1. Supreme Court gets two new judges
Tags: National National News
CJI DY Chandrachud administered the oath of office to Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and senior advocate Kalpathy Venkataraman Viswanathan as a judge of the Supreme Court on 19th May.
An overview of the news
With this, the total strength of judges in the Supreme Court has gone up to the sanctioned strength of 34.
However, the number of Supreme Court justices will remain at its highest level for only a short period as three judges are due to retire in June.
Justice KM Joseph, Justice Ajay Rastogi and Justice V Ramasubramanian are set to complete their tenure next month during the summer vacation.
Summer vacation of the apex court will run from May 22 to July 2.
Justice Vishwanathan, the newly appointed Supreme Court judge, will become the Chief Justice of India after the retirement of Justice JB Pardiwala on August 11, 2030, and will hold office till May 25, 2031.
The warrant of appointment of Justice Mishra and Justice Vishwanathan as judges of the apex court was issued by the office of President Draupadi Murmu on May 18.
Appointment of Judges : Collegium System
The collegium system in India refers to the process of appointment and transfer of judges in the higher judiciary, which includes the Supreme Court and the High Courts.
Under this system, a collegium of the Chief Justice of India and four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court recommend appointments and transfers to the President of India, who has the power to make the appointments.
The system was established by a 1993 judgement of the Supreme Court and has been the subject of controversy and criticism.
Some have criticized it for lack of transparency and accountability, while others have defended it as necessary to ensure the independence of the judiciary.
National Judicial Appointments Commission
The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) was a proposed body in India that was intended to replace the existing collegium system for the appointment and transfer of judges to the higher judiciary.
The NJAC Act was passed by the Indian Parliament in 2014, but it was later struck down by the Supreme Court of India in 2015 on the grounds that it violated the basic structure of the Indian Constitution.
The court held that the NJAC Act sought to undermine the independence of the judiciary and the basic feature of separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary.
As a result, the collegium system was restored and continues to be used for the appointment of judges to the higher judiciary in India.
2. Supreme Court gets two new judges
Tags: National National News
CJI DY Chandrachud administered the oath of office to Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and senior advocate Kalpathy Venkataraman Viswanathan as a judge of the Supreme Court on 19th May.
An overview of the news
With this, the total strength of judges in the Supreme Court has gone up to the sanctioned strength of 34.
However, the number of Supreme Court justices will remain at its highest level for only a short period as three judges are due to retire in June.
Justice KM Joseph, Justice Ajay Rastogi and Justice V Ramasubramanian are set to complete their tenure next month during the summer vacation.
Summer vacation of the apex court will run from May 22 to July 2.
Justice Vishwanathan, the newly appointed Supreme Court judge, will become the Chief Justice of India after the retirement of Justice JB Pardiwala on August 11, 2030, and will hold office till May 25, 2031.
The warrant of appointment of Justice Mishra and Justice Vishwanathan as judges of the apex court was issued by the office of President Draupadi Murmu on May 18.
Appointment of Judges : Collegium System
The collegium system in India refers to the process of appointment and transfer of judges in the higher judiciary, which includes the Supreme Court and the High Courts.
Under this system, a collegium of the Chief Justice of India and four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court recommend appointments and transfers to the President of India, who has the power to make the appointments.
The system was established by a 1993 judgement of the Supreme Court and has been the subject of controversy and criticism.
Some have criticized it for lack of transparency and accountability, while others have defended it as necessary to ensure the independence of the judiciary.
National Judicial Appointments Commission
The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) was a proposed body in India that was intended to replace the existing collegium system for the appointment and transfer of judges to the higher judiciary.
The NJAC Act was passed by the Indian Parliament in 2014, but it was later struck down by the Supreme Court of India in 2015 on the grounds that it violated the basic structure of the Indian Constitution.
The court held that the NJAC Act sought to undermine the independence of the judiciary and the basic feature of separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary.
As a result, the collegium system was restored and continues to be used for the appointment of judges to the higher judiciary in India.
3. Big win for Twitter, Google at US Supreme Court in internet liability cases
Tags: International News
Recently social media platforms Twitter and Google have registered a big victory in the US Supreme Court. The court ruled that Internet companies could not be held liable for content posted on their sites.
