting their victim.

  • Mr. Singh said the videos showed a total of 12 clips, of which three were repeats. He said eight FIRs had been filed and a preliminary inquiry had started on one.

  • The court ordered the Ministry to share the photos with the Directors-General of Police in Odisha, West Bengal and U.P. where these men may hail from.

MHA tells States, UTs not to use national flag made of plastic

  • The Union Home Ministry had directed all State Government and Union Territories not to use National Flag made of plastic for any function as these are not biodegradable and thus their appropriate disposal is
    not possible.
  • The letter, which has been sent to all State governments and Union Territories, noted that National Flag made of plastic are being used in place of paper flags on important functions. Since plastic flags are not biodegradable like the paper flags, these do not get decomposed for a long time and are harmful to the atmosphere. Further, ensuring the appropriate disposal of national flags made of plastic with the dignity of the flag is a problem.
  • Therefore, the MHA said State governments and others should ensure that on important national, cultural and sports events, only flags made by the paper are used in public.
  • It cautioned that offence pertaining to showing disrespect to the National Flag can invite up to three years jail term, fine or both.

Process on to implement One Rank One Pension scheme

  • The modalities for implementing ’One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) scheme for armed forces are under consideration and the financial implication could be calculated once the details are finalised and approved by the government, Lok Sabha was informed.

  • Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply that the principle of OROP for the armed forces has been accepted by the government.

  • He was asked whether the implementation of the scheme has been delayed.

  • Responding to another part of the question on removing disparities in pension of various ex-servicemen, he said possible amendments to the pension policies are being examined with a view to reduce litigation.

  • Explaining the reasons behind the delay, the Minister had said, “The methodology of calculating the One Rank, One Pension is an issue pending between the Services and the Defence Ministry.”

  • The scheme, which seeks to ensure that a uniform pension is paid to defence personnel who retire at the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement, has been a long-standing demand of the over two million ex-servicemen in the country. It is important to note that, earlier Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag said that the scheme will be implemented by the April and this year.

Law panel bats for stronger EC

  • Law Commission has pitched for a stronger Election Commission by giving equal constitutional protection to all members of the poll body and appointing the CEC and the two ECs by a high-powered collegium.
  • In its report on electoral reforms submitted to the Law Ministry, the law panel has also recommended creation of a permanent, independent Secretariat for the EC.
  • The law panel said Article 324(5) of the Constitution should be amended to equate the removal procedures of the two Election Commissioners with that of the Chief Election Commissioner.
  • The President appoints Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners after the Law Ministry initiates the file for their appointment.
  • The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from office only through impeachment by Parliament. The government can remove the ECs based on the recommendation of the CEC.
  • The Law Commission said the appointment of all the Election Commissioners, including the CEC, should be made by the President in consultation with a three-member collegium or selection committee, consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition of the Lok Sabha (or the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha) and the Chief Justice of India.
  • It said elevation of an Election Commissioner should be on the basis of seniority, unless the three member collegium or a committee, for reasons to be recorded in writing, finds such Commissioner unfit.
  • The precedent is to appoint the senior-most EC as the CEC.

Govt. rethinking strategy on Land Bill

  • In a major shift in stance, the government will not bring the controversial Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill in the first half of the Budget Session of Parliament ending on March 20.

  • It may either allow the ordinance to lapse or repromulgate it after Parliament is prorogued.

  • This was indicated by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu to party leaders during the meeting of the Rajya Sabha Business Advisory Committee.

  • On the face of it, the government maintains that it needs to confer with the Opposition to build a consensus, but with tremendous pressure from the RSS and its affiliates and farmers’ organisations, the BJP is reframing its strategy on the Bill.

  • Significantly, Prime Minister’s “Man ki Baat” radio talk on March 22 is on farmers’ issues.

  • He has invited comments from farmers, saying he would like to “hear them.”

  • According to sources, the government is keen that the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill be approved by the Upper House after they are returned by the respective Select Committees on March 18.

  • Since coal auctions are under way, the government is keen that legislation is in place and the Opposition parties are on board on this.

  • But because of differences on the Land Bill, the government is having a rethink on its strategy.

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