- India duty hike on US goods: WTO sets up dispute panel
- The US alleged that the additional duties imposed by India “appears to nullify or impair the benefits accruing to the US directly or indirectly” under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
- The GATT is a WTO pact, signed by all members of the multi-lateral body, and aims to promote trade by reducing or eliminating trade barriers like custom duties.
- The US had also alleged that the duties imposed by India appears to be inconsistent with two norms of GATT.
- Hundreds watch as high-rises razed
- The waterfront apartment complexes at Maradu near Kochi were pulled down to comply with a Supreme Court order of May, 2019.
- 19-storeyed Holy Faith H2O apartment complex was demolished, with authorities using the controlled implosion method to pull the structure down.
- Minutes later, the 16-storeyed twin towers of Alfa Serene too were demolished.
- Stressing Constitution and Preamble, new Army Chief signals course correction
- General M.M. Naravane swore allegiance to the Constitution.
- In his opening remarks at a press conference before Army Day, celebrated on January 15, Naravane said, “be it a jawan and an officer, we take an oath” to follow the Constitution, “and that is what should guide us in all our actions and at all times”.
- Decorated J&K cop with anti-hijack unit held with militants
- The J&K Police admitted that one of its decorated officers was with top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Syed Naveed Mushtaq and his associates.
- They were arrested from a private vehicle at a checkpoint on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
- The police officer has been identified as Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh.
- As per reprts, he was awarded the President’s medal for gallantry last year.
- He was posted with J&K police’s anti-hijacking unit at Srinagar airport.
- Sheena Bora case: Software used by CBI to match skull raises eyebrows at trial
- The website of FantaMorph states that it is easy-to-use software for the creation of “fantastic photo morphing pictures and sophisticated morph animation effects”.
- It does not claim anywhere that FantaMorph can be used as a forensic tool – for facial imposition.
- Yet, the CBI is relying on this software, along with other forensic evidence, to claim in a Mumbai court that a skeleton recovered in Maharashtra’s Raigad district in 2015, belongs to Sheena Bora.
- IRDAI penalises brokers for cheating Tata AIG
- The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has slapped curbs and penalised brokers and agents for their involvement in the Rs 300 crore fraudulent crop reinsurance deal.
- Tata AIG General had made a complaint to IRDAI against Unison Insurance broking Services.
- The complaint alleged fraud in reinsurance placement pertaining to crop insurance, with a premium of around Rs 300 crore in Rajasthan cluster for Kharif 2018 season.
- Isro’s NavIC to feature in mobiles, aid fight against crime
- A homegrown satellite navigation system developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to find its way into mobile phone systems in India.
- This will facilitate the implementation of a key mandate from the Nirbhaya case verdict.
- The mandate required the installation of vehicle tracking systems and panic buttons in all commercial vehicles.
- In April 2019, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways made NavIC-based vehicle trackers mandatory for all commercial vehicles in the country in accordance with the Nirbhaya case verdict.
- Lucknow, Noida get commissionerates for ‘smart policing’
- The Uttar Pradesh cabinet approved the implementation of police commissionerate system in Lucknow and Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) districts.
- The new system gives more powers, including magisterial powers, to police officers.
- As per the Cabinet decision, 15 executive powers of the District Magistrate, including power to invoke National Security Act, Gangster Act, Jail Act, Goonda Act, among others, will now rest with the Commissionerate of the two districts
- However, the Arms Act and Excise Act will continue to be under the district administration.
- Lahore High Court annuls Musharraf’s death sentence
- The High Court declared his trial in the high treason case as “unconstitutional”.
- It led to the annulment of his death penalty by a special tribunal.
- The special court of Islamabad had handed down the death penalty to 74-year old Musharraf on December 17, 2019.
- It had heard the high-profile high treason case against him for sixyears.
- The case was filed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government in 2013.
- Tibet passes new legislation to make ethnic unity mandatory
- The legislation reflects the significant role that Tibet plays in the sensitive remote Himalayan region’s economic and social development.
- The People’s Congress of Tibet passed the legislation guaranteeing ethnic unity in the territory.
- The legislation shall take effect from May 1, 2020.
- CCI initiates probe against Flipkart, Amazon on ‘deep discounting’
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) ordered an investigation into alleged malpractices by Flipkart and Amazon India.
- The malpractices includeissues of deep discounting and practice of preferred sellers of mobile phones by both the retailers.
- The anti-trust body ordered the probe on a complaint by Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh, a micro, small and medium scale enterprise (MSME) body.
- It alleged that both the retailers were engaged in deep discounting and preferred selling of mobile phones and related accessories “which have led to a foreclosure of other non-preferred traders or sellers from these online marketplaces”.
