1. Modi Govt Defeats No-Confidence Motion, Gets More Than Two-Third Votes
A motion of no-confidence against the Narendra Modi government was expectedly defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday, 20 July, after a 12-hour marathon debate. The government obtained a two-third majority of the votes to demonstrate that it enjoys support cutting across political boundaries.
The no-confidence motion received 126 votes in favour and 325 votes against with 451 members of parliament present and voting. There were no abstentions but the decision of some parties to not take part in the vote had reduced the numbers in the government’s favour.
With the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Shiv Sena staying away, the effective strength of the house had come down to 496. The numbers displayed in the Lok Sabha indicate that 45 more MPs did not vote. The TRS participated in the debate on the no-confidence motion, but its 11 MPs did not vote. The names and affiliations of the remaining MPs who did not vote is not yet clear.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. WhatsApp to Limit Number of Message Forwards to Five
Online messaging service WhatsApp said Friday, 20 July that it is testing a new feature on its platform to check the spread of spam and misinformation by limiting the number of times a message can be forwarded to five. It will also remove the quick forward button next to media messages such as photos, videos and voice clips. This move comes less than a day after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology sent a letter to online messaging service WhatsApp warning legal action if it remained a “mute spectator” when rumours and fake news are propagated through such mediums.
However, a WhatsApp source, on condition of anonymity, said that the decision to come out with the new test feature was not directly in response to the notice from the IT ministry but was a part of WhatsApp’s initiatives to curb fake news. In India, WhatsApp has over 250 million users.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. SC Collegium Reiterates Justice KM Joseph’s Name, Recommends Two Others
Despite the Centre’s reservations, the Supreme Court Collegium has “reiterated” its decision to recommend Uttarakhand Chief Justice KM Joseph as an apex court judge. The Collegium also said that it had found “nothing adverse regarding” his “suitability” in two letters sent by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asking the Collegium to reconsider its decision.
The Collegium met on 16 July and said in its resolution: “The Collegium, on due consideration of all the aspects mentioned in the aforesaid two letters, resolves to reiterate the afore-mentioned recommendation, especially since nothing adverse regarding suitability of Mr Justice KM Joseph has been pointed out in the aforesaid letters.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Rahul Gandhi’s Hug & Wink: Cong Claims Spontaneous, BJP Thinks It Is Just Drama
When Congress president Rahul Gandhi began walking towards the well of the House after his sharpest attack on the Centre in Parliament Friday, 20 July, members on the treasury benches looked on curiously. Rahul walked past the well and stopped only at the far end, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seated.
There, he turned into the aisle, bent and spoke to Modi and both shook hands. MPs thought the gesture was a little unconventional but believed Rahul was done. He clearly was not. Rahul gestured to Modi to get up so they could hug, and the Prime Minister, visibly taken aback, stayed put in his seat.
The Congress president stretched across and wrapped Modi in an awkward hug leaving the Prime Minister, who remained seated, more than surprised. Rahul turned to walk away when Modi called him back. A few more words were exchanged, Modi patted Rahul and another hand-shake followed.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. Now, Individual Farmer, Not Family, Can Avail Loan Waiver of Rs 1.5 Lakh
Expanding the scope of the crop loan waiver scheme, Maharashtra state government on Friday, 20 July, decided to waive loans worth Rs 1.5 lakh of individual farmers.
Till now, the loan waiver of Rs 1.5 lakh was only given to a family as a unit. With this, the scheme, worth Rs 34,000 crore, would benefit 67 lakh farmers.
“The government has taken the decision to give loan waiver up to Rs 1.5 lakh to individual farmers instead of a family as a unit,” Minister for Cooperation Subash Deshmukh told the state Assembly on Friday.
As per earlier guidelines, Rs 1.5 lakh was the maximum amount which could be waived for a family — comprising the husband, wife and minor children — irrespective of the loan taken by the couple individually. Now, the term family has been replaced with individual farmers.
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. France Clears Air as Charges Fly Over Cost of Rafale, Its Secrecy
Hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi said in Parliament that French President Emmanuel Macron told him there is no secrecy pact between India and France, the French government countered his claim with an official statement confirming that a secrecy pact exists between the two countries.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also contradicted Rahul and cited Article 10 of the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between the two countries on the purchase of Rafale aircraft, which calls for the protection of classified information and materials exchanged under the pact.
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. Third-Party Insurance for Cars a Must From 1 September, Says Supreme Court
Third-party insurance for three years will become mandatory for cars being sold from 1 September, the Supreme Court ruled on Friday, 20 July. A bench of justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta also made it compulsory for two-wheeler owners to take third-party insurance for five years.
The order is expected to help road accident victims recover compensation from insurance firms, without going after the owner of the offending vehicle.
The bench also directed Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority to approve the insurance product as soon as it receives it from the General Insurance Council. The directive came after a court-appointed panel on road safety, headed by former SC judge justice KS Radhakrishnan, suggested having a long-term third party insurance.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
8. PM Modi to Meet Triple Talaq Victim Nida Khan During Shahjahanpur Rally
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Nida Khan, who is fighting a case of instant triple talaq (divorce) against her in-laws of the Ala Hazrat family of Bareilly, during his upcoming visit to Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.
Farhat Naqvi, sister of Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who was also separated from her husband, will accompany her.
The duo was invited by Bareilly MLA, Rajesh Kumar Mishra aka Pappu Bhartol of the BJP for a rally that Modi will attend.
“I have only been invited for the rally over phone. I will surely visit the rally if I receive a formal invitation,” said Nida Khan.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
9. Delhi High Court Sets Aside Penalty Imposed by JNU on Kanhaiya Kumar
The Delhi High Court on Friday set aside an order of Jawaharlal Nehru University's appellate authority imposing a penalty on its former students union president Kanhaiya Kumar in connection with a 2016 incident in which alleged anti-India slogans were raised at an event.
Justice Siddharth Mridul said the JNU office's order was "unsustainable on innumerable counts" after which the counsel for the varsity submitted that they are recalling the decision. The court remanded the matter back to the appellate authority to conduct de novo proceedings in accordance with law.
Kumar had moved the high court on 17 July seeking direction to quash the office order of 4 July passed by JNU through the chief proctor. He was held guilty for doing an act in violation of discipline and conduct and the fine was imposed on him.
(Source: Deccan Chronicle)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)