An overview of the news
The judges delivered their ruling on two cases in which families of victims of a terrorist attack claimed that Google and Twitter should be held accountable for aiding and abetting ISIS, which resulted in the death of their loved ones.
The decision has far-reaching implications for the tech industry, intellectual property rights and freedom of expression.
In particular, these judgments highlight the evolving legal landscape surrounding online platforms and their role in shaping public discourse.
4. PM Narendra Modi holds bilateral meeting with Japanese PM Fumio Kishida in Hiroshima
Tags: International Relations International News
On May 20, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida ahead of the G-7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
An Overview of the News
Discussed enhancing India-Japan friendship in trade, economy, culture and Indo-Pacific cooperation.
Emphasised efforts to synergize between the G-7 and G-20 Presidencies and the voices of the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Hiroshima as a symbol of friendship and peace.
G-7 summit priorities include nuclear disarmament, economic resilience and security, regional issues, climate and energy, food and health, digitization and science and technology.
Later, Prime Minister Modi had a productive meeting with President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol to strengthen bilateral friendship in key developmental areas.
About G-7
It is an intergovernmental political forum.
It consists of seven member states: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
In addition to the seven member states, the European Union is also part of the G7 as a non-enumerated member.
Formation - 25 March 1973
First G6 Summit - 15 November 1975
Japan:
It is also called Nihon or Nippon and is an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean in East Asia.
It is made up of four main islands Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu and Honshu is the largest island of Japan.
Its highest mountain is Mount Fuji.
It is the third largest economy in the world after the United States and China.
Capital - Tokyo
Currency - Yen
Prime Minister - Fumio Kishida
5. PM Narendra Modi holds bilateral meeting with Japanese PM Fumio Kishida in Hiroshima
Tags: International Relations International News
On May 20, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida ahead of the G-7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
An Overview of the News
Discussed enhancing India-Japan friendship in trade, economy, culture and Indo-Pacific cooperation.
Emphasised efforts to synergize between the G-7 and G-20 Presidencies and the voices of the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Hiroshima as a symbol of friendship and peace.
G-7 summit priorities include nuclear disarmament, economic resilience and security, regional issues, climate and energy, food and health, digitization and science and technology.
Later, Prime Minister Modi had a productive meeting with President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol to strengthen bilateral friendship in key developmental areas.
About G-7
It is an intergovernmental political forum.
It consists of seven member states: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
In addition to the seven member states, the European Union is also part of the G7 as a non-enumerated member.
Formation - 25 March 1973
First G6 Summit - 15 November 1975
Japan:
It is also called Nihon or Nippon and is an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean in East Asia.
It is made up of four main islands Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu and Honshu is the largest island of Japan.
Its highest mountain is Mount Fuji.
It is the third largest economy in the world after the United States and China.
Capital - Tokyo
Currency - Yen
Prime Minister - Fumio Kishida
6. NIA arrests 3 under 'Operation Dhvast' against terrorist-gangster-narco nexus
Tags: National National News
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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recently arrested three people under 'Operation Dhvast' against the terrorist-gangster-drug-trafficker nexus.
An overview of the news
Following its searches at 129 locations in eight states, the NIA has detained one person each from Moga (Punjab), Bhiwani (Haryana) and North-East district (Delhi).
According to the NIA, the investigation of these cases pertains to conspiracies related to targeted killings, terror financing of pro-Khalistan organisations, extortion and other such criminal activities.
About National Investigation Agency (NIA)
Its real name is National Investigation Agency, commonly known as National Investigation Agency. It was constituted under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008.
Realizing the need for a central agency to investigate terrorism and some other criminal acts after the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, the NIA was formed.
It acts as the central counter-terrorism law enforcement agency.
The cases are assigned to the NIA by the Central Government in accordance with Section VI of the NIA Act, 2008.
It is headquartered in New Delhi and has branches in Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur and Jammu.
The founding director general of NIA was Radha Vinod Raju.
7. NIA arrests 3 under 'Operation Dhvast' against terrorist-gangster-narco nexus
Tags: National National News
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recently arrested three people under 'Operation Dhvast' against the terrorist-gangster-drug-trafficker nexus.
An overview of the news
Following its searches at 129 locations in eight states, the NIA has detained one person each from Moga (Punjab), Bhiwani (Haryana) and North-East district (Delhi).
