Context: The Appellate Tribunal on Disputes in Benami Matters has ruled that “Held” used in the Benami Act 2016 also covers the proceeds of crime committed before 2016, and is currently being held or possessed by the beneficiary.
News:
Tribunal Decision Regarding Benami Property:
Benami Definition (2016 Act):
A benami transaction refers to a situation or agreement in which a property or assets, such as stocks, is ostensibly "transferred" to or is officially "held" by one individual, while the actual consideration for such property has been furnished or paid by another individual. Consequently, the individual holding the asset is not the genuine beneficial owner of the property.
Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2016 :
1. Expanded Definition:
2. Increased Penalties:
3. Confiscation of Property:
4. Strengthened Administrative and Legal Procedures:
5. Impact of the Legislation:
6. Supreme Court Judgment (August 2022):
7. Present Tribunal Ruling:
Context: China showcased on Thursday fighter jets firing missiles in the South China Sea, as it held rival military exercises with the United States in the hotly contested waters.The drills follow tense standoffs between Beijing and Manila in disputed reefs that saw vessels from the two countries collide and Chinese ships blast water cannon at Philippine boats.
Significance of the South China Sea:
Major Disputes in the South China Sea:
Dispute Nature: The central issue in the South China Sea dispute revolves around competing territorial claims concerning land features, including islands and reefs, along with their associated territorial waters.
Key Features in Dispute:The primary contested island and reef formations include the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, Pratas, the Natuna Islands, and Scarborough Shoal.
Context: Ministry of Tourism conducted training in Bhitarkanika National Park, Odisha under Amrit Dharohar Capacity Building Scheme
About the scheme:
Amrit Dharohar scheme
Bhitarkanika National Park:
Context: In commemoration of International Braille Day, various National institutions and Comprehensive Regional Centers under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities organized extensive awareness programms focused on Braille literacy.
About:
Braille Script Description:
Communication for the Blind:
Development History:
Disabled population in India:
Statistics:
According to the 2011 Census in India, out of a total population of 121 crore, around 2.68 crore individuals are classified as 'Disabled,' constituting 2.21% of the total population. Of the 2.68 crore, 1.5 crore are males, and 1.18 crore are females. A majority (69%) of the disabled population resides in rural areas.
Constitutional Frameworks for Disabled in India:
Article 41 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) mandates the state to make effective provisions for securing the right to work, education, and public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness, and disablement. The subject of 'relief of the disabled and unemployable' is specified in the state list of the Seventh Schedule of the constitution.
Right of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016:
Odisha’s Bhitarkanika national park will soon be connected by rail as the proposed Jajpur Road-Dhamra railway line will pass through the park.
News?
Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has refused to disqualify 40 MLAs of the Eknath Shinde faction after recognising it as the real Shiv Sena.
He also did not disqualify 14 MLAs of the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) group due to technical reasons under the Tenth Schedule.
Anti Defection Law?
What are the Grounds of Disqualification?
Anti-defection law needed?
An anti-defection law is needed in India to prevent elected representatives from switching political parties or factions frequently, which can lead to instability and a lack of accountability in government.
Anti-defection law under criticism?
The anti-defection law in India has been the subject of criticism from various quarters. Some of the main criticisms of the law are as follows:
How do other countries deal with the question of political defection?
Some countries have laws similar to the Indian anti-defection law, which penalizes politicians who switch parties or violate party discipline. Other countries have no such laws and allow politicians to switch parties or become independents freely.
Here are some examples of how different countries deal with political defections:
Judicial observations regarding defection in India?
Some of the important cases related to anti-defection in India include
Views of Various Committees on the Anti-Defection Law:
What are the suggestions to reform the Anti-defection law in India?
There have been various suggestions for reform of the anti-defection law in India. Some of the reforms that have been proposed include:
Way Forward
An international team of marine biologists recently discovered a unique isopod, a form of crustacean, that has been formally identified as a new species of the genus Booralana.
Crustaceans?
Crustaceans (make up a very large group of the Arthropods which include the crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill, barnacles, brine shrimp, copepods, ostracods and mantis shrimp. They are invertebrates with a hard exoskeleton (carapace), a segmented body that is bilaterally symmetrical, more than four pairs of jointed appendages. Crustaceans are found in a wide range of habitats - most are free-living freshwater or marine animals, but some are terrestrial (e.g. woodlice), some are parasitic (e.g. fish lice) and some do not move (e.g. barnacles)
After relocating deer from Cuttack, the Odisha state government is planning to introduce Sambar and Gaur (bison) in the Chandaka-Dampara wildlife sanctuary.
Interest in indigenous cattle breeds like the Pulikulam is reviving which is famous for a local game called Jalikattu in TamilNadu.
Other cattle breeds of India
It’s a day to acknowledge the achievements of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) who have made significant contributions to their adopted countries.
It is designed and developed to meet the operational requirements of the Indian armed forces, Para military forces, and state police forces.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy-2023.
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We provide offline, online and recorded lectures in the same amount.
Every aspirant is unique and the mentoring is customised according to the strengths and weaknesses of the aspirant.
In every Lecture. Director Sir will provide conceptual understanding with around 800 Mindmaps.
We provide you the best and Comprehensive content which comes directly or indirectly in UPSC Exam.