Simultaneous Election: Law Commission To Recommend Legal Framework This August
The Indian law commission is set to recommend a tough legal framework that would streamline the activities of Sabha and assembly election. This was made known by a highly placed official of the commission who pleaded anonymous. The official added that the commission would recommend amendments to the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act to ensure simultaneous polls. The recommendation will inform debate among political parties and stakeholders.
India Gets An Amended Anti-corruption Laws
India is set to receive a new amendment to its existing anti-corruption laws. The effort of the government to amend the anti-corruption legislative framework through amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, is a welcome development. Under the Prevention of Corruption Act, there was no provision to criminalise the offering of bribe for getting an undue advantage. The amended law intends to criminalise bribe-giving and time-bound trial.
SC/ST Government Employees Deserves Automatic Quota Promotions, Centre Tells Supreme Court.
The Central government has informed the Supreme Court that SC/ST government staff were entitled to automatic quota in promotion. The Centre’s spokesman said it has filed a written note to that effect on Tuesday. The spokesperson added that a community was included in the list of Scheduled Castes after Parliament passed a bill to that effect on being satisfied that members of that community suffered extreme social and economic backwardness arising out of traditional practice of untouchability.
Police Firing Against Anti-Sterlite: Court Orders a CBI Probe.
A High Court sitting in Madras has ordered a full scale CBI probe into how police firing against Anti-Sterlite in Tuticorin led to the death of 13 persons. The court also dismissed the charges brought before it against six protesters under the National Security Act. The bench of Justice C T Selvam and Justice A M Basheer Ahamed also directed the CBI to complete the probe in four months.
Supreme Court congestion: Attorney General Raises Alarm, Urges For Quick Intervention
The Attorney General, KK Venugopal, has raised an alarm concerning the acute congestion being experienced in the Nation’s Supreme Court. He raised the alarm during the Independence day celebration. Venugopal sought immediate intervention of the Chief Justice Dipak Misra, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Supreme Court Bar Association president Vikas Singh, who was on the dais, to find a solution. “The situation is indeed pathetic. Women lawyers and litigants were the worst sufferers,” the AG added.
Ex-pilot, Supreme Court Lawyer Behind Group Aiming To Bully Media
A Supreme Court lawyer from Delhi and two ultra-nationalists, an ex-pilot and aviation engineer from Mumbai, have formed a group known as the India Against Biased Media (IABM). The group’s primary purpose is to monitor the media for biased and fake news stories. However, this development has triggered concern among journalists citing harassment and intimidation.
US: Independence Day: US Extols The Democratic Credentials Of India
The United States government has praised Indians for sustaining democracy. The US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, in a press statement during the country’s Independence Day celebration hailed the country saying India has set an example for South Asia and the world by supporting democracy, diversity and the rule of law. Pompeo also lauded the contribution of the vibrant Indian-American diaspora and young students in strengthening ties between America and India.
US: Child Sex Abuse: Clergy Revelation Gives Impetus To Reform Assault Laws.
A Roman Catholic Clergy, name withheld, has made a grave revelation regarding the issue of child sex abuse. The latest revelation has given impetus to efforts by legislators, including a Pennsylvania lawmaker who has said he was raped by a priest as a child, to make it easier to prosecute such cases. In Chile, Australia, and Europe, similar reports have emerged, prompting lawsuits, sending dioceses into bankruptcy and undercutting the moral authority of the leadership of churches.
UK- Review Laws To Protect The Right For Criminal Investigations, BBC Urges The U.K Government.
The BBC has called on the government to as a matter of urgency launch a legal review to protect the right for criminal investigations to be reported and suspects named. The corporation announced that it will not appeal after losing a High Court privacy case brought by Sir Cliff Richard over its coverage of a police raid on his home. The BBC said an appeal “would inevitably mean an expensive legal cul de sac and one that would simply prolong Sir Cliff’s distress”
UK- Pressure On Drivers Over EU Tyre Law
Although the United Kingdom will exit the EU next year, British drivers could still be affected by the new law– expected in 2020 – because Brussels regulations may remain in force after Brexit. Drivers could be hit by soaring costs under EU proposals for compulsory labels on tyres, anti-Brussels campaigners has warned. The pressure group added that there are many pieces of legislation, such as this one, which are set to come into force before December 2020 and the end of the Brexit transition period.
CANADA- Abortion Laws: Abortion Activists And Supporters Are In a Tizzy Over Billboards In Canada
Abortion supporters in Canada are currently in a tizzy over billboards stating that there is no abortion law in Canada. The supporters said the billboards are misleading and disappointing. In a press release signed by the supporters’ spokesperson, the group said It is disappointing to see a sign like that come up because it’s not true that abortion is unregulated in Canada. Fear and stigma can be really significant barriers to access for a lot of people as they make a choice that’s right for them and a billboard like that fosters that fear and stigma.