- SC permits ED to attach JP Morgan’s India properties for alleged FEMA violation
- The Supreme Court gave the go-ahead to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to attach US-based JP Morgan’s properties in India for allegedly colluding with real estate group Amrapali to divert funds of homebuyers in violation of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) rules.
- The ED, had in its submission, told the apex court that it had “prima facie” found violation of FEMA by JP Morgan.
- The Supreme Court said it would monitor the investigation.
- ED Joint Director Rajeshwar Singh told a bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice UU Lalit that a complaint had been lodged regarding this.
- The Bench also asked the agency to take Amrapali CMD Anil Kumar Sharma and its two directors, Shiv Priya and Ajay Kumar, to investigate money-laundering charges.
- Nusli Wadia withdraws defamation case against Ratan Tata, others
- Bombay Dyeing chairman Nusli Wadia withdrew his criminal defamation case against Tata Group Executives and board members.
- The withdrawal took place after the Supreme Court recorded the group’s statement that it had no intention to defame Wadia.
- The bench while disposing of Wadia’s appeal, allowed him to withdraw the defamation case after recording that Tatas had no intention to defame Wadia.
- The defamation case included the Rs 3,000 crore suit for damages.
- JSW wants immunity from probe; NCLAT seeks ED, MCA reply
- The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) to file affidavits clarifying that JSW Steel, which placed the winning bid for Bhushan Power & Steel, will not be persecuted for financial irregularities allegedly committed by former promoters of the company.
- If the probe agencies wanted to continue pursuing Bhushan Power in their case of money laundering, they must explain the reasons for the same, the NCLAT said.
- The MCA will file the affidavits on behalf of Serious Fraud Investigation (SFIO) and the Central Bureau of Investigation, latest by January 20, the Bench said.
- JSW Steel, which at Rs 19,700 crore had placed the winning bid for Bhushan Power & Steel, had been wary of proceeding with the resolution plan owing to cases pending against the latter.
- Homebuyers’ quorum requirement under IBC: SC agrees to hear pleas
- The Supreme Court agreed to hear petitions challenging the amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).
- The amendments had mandated that at least 100 homebuyers must collectively file an insolvency application against a builder for it to be admitted.
- The top court said that status quo as of 13.01.2020 should be maintained with respect to the applications.
- Three homebuyers had recently moved the SC with similar pleas that the amendment made by the Centre was “patently illegal”.
- Dec 16 Delhi gangrape: Curative pleas rejected, one convict files mercy plea
- A five-judge bench headed by Justice N.V Ramana said it had “gone through the curative petitions, and the relevant documents” and concluded that “no case is made out”.
- The curative petitions were dismissed by the bench.
- The review petitions of Vinay Kumar Sharma and Mukesh Kumar were took up by the bench in-chamber.
- The bench, also comprising of Justices Arun Mishra, R.F. Nariman, R. Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan, rejected the plea to stay the death sentence and hear the petitions in open court.
- Mukesh Kumar, meanwhile, filed a mercy petition and also approached the Delhi High Court seeking to set aside the death warrant.
- Pvt plantation scheme shot down by SC panel back on Govt table
- A proposal to allow private plantations on government land has been revived by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
- The revival came five years after the Environment Minister told Rajya Sabha that the scheme would require approval of the Supreme Court.
- The apex court’s Central Empowered Committee (CEC) had refused to even entertain the proposal.
- The Green Credit Scheme was floated by the Gujarat government.
- It proposed that private players be allowed to identify land near reserve forests and raise plantations to subsequently sell to developers looking to meet obligations of compensatory afforestation in lieu of forestland diverted for their projects.
- SC allows Vedanta unit to bid for Nalco’s excess alumina
- The Supreme Court allowed Vedanta’s Jharsuguda unit to participate in bids for surplus alumina being sold by National Aluminium Company Ltd (Nalco).
- It had challenged an order of the Odisha High Court, which had allowed Vedanta to participate in the tender.
- Reports claiming DySP awarded medal not true: J&K Police
- Jammu and Kashmir police said that reports claiming that suspended officer Davinder Singhwas awarded a gallantry medal by the Union Home Ministry are not true.
- The recipient of the medal was another officer with the same name, it said.
- CAA violates basic structure: Kerala is first state to move SC against new law
- The Kerala government became the first state to move the Supreme Court, urging it to declare the law enacted by Parliament unconstitutional.
- It challenged the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and called it “discriminatory” and a “colourable legislation”.
- The petition was filed two weeks after the Kerala Assembly passed a resolution demanding that the new citizenship law be scrapped.
- You behaving as if Jama Masjid is Pak: Court slams Delhi Police on Azad plea
- A Delhi court said “it is one’s Constitutional right to protest” and Delhi police is “behaving as if Jama Masjid is Pakistan”.
- The court came down heavily on the prosecution during the bail hearing of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad,
- Azad was arrested in the early hours of December 21 after he emerged from the Jama Masjid and surrendered to police.
- Azad was arrested for protesting against CAA.
Competition Commission probe against Asian Paints
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- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) ordered a probe against Asian Paints.
- It was alleged that Asian Paints was threatening dealers and misusing its dominant position in the market.
- AGR judgment: SC to hear telcos’ review pleas
- The Supreme Court will hear in-chamber review petitions moved by Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and other telecom companies on January 16, 2020.
- The companies moved these review petitions against the October 24, 2019 apex court judgment.
- In the said judgment, the SC upheld the definition of adjusted gross revenue (AGR), as decided by the Department of Telecom (DoT).
- In its review petition, the company limited its review to the point that there was no ‘conscious disregard’ or ‘wilful default’ on part of the telco.
- Russian PM resigns as Putin eyes constitutional rejig to retain power
- Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed constitutional changes that would give him leeway to extend his grip on power after leaving the presidency.
- He picked a new Prime Minister after Dmitry Medvedev and his cabinet resigned.
- The dramatic moves were widely seen as preparing the ground for 2024, when Putin, now 67, is constitutionally obliged to leave the presidency.
- He has been occupying the Kremlin or the Prime Minister’s job continuously since 1999.
- Putin stated that he wanted Mikhail Mishustin, head of the tax service, to be the next prime minister.
- Democrats unveil new evidence as House sets vote to send articles
- New details of US President Donald Trump’s campaign to solicit political interference from Ukraine emerged.
- This intensified pressure on Senate Republicans to include witness testimony and additional documents in their proceeding.
- Azad gets bail, court says don’t attack PM
- Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad was granted bail by a Delhi court.
- The bail was granted after twenty-six days of getting arrested.
- He was arrested for leading a protest against the new citizenship law.
- The courthad imposed conditions which included a bar on his visits to Delhi for the next four weeks, weekly reporting before UP police and surrender of passport.
- CAA: After Kerala, Punjab Govt will seek house rejection
- Congress-ruled Punjab will become the second state after Kerala to bring in an Assembly resolution on January 17, 2020 seeking the repeal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
- The state government will also seek amendment to the form of the National Population Register (NPR).
- It would do so to allay fears in certain quarters regarding the NPR and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
- SC dismisses review plea by telecom majors on AGR dues
- The Supreme Court dismissed a petition moved by telecom companies, including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and Tata Teleservices.
- The companies sought a review of SC’s judgment last October that upheld the Department of Telecommunication’s definition of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) and ordered operators to settle liabilities accrued over 14 years within three months.
- The Supreme Court did not give any extension on the deadline for the operators to submit the AGR dues with the DoT.
- IUML moves apex court seeking stay on operationalising CAA
- The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) approached the Supreme Court.
- It is seeking a stay on the operation of the notification bringing into effect the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
- It also urged the court to direct the central government to clarify whether the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercises are linked, and whether a pan-India NRC would be prepared and its exercise implemented across India.
- CBI books Adani company for fraud in coal supply contract
- The Adani Enterprises Ltd.(AEL) has been booked by the CBI.
- Company has been booked for bagging a government contract for supply of imported coal in 2010, allegedly in a fraudulent manner.
- The AEL has been named in the CBI FIR along with three top officials of National Cooperative Consumer’s Federation of India (NCCF) and unknown public servants for alleged corruption.
- Data Bill: Joint Select Committee seeks comparative reviews
- The first meeting of the Joint Select Committee on the Personal Data Protection Bill was held on January 16, 2020.
- The Parliament members asked the government to present more details on the fundamental right to privacy in juxtaposition with the Bill.
- In the meeting, the MPs also asked government officials to present comparisons between the data Bill, Justice B.N. Srikrishna committee’s draft, and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
- The MPs also decided to publish a public advertisement in a week seeking suggestions on the Bill.
- ED summons AirAsia CEO, other officials in money laundering case
- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes and certain other executives for questioning in connection with a money laundering probe.
- The probe deals with alleged manipulation of government policies for international flying licence.
- The ED case, registered in 2018, is based on CBI FIR in the same matter.
- The ED is also probing this case under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
- Investigation in the case was initiated on the basis of former Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mystry’s allegation.
- He had alleged that fraudulent transactions of Rs 22 crore, involving non-existent entities in India and Singapore, were carried out in an instance involving the airline.
- Trump impeachment articles sent to Senate, setting up trial
- The House of Representatives voted to transmit two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the senate.
- The House formally appointed seven Democrats to serve as impeachment managers prosecuting the case before the Republican-controlled Senate.
