1. 20 Facing Axe, AAP Chops EC
An activist-lawyer has said the Election Commission has recommended the disqualification of as many as 20 AAP legislators in Delhi for holding offices of profit. The claim not only sucked chief election commissioner and former Gujarat chief secretary AK Joti into a storm a few days before his retirement but also ignited a scurry to the court, a flurry of name-calling and a warm-up for bypolls.
The poll panel refused to comment on a sub judice matter, neither confirming nor denying the recommendation claim. But an AAP leader bluntly told the commission not to act as "the letter box of the PMO".
Hindutva activist and lawyer Prashant Patel Umrao said the commission had made the recommendation to President Ram Nath Kovind after concluding that the MLAs violated the law by acting as parliamentary secretaries in 2015-16.
(Source: The Telegraph)
2. Rahul Poser to PM on Jobs, Doklam, Rapes
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday took to Twitter and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out his plans on how to create jobs for the youth, how to get the Chinese out of Doklam and how to stop rapes in Haryana.
Gandhi’s questions came after Modi’s tweet on 18 January, asking for ideas for his radio programme Mann ki Baat scheduled for 28 January – the first edition of the year.
“Dear Narendra Modi, since you’ve requested some ideas for your Mann Ki Baat monologue, tell us about how you plan to: 1. Get our youth JOBS. 2. Get the Chinese out of DHOKA-LAM. 3. Stop the RAPES in Haryana,” Mr. Gandhi tweeted.
(Source: The Hindu)
3. Anandiben Patel to be Next Governor of Madhya Pradesh
Former Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel has been named the next Madhya Pradesh Governor. She replaces Om Prakash Kohli, who has additional charge of the office of MP Governor along with the office of Gujarat Governor.
“The President of India is pleased to appoint Smt Anandiben Patel to be the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office,” the President’s official Twitter handle posted.
A protege of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Patel succeeded Modi as Gujarat CM after the 2014 parliamentary polls. In 2016, she resigned as CM on the ground that she was completing 75 years so decided to step down in keeping with the party’s tradition of age criterion.
(Source: The Hindu)
4. Don’t Evaluate Me Only on Demonetisation and GST, Says PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged the nation to not judge him only on the basis of his decisions to implement demonetisation and GST. “Don’t evaluate me only on demonetisation and GST, we brought economic reform, built toilets, brought electricity to 18,000 villages,” PM Modi said in an exclusive interview with Zee News.
Talking about his global approach, the Prime Minister who recently hosted his Israeli counterpart in New Delhi and Gujarat said: “They said my understanding was limited to Gujarat. I made it my strength. I did not follow protocol, I was a simple man with no baggage. I made friends the world over.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. China Asks India Not to Comment on its Construction Activities in Doklam
Justifying its massive construction activities in Doklam as ‘legitimate’, China on Friday said it is aimed at improving the lives of its troops and the people living on its own territory. “In order to patrol the border and improve the production and lives of border troops and residents, China has constructed infrastructure including roads in the Donglong (Doklam) area,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.
The statement from China came amid reports that it was building a huge military complex close to the site of the Dokalam standoff with India. Responding to the reports citing satellite imagery of a Chinese military complex in the area, Lu Kang said: “I have also noted the relevant report. I don’t know who offered such kind of photos.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. Supreme Court Assigns Judge BH Loya Case as Per Roster
The Supreme Court on Friday decided to assign for hearing two petitions seeking probe into Special CBI Judge BH Loya’s death to a bench as per the court roster. The petitions were mentioned on Friday before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra which ordered, “on mentioning, the matter is taken on Board. List the matters on 22 January 2018, before the appropriate Bench as per the roster”.
On 16 January, the matter was heard by a two-judge bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Mohan M Shantanagoudar which adjourned the matter by a week without fixing any date to hear it. The written order which came out late in the evening showed that the judges had also ordered that the matters be “put up before the appropriate bench.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. 2G Spectrum Case: Supreme Court Not Infallible, Says DMK Leader A Raja
Former Telecom Minister and DMK leader A Raja said on Friday that the 2G spectrum case had “proved that the Supreme Court is not infallible”, the statement coming days after four Supreme Court judges held a press conference and aired their dissatisfaction with the functioning of the country’s apex court.
The Supreme Court in 2012 had cancelled 122 telecom licences allotted during Raja’s tenure in the ministry, stating in its order that he “wanted to favour some companies at the cost of the public exchequer”.
In an interview to The Indian Express, on the eve of his book launch ‘2G Saga Unfolds’, Raja said the CAG report that pegged the presumptive loss to the exchequer at Rs 1.76 lakh crore, was “simply endorsed by the Supreme Court” and documents that were submitted by the Department of Telecom as detailed counter-arguments “were not touched by the judges”.
(Source: The Indian Express)
8. CBI to Appeal Against Talwars’ Acquittal in Aarushi Case
The law ministry has given a go-ahead to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to appeal against the acquittal of dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar over the murders of their daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj in a Noida flat in 2008.
A person familiar with the matter said that the law ministry has advised the CBI to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court. An SLP can be filed against any decree or order of any high court.
There is already an appeal pending against the acquittal in the top court, filed last December by Hemraj’s wife Khumkala Bandaje. The Talwars were convicted by a Ghaziabad court in November 2013 and handed life terms.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
9. SC Refuses to Hear Fresh PIL Against 'Padmaavat' Release
The Supreme Court refused on Friday to hear a fresh PIL seeking cancellation of the censor board's clearance for the nationwide screening of the film "Padmaavat" as it could create massive law and order problems.
The PIL filed by advocate ML Sharma, who was forced by the SC a few months ago to withdraw his plea and await the decision of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), challenged the U/A certificate granted to the film, saying it was given without following the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, which had cleared the film for all-India screening less than 24 hours ago, was somewhat surprised to find a fresh PIL. While clearing the release of the film, the SC had put a premium on artistic expression and its inseparable link with the right to freedom of speech and expression.
(Source: Times of India)
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