1. SC Rejects Pleas for Probe in Loya Death
The Supreme Court on Thursday, 19 April, dismissed pleas seeking an independent probe into the death of special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court judge BH Loya, ruling that he had died of natural causes and slamming the petitions as a serious attempt to scandalise the judiciary and obstruct the course of justice.
The ruling of the three-judge bench, including Chief Justice Dipak Misra, which triggered an immediate political slugfest between the ruling and Opposition parties, put an end to all public interest litigation (PIL) over the circumstances of judge Loya’s death.
“PIL jurisdiction is being brazenly used by those who have an agenda to settle scores,” the bench said in its order. “The true face of the petition is seldom unravelled. It’s a serious concern as frivolous PILs detract court’s time from hearing genuine petitions of personal liberty.”
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. Cong, Others May Move Motion on CJI Removal
After weeks of quiet preparation and intense public speculation, the Congress and at least four other Opposition parties have intensified discussions and may move a motion in the Rajya Sabha for the removal of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, according to four leaders involved in the move.
The Congress’ Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, has also sought a meeting with Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, on Friday, 20 April. The Opposition, one of the four leaders said on condition of anonymity, has collected 67 signatures of RS members for the motion which it may submit to Naidu.
The Opposition parties’ move follows a Supreme Court order on Thursday, 19 April, that no further probe is needed in the death of CBI court judge BH Loya.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3. Don’t Make National Anthem Mandatory in Cinema Halls, Committee Set to Tell Govt
The inter-ministerial committee, set up to “frame guidelines describing circumstances and occasions on which the national anthem is to be played or sung,” is likely to suggest that cinema halls should not play the national anthem before screening a film.
The committee, according to sources, is of the view that playing the national anthem will interrupt the screening of the film, and create disorder and confusion instead of adding to the dignity of the anthem.
The 12-member panel, set up on 5 December 2017, was given six months time to come up with statutory requirements on playing the national anthem in cinema halls and public places.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Kathua Rape ‘Revolting’, Modi Should Pay More Attention: IMF Chief
Describing the latest incident of rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in India as "revolting," IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Thursday, 19 April, hoped that the Indian authorities, starting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would pay more attention to it.
Her sharp remarks come in the backdrop of a nationwide outrage over the rape cases in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.
“What has happened (in India) is just revolting. I would hope that the Indian authorities, starting with Prime Minister Modi, pay more attention because it is needed for the women of India... When I was last in Davos after Prime Minister Modi’s speech, I did tell him that he had not mentioned the women of India enough. And it’s not just a question of talking about them,” Lagarde said.
(Source: PTI)
5. Cash Crunch, Army Lists High-End Ammunition it Won’t Buy
Suffering from a shortage of funds due to limited allocation in the defence Budget, the army has identified certain types of expensive ammunition and spares which it will not be procuring even though their stocks would not be sufficient for even 10 days of war. Taken along with other measures to save funds, this will still leave the army with an estimated shortfall of 15-25 percent in critical ammunition.
This issue has been deliberated at the ongoing Army Commanders Conference, chaired by Army chief General Bipin Rawat. Sources told The Indian Express that the conference is likely to accept the proposal that stocks of certain types of critical ammunition, which include Smerch rockets, Konkurs missiles, tank ammunition (APFSDS, Smoke) and influence mines, will have to be less than those needed for 10 days of war fighting.
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. Not Consulted on AAP Order & Gujarat Polls, Both Hurt Panel’s Image: EC’s Legal Veteran
The Election Commission’s veteran legal troubleshooter, SK Mendiratta, who has worked with the EC for over five decades, was not consulted on two of its most controversial decisions in the last one year — disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs for holding “office of profit” and delinking the announcement of Gujarat elections from Himachal Pradesh.
Both decisions were taken when AK Joti was Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and invited strident criticism. In the AAP case, the Delhi High Court ruled that it was against natural justice and in the Gujarat election schedule case, the Opposition said that the commission had favoured the BJP government by giving it a longer window to campaign.
Speaking to The Indian Express on Wednesday, 18 April, Mendiratta, who left EC last month, said, “I was (working) on contract with them (EC). I have given them my opinion whenever it was sought. In this case (office-of-profit complaint against AAP), they did not feel the necessity of seeking my opinion. So I (have) just kept away.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. Widow on Pilgrimage Marries, Settles in Pak
A Sikh widow, who went to Pakistan on pilgrimage, has converted to Islam and married a man in Lahore she said she had met on social media.
Kiran Bala, 31, from Garhshankar town in Hoshiarpur, left behind three young children with her father-in-law to marry Muhammad Azam, who she says she has known for over a year-and-a-half.
Indian authorities are wondering if she was coerced into converting and marrying the Lahore resident. The Shiromani Gurdwara Management Committee has alleged that it amounts to failure on the part of the Indian intelligence officials.
(Source: The Times of India)
8. BJP, JD(S) Reach Strategic Pact for Karnataka Polls?
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JD(S) and BJP workers claim there is a “secret pact” between the two to ensure the defeat of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his son Yathindra in the Assembly polls. The Congress had earlier called the JD(S) the ‘B’ team of the BJP.
In Chamundeshwari, Siddaramaiah will square off against JD(S)’s GT Deve Gowda, while in Varuna, his son Yathindra is set to contest against BJP CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa’s son Vijayendra, whose candidature, party insiders say, is a mere formality.
Workers of the Congress, JD(S) and BJP claim the BJP is set to field a weak candidate in Chamundeshwari to ensure Deve Gowda’s win. In return, they say, the JD(S) will return the favour in Varuna to ensure Vijayendra’s victory.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
9. Supreme Court Allows Sahara to Sell Part of Aamby Valley Property
The Supreme Court on Thursday, 19 April, allowed the Sahara Group to sell part of its Aamby Valley property to raise money in order to refund investors.
The official liquidator of the Bombay High Court, appointed to conduct the auction of the property, on Thursday informed the top court that the 7,000-acre property has been divided into five parcels. The apex court allowed the Subrata Roy-led group to sell any one parcel of this land by 15 May.
If the group fails to conduct the sale before that date, the property will be auctioned as per the schedule drawn by the official liquidator, the bench of Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Ranjan Gogoi and AK Sikri said.
(Source: BloombergQuint)
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