- INTERNATIONAL
ISRAELI OCCUPATION IN PALESTINE ILLEGAL : ICJ
- The UN’s top court said Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territory was “illegal” and needed to end as soon as possible
- The advisory opinion is not binding, but it comes amid mounting concern over Israel’s war against Hamas sparked by the group’s brutal October 7 attacks
- Israel has not complied with the ICJ ruling, and has resisted calls to route the barrier along the Green Line, the 1949 Armistice Line established after the end of fighting that accompanied Israel’s establishment a year earlier
2. POLITY
UPSC CHAIRPERSON MANOJ SONI QUITS 5 YEARS BEFORE COMPLETION OF TENURE
- Mr. Manoj Soni is learnt to have submitted his resignation to the President of India.
- However, the government is yet to announce the name of the new Chairperson. UPSC
- The UPSC is a constitutional body as mandated under Article 315-323 Part XIV Chapter II of the Constitution of India.
- The Commission conducts several examinations on behalf of the Union government
- It also conducts Civil Services Examinations every year and recommends candidates for appointment to the IAS, the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), and the Central Services – Group A and Group B
3. POLITY
UTTARAKHAND HC ALLOWS PROTECTION TO INTERFAITH LIVE-IN COUPLE UNDER UCC
- The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) aims to replace personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community in India with a common set of rules governing every citizen.
- The UCC seeks to ensure equality and justice, particularly gender justice, by providing a uniform legal framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption.
- Provisions of Section 378(1) of the UCC:
- Mandatory Registration: Partners in a live-in relationship must register their relationship with the local registrar.
- Penalties for Non-compliance: Non-compliance can lead to imprisonment for up to three months, a fine of up to ₹10,000, or both.
- Protection for Registered Couples: Registered couples are entitled to legal protection from threats or harm.
- Challenges to Implementation: Legal Challenge to Personal Liberty: The mandatory registration requirement may be seen as an infringement on personal liberty, as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
- Technical Issues in Registration: The couple in the case faced technical difficulties in registering their relationship, highlighting potential administrative hurdles.
- Social Resistance: There may be resistance from various communities due to the diverse cultural and religious practices in India.
- Recommendations from Commission Reports:
- 1. Law Commission of India (2018): Suggested a piecemeal approach to UCC, recommending reforms in family laws to ensure gender justice without imposing a uniform code.
- 2. National Commission for Women (2002): Advocated for a UCC to eliminate discrimination against women and ensure equal rights.
4. NATIONAL
RAILWAYS GRANTS 42 DAY SPECAIL CASUAL LEAVE FOR ORGAN DONORS
- Special Casual Leave (SCL) for Railway Employees
- Eligibility and Duration: Railway employees who donate organs are entitled to a 42-day Special Casual Leave (SCL).
- This leave is granted irrespective of the type of surgery for organ removal.
- Conditions: The organ transplant surgery must take place in a railway hospital or an empanelled private institution.
- The donor must be approved by the competent medical authority as per the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994.
- SCL cannot be combined with any other leave except in exceptional circumstances involving complications from the surgery.
- Purpose: The SCL is a welfare measure recognizing the noble act of organ donation and providing time for recovery post-surgery.
- IMPACT – As one of the largest employers with over 12 lakh employees, this initiative by the Indian Railways can significantly impact the lives of many employees and their families.
- The provision of SCL ensures that employees who choose to donate organs can recover without financial or job security concerns.
- National Organ Transplant Programme: The government’s efforts to honor deceased organ donors and support their families financially and emotionally can encourage more people to consider organ donation.
- Supporting donors and their families.
5. ENVIRONMENT
CENTRE REVIEWS CASES OF CHANDIPURA VIRUS, AES IN THREE STATES
- Chandipura Virus: Chandipura virus is a member of the Rhabdoviridae family and is known to cause encephalitis, particularly in children. It is transmitted by sandflies and has been associated with outbreaks in India.
- Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES): AES is a clinical condition characterized by the sudden onset of fever and altered mental status, often accompanied by seizures. It can be caused by a variety of infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, as well as non-infectious causes.
- Government Response: The Union Health Ministry has decided to deploy a multidisciplinary team from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying to assist Gujarat in studying the cases.
- Findings and Recommendations – Infectious Agents: The experts concluded that infectious agents contribute to only a small proportion of AES cases in the country. This suggests that other factors, possibly environmental or genetic, may play a significant role in the occurrence of AES.
ONE LINER
- Tamil Nadu has emerged as a frontrunner in the latest SDG India Index 2023 – 2024 – NITI Aayog
- In Gender Equality and Life below water T.N is in the Performer category – NITI Aayog.