According to the NIA, the investigation of these cases pertains to conspiracies related to targeted killings, terror financing of pro-Khalistan organisations, extortion and other such criminal activities.
About National Investigation Agency (NIA)
Its real name is National Investigation Agency, commonly known as National Investigation Agency. It was constituted under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008.
Realizing the need for a central agency to investigate terrorism and some other criminal acts after the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, the NIA was formed.
It acts as the central counter-terrorism law enforcement agency.
The cases are assigned to the NIA by the Central Government in accordance with Section VI of the NIA Act, 2008.
It is headquartered in New Delhi and has branches in Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur and Jammu.
The founding director general of NIA was Radha Vinod Raju.
8. Supreme Court upholds Tamil Nadu law allowing jallikattu
Tags: National National News
The Supreme Court on May 18 upheld the validity of a Tamil Nadu law that allowed Jallikattu, a bull-fighting sport.
An overview of the news
The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of the amendment made by the Tamil Nadu government to the Central Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
About Supreme Court’s Judgement
In a unanimous judgement, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice KM Joseph noted that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Maharashtra Amendment) Act, 2017 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Act, 2017 The Prevention of Cruelty to Persons (Karnataka Second Amendment) Act, 2017 was enacted by the respective state legislatures and received the assent of the President.
The SC held that these rules by the states did not violate the Constitution and the Supreme Court's 2014 judgment banning Jallikattu.
About Jallikattu
Jallikattu is a traditional sport especially popular in Tamil Nadu.
In this sport, a wild bull is released into a crowd of people, and the participants try to catch the bull's hump and ride it for as long as possible or try to bring it under control.
It is celebrated every year during the Tamil harvest festival, Pongal, in the month of January.
The state government argues that instead of banning this age-old practice, it can be regulated and reformed.
9. Supreme Court upholds Tamil Nadu law allowing jallikattu
Tags: National National News
The Supreme Court on May 18 upheld the validity of a Tamil Nadu law that allowed Jallikattu, a bull-fighting sport.
An overview of the news
The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of the amendment made by the Tamil Nadu government to the Central Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
About Supreme Court’s Judgement
In a unanimous judgement, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice KM Joseph noted that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Maharashtra Amendment) Act, 2017 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Act, 2017 The Prevention of Cruelty to Persons (Karnataka Second Amendment) Act, 2017 was enacted by the respective state legislatures and received the assent of the President.
The SC held that these rules by the states did not violate the Constitution and the Supreme Court's 2014 judgment banning Jallikattu.
About Jallikattu
Jallikattu is a traditional sport especially popular in Tamil Nadu.
In this sport, a wild bull is released into a crowd of people, and the participants try to catch the bull's hump and ride it for as long as possible or try to bring it under control.
It is celebrated every year during the Tamil harvest festival, Pongal, in the month of January.
The state government argues that instead of banning this age-old practice, it can be regulated and reformed.
10. Under "Clean Note Policy" RBI decided to withdraw Rs 2000 note from circulation
Tags: National Economy/Finance National News
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to withdraw Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes from circulation under the "Clean Note Policy".
An Overview of the News
Rs 2,000 notes will continue to be legal tender.
Individuals can deposit the Rs 2,000 banknotes into their bank accounts or exchange them for other denominations at any bank branch.
From May 23, 2023, Rs 2,000 notes can be exchanged for other denominations up to a limit of Rs 20,000 at a time at any bank branch.
RBI's 19 regional offices with issue departments will also provide the facility to exchange Rs 2,000 banknotes up to a limit of Rs 20,000 at a time from May 23.
All banks to offer deposit and/or exchange services for Rs 2,000 notes by September 30, 2023.
Clean Note Policy:
The clean note policy was introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 1999 to address the issue of soiled and mutilated notes.
Banks are instructed not to give soiled, torn and mutilated notes to customers and instead deposit them with RBI.
Stapling of currency notes/packets is prohibited as per the policy.
The objective of the Clean Note Policy is to provide good quality currency notes and coins to the customers.
Soiled and mutilated currency notes can be easily exchanged at teller counters under the RBI's note refund rules of 2009.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Establishment -1 April 1935, Kolkata
Founder - British Raj
Headquarters - Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Governor - Shaktikanta Das
