1. Right to contest election is not a fundamental right: Supreme Court
Tags: National
The Supreme Court on 13 September 2022 has ruled that the right to contest an election is neither a fundamental right nor a common law right but a right conferred by statute. It was giving its ruling on a Special Leave petition filed by Mr Vishwanath Pratap Singh challenging Delhi High Court judgment which had dismissed a similar petition.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
Vishwanath Pratap Singh Vs Election Commission of India 2022 case :
- The petitioner Vishwanath Pratap Singh wanted to contest the Rajya Sabha election to be held in June 2022. He said he had collected the nomination form but was not allowed by the Election Commission to file his nomination without a proper proposer proposing his name.
- The petitioner claimed that since his candidature without the proposer was not accepted, his fundamental right to free speech and expression and his right to personal liberty was infringed.
- The Delhi High Court had in its Judgment dismissed his petition that his fundamental right was infringed.
Supreme Court Judgment :
- A two judge bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia while referring to earlier judgments viz Javed v. State of Haryana, (2003) and Rajbala v. State of Haryana (2016) , dismissing his plea observed that the right to contest election was neither a fundamental right nor a common law right. It is a right conferred by a statute."
- The bench noted that the petitioner did not have any right to contest election to the Rajya Sabha in terms of the law made by Parliament.
- The Court said that "The Representation of People Act, 1950 read with the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 has contemplated the name of a candidate to be proposed while filling the nomination form,".
- "Therefore, an individual cannot claim that he has a right to contest an election and the said stipulation violates his fundamental right, so as to file his nomination without any proposer as is required under the Act," the bench observed.
- The Supreme Court dismissed the petition with a cost of ₹ one lakh and said the cost be paid to the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee within four weeks.
Proposer and Seconder :
- To discourage non-serious candidates from contesting elections, the law provides that a candidate who wants to contest election will have to file a nomination paper which has to be signed by proposer and endorsed by seconder.
- The person who is a proposer cannot become an endorser.
- The proposer and seconder are the voters who are eligible to vote for the particular post which is being contested.
The Presidential and Vice-Presidential Election Acts 1952 provides for the proposer and seconder for the Presidential and Vice Presidential polls.
They are as follows :
Post | Proposer | Seconder |
President | 50 electors | 50 electors |
Vice President | 20 electors | 20 electors |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
For Parliament and State Legislature elections
- According to the section 33 (1) of Representation of People Act, 1951 , a candidate who belongs to a recognised political party, needs only 1 proposer (voter of the constituency from where the candidate is fighting election) for filing nomination to contest Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha or Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council election.
- If the candidate is from an unrecognized political party or Independent then the proposer requirement is 10.
2. Government launches national list of essential medicines
Tags: National National News
The Health Ministry has released a new National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), in which 384 medicines have been included.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- In the list of 384 medicines, 34 new medicines have been included in the list of essential medicines.
The NLEM 2022 contains 384 medicines as compared to 376 in NLEM, 2015.
The drugs are now classified into 27 therapeutic categories.
What is National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) ?
Essential medicines are those that meet the primary health care needs on the basis of efficacy, safety, quality and total cost of treatment.
The primary objective of NLEM is to promote rational use of drugs considering three important aspects viz., cost, safety and efficacy.
It is based on the concept that a limited list of carefully selected drugs will improve the quality of health care, provide cost-effective health care and better manage medicines.
3. Government launches national list of essential medicines
Tags: National National News
The Health Ministry has released a new National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), in which 384 medicines have been included.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- In the list of 384 medicines, 34 new medicines have been included in the list of essential medicines.
The NLEM 2022 contains 384 medicines as compared to 376 in NLEM, 2015.
The drugs are now classified into 27 therapeutic categories.
What is National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) ?
Essential medicines are those that meet the primary health care needs on the basis of efficacy, safety, quality and total cost of treatment.
The primary objective of NLEM is to promote rational use of drugs considering three important aspects viz., cost, safety and efficacy.
It is based on the concept that a limited list of carefully selected drugs will improve the quality of health care, provide cost-effective health care and better manage medicines.
4. India to assume G20 Presidency for one year from December 2022
Tags: International News
As per the Ministry of External Affairs India will chair the G20 meeting for one year starting from December 1, 2022 to November 20, 2023.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- A total of 200 G20 meetings are likely to be held under the chairmanship of India.
The G20 Leaders' Summit at the level of Heads of State/Government is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on 9 and 10 September 2023.
India is part of the G20 Troika :
India is currently part of the G20 Troika (current, past and upcoming G20 presidencies) which includes Indonesia, Italy and India.
During India's Presidency, India, Indonesia and Brazil would form the troika.
This will be the first time that the troika will include three developing countries and emerging economies, which will give them a boost.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
G-20 Group :
Group of 20 or G-20 is a multilateral organisation which was set up in 1999.
It consists of the world's major developed and developing countries.
It consists of 19 countries and the European Union. The member countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.
Italy was the President of the G-20 in 2021. Indonesia is the President for 2022 and India will be the President in 2023.
The first Summit meeting of the leaders of the G-20 was held in 2008 at Washington, United States.
The G20 has no permanent secretariat.
G-20 members constitute 60% of the world population, 80% of the World economy and 75% of world trade.
5. MeitY Startup Hub, Meta to launch program to accelerate XR technology startups in India
Tags: National Economy/Finance National News
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will launch a program to support and accelerate XR technology startups across India in collaboration with Startup Hub META.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- This collaboration is part of the government's efforts to skill in emerging and futuristic technologies.
With a large talent pool of creators, developers and a vibrant technology ecosystem, India has the potential to play a significant role in the metaverse.
MeitY Startup Hub, an initiative of MeitY, is a national platform focused on promoting technology innovation, start-ups and creation of intellectual property.