- Ruling party approves Putin’s surprise PM pick
- Russia’s ruling party unanimously backed President Vladimir Putin’s surprise choice for prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin.
- Mishustin’s elevation is a part of a sweeping shake-up of the political system announced by Putin on January 15, 2020.
- It led to the resignation of Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister along with his government.
- Punjab Assembly goes a step beyond Kerala: Scrap CAA, change NPR forms
- The Punjab Assembly passed a resolution demanding the repeal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
- The state went beyond Kerala in seeking amendments to the forms/documents associated with the National Population Register process.
- Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said like Kerala, his government would too approach the Supreme Court on the issue of CAA.
- At meeting on NPR, Opp states object to question on place & birth of parents
- Opposition-ruled states raised objections to new questions introduced in the 2020 National Population Register (NPR) form.
- The objections were raised at a meeting with Union Home Secretary A.K. Bhalla and officials of the Registrar General of India (RGI).
- The states sought clarification in particular on Question No.13 (II) of the NPR form which seeks information on the date and place of birth of an individual’s parents.
- Trial judges handed acquittals in routine manner: 1984 riot SIT
- The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) highlighted how trial courts failed the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims and their families.
- It found that trial judges handed out acquittals in a routine manner.
- It reported that the judges failed to separate cases based on incidents and rejected testimonies of witnesses on grounds of delay of FIRs.
- The Centre told the Supreme Court it has accepted the recommendations of the SIT and will take appropriate actions as per law.
- The SIT was headed by Delhi High Court judge Justice S.N. Dhingra.
- It enquired into 199 cases.
- ‘Missing’ convict, ‘Dr Bomb’ held in Kanpur
- Uttar Pradesh police arrested 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Jalees Ansari from Kanpur.
- The arrest took place a day after he went missing from his Mumbai home while on parole.
- Ansari (70), a medical doctor who is also known as ‘Dr Bomb’ because of his alleged expertise in bomb-making, was serving life-imprisonment at Central Jail, Ajmer.
- HC junks Sengar plea to suspend jail term
- The Delhi High Court junked expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s request to suspend his life imprisonment term till the pendency of his appeal before it.
- His request was rejected by the High Court because he was an undertrial in other cases as well.
- BJP leader moves apex court against Kerala CAA petition
- Former Mizoram Governor and senior Kerala BJP leader Kumanam Rajasekharan moved the Supreme Court against State of Kerala’s plea.
- The State’s plea challenged the new citizenship amendment law and amendments to the Passport Rules and Foreigners Order.
- The leader sought to get impleaded in the petition filed by the State under Article 131 of the Constitution.
- Rajasekharan said in his application that “the State Government to acquire right to file a suit under Article 131… requires the existence of a dispute involving any question of law or fact on which the existence or extent of a legal right depends”.
- However, “no such legal dispute exists between the plaintiff State of Kerala and the Union of India and the only dispute that exists is a political dispute”, the plea said.
- The plea mentioned that the top court had categorically held in 1978 in the State of Karnataka v Union of India “that the dispute must involve a question relating to a legal right and not a political right”.
- Rajasekharan said the Kerala government’s plea has not explained how the impugned Act is in any way affecting the legal right of the State and its inhabitants.
- SC refuses to stay annulment of Azam Khan son’s election
- The Supreme Court declined to stay an order of the Allahabad High Court which had annulled the election of Mohammed Abdullah Azam Khan.
- His was elected on an SP ticket to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in 2017.
- He is the son of Samajwadi Party MP Mohammed Azam Khan.
- CAT sets aside appointment of Punjab DGP
- The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) set aside the appointment of Dinkar Gupta as Director General of Punjab Police.
- CAT gave its ruling on an appeal by Mohammad Mustafa and Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, who had challenged Gupta’s appointment.
- They had challenged the appointment on the grounds that they were senior to him and had outstanding service records.
- CAT Chairman: Shri Justice L. Narasimha Reddy
- Founded: November 1, 1985
- Purpose: The Central Administrative Tribunal has been established for adjudication of disputes and complaints with respect to recruitment and conditions of service of persons appointed to public services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or other authorities under the control of Government. It had been established under Article 323-A of the Indian Constitution.
Pak court hands 55-yr sentences to 86 Islamists
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- A Pakistani court has sentenced 86 members of a radical Islamist party to 55-yr prison terms.
- They were sentenced for taking part in violent rallies in 2018 over the acquittal of a Christian woman in a blasphemy case.
SC seeks Centre’s views on plea for EVs as public transport
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- The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre on a plea seeking the court’s intervention to ensure time-bound implementation of the government’s policy to move to electric vehicles from those running on fossil fuels.
- The apex court asked the Ministry of Road Transport to reply to the PIL filed by NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL).