DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS - 5 AUGUST 2019- 10 MOST IMPORTANT TOPICS FROM THE HINDU

IMPORTANT TOPICS FOR TODAY 

                     http://dailycurrentaffairs-sumit.blogspot.com
                                             

BY SUMIT BHARDWAJ                    5th August 2019

1.Freeing Kulbhushan: On consular access

(GS-2)

• Context: IN this editorial the writer is conveying that Pakistan’s delay in giving full consular access reveals a non-serious attitude to ICJ order. ALSO:
• Two weeks after the International Court of Justice at The Hague ruled in favour of India in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, Pakistan has yet to take the first step towards implementing the order: providing him “consular access”. In its verdict on July 17, the ICJ had decided near-unanimously that by not informing India immediately of Mr. Jadhav’s arrest in 2017, by not informing him of his rights, and not allowing the Indian High Commission to meet with him and arrange for his legal representation, Pakistan was in violation of the Vienna convention on consular relations. Although Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry had offered a meeting between Mr. Jadhav and the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on Friday afternoon, the offer came with conditions, including CCTV cameras on proceedings, and a Pakistani official being in the room during the meeting. This was a violation of the unimpeded consular access that the ICJ had ordered, and India decided to reject the offer until Pakistan reconsiders its conditions. India’s concerns are three-fold.
• International Court of Justice :
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) sometimes called the World Court, is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). The ICJ's primary functions are to settle international legal disputes submitted by states (contentious cases) and give advisory opinions on legal issues referred to it by the UN (advisory proceedings). Through its opinions and rulings, it serves as a source of international law.
• The ICJ is the successor of the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ), which was established by the League of Nations in 1920 and began its first session in 1922. After the Second World War, both the League and the PCIJ were succeeded by the United Nations and ICJ, respectively. The Statute of the ICJ draws heavily from that of its predecessor, and the latter's decisions remain valid. All members of the UN are party to the ICJ Statute
• The ICJ comprises a panel of 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and Security Council for nine-year terms. The court is seated in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, making it the only principal U.N. organ not located in New York City. Its official working languages are English and French.
• Consular access:
• Consular Access
• India had demanded