Currently, it has over 3,000 tech startups, with the expectation of growing to over 10,000 startups in the next three to five years.
Minister of Electronics and IT - Ashwini Vaishnaw
6. MeitY Startup Hub, Meta to launch program to accelerate XR technology startups in India
Tags: National Economy/Finance National News
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will launch a program to support and accelerate XR technology startups across India in collaboration with Startup Hub META.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- This collaboration is part of the government's efforts to skill in emerging and futuristic technologies.
With a large talent pool of creators, developers and a vibrant technology ecosystem, India has the potential to play a significant role in the metaverse.
MeitY Startup Hub, an initiative of MeitY, is a national platform focused on promoting technology innovation, start-ups and creation of intellectual property.
Currently, it has over 3,000 tech startups, with the expectation of growing to over 10,000 startups in the next three to five years.
Minister of Electronics and IT - Ashwini Vaishnaw
7. Centre organizes Virtual Networking Meet for GI Products with Qatar
Tags: International News
The Centre has organized a virtual networking meeting between exporters of India and importers of Qatar to boost agri and food GI products exports in Qatar on 12 September.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The meeting was held after India banned the export of broken rice and imposed 20% duty on certain varieties of rice except rice and basmati rice.
More than 80 participants including Exporters, Importers, Representatives of IBPS, Embassy of India and Officials of Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA) participated in it.
The meeting provided a forum for dialogue between exporters and importers on India's strengths in exporting agricultural and food products of Indian origin.
The event is expected to further strengthen the confidence of importers in Indian products to facilitate exports.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
About “APEDA”:
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December 1985.
This authority functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Headquarters- New Delhi
Chairman- Dr. M. Angamuthu
8. India signs MoU with Gulf Cooperation Council to facilitate consultation
Tags: International Relations International News
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on 10 September signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Secretary-General of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf on the mechanism of consultations between India and the GCC.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The External Affairs Minister is on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia from 10-12 September 2022, his first visit to Saudi Arabia as Foreign Minister of India.
Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with the Secretary General and discussed the relevance of India-GCC cooperation in the context of the current regional and global situation.
About Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) :
It is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.
It was established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 1981.
Its aim is to achieve coordination, cooperation and integration and Arab regional unity among these countries.
The GCC member states have a total GDP of over USD 3.464 trillion and a total population of 54 million.
Why is GCC significant for India ?
About 7.6 million people of the Indian diaspora live in the Middle East.
According to the Reserve Bank of India report, India receives 30% of the total remittances from Middle Eastern countries. Although earlier this figure used to be 50 percent.
The decline in remittances may be due to the Covid-19 pandemic which forced workers to come to India.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
India’s trade and energy interests :
India's third largest trading partner (USD 72.9 billion) in the year 2021-22 was the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Arabia was India's fourth largest trading partner in the last financial year.
From Qatar, India imports 8.5 million tonnes of LNG annually and exports products ranging from cereals to meat, fish, chemicals and plastics.
Two-way commerce between India and Qatar increased to US$ 15 billion in 2021-22 from US$ 9.21 billion in 2020-21.
Oman and Bahrain have also been a prosperous bilateral trade partner with India.
9. India signs MoU with Gulf Cooperation Council to facilitate consultation
Tags: International Relations International News
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on 10 September signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Secretary-General of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf on the mechanism of consultations between India and the GCC.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The External Affairs Minister is on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia from 10-12 September 2022, his first visit to Saudi Arabia as Foreign Minister of India.
Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with the Secretary General and discussed the relevance of India-GCC cooperation in the context of the current regional and global situation.
About Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) :
It is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.
It was established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 1981.
Its aim is to achieve coordination, cooperation and integration and Arab regional unity among these countries.
The GCC member states have a total GDP of over USD 3.464 trillion and a total population of 54 million.
Why is GCC significant for India ?
About 7.6 million people of the Indian diaspora live in the Middle East.
According to the Reserve Bank of India report, India receives 30% of the total remittances from Middle Eastern countries. Although earlier this figure used to be 50 percent.
The decline in remittances may be due to the Covid-19 pandemic which forced workers to come to India.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
India’s trade and energy interests :
India's third largest trading partner (USD 72.9 billion) in the year 2021-22 was the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Arabia was India's fourth largest trading partner in the last financial year.
From Qatar, India imports 8.5 million tonnes of LNG annually and exports products ranging from cereals to meat, fish, chemicals and plastics.
Two-way commerce between India and Qatar increased to US$ 15 billion in 2021-22 from US$ 9.21 billion in 2020-21.
Oman and Bahrain have also been a prosperous bilateral trade partner with India.
10. India joins 3 pillars of the US led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)
Tags: Economy/Finance International News
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India has decided not to join the trade pillar of the United States-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) for now but has agreed to join the other three pillars: supply chains, tax and anti-corruption and clean energy.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- This was declared by the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goel at the end of the trade ministers first in person meeting of the IPEF, held in Los Angeles, United States on 9 September 2022.
Why India has not joined the Trade pillar :
- The Minister said that the trade pillar which deals with trade requires commitment of the member countries on environment, labour, digital trade, and public procurement.
- He said that India is not certain what benefit it will get by joining this trade pillar.
- He expressed the fear that the trade pillar may set high standards of compliance which may discriminate against the developing countries.
- Giving an example he said that the United State has set a high standard on environment protection which is applicable on the energy companies. It has set stringent norms for power plants so that they are low polluting and more environment friendly. This mandates investment in new technology which makes the power produced costly.
- If India follows the US standards then it will adversely impact India’s economic development. India needs cheap power so that it is accessible to all. It cannot afford costly powers.
- Similar concerns are also there in the field of labour, digital trade, and public procurement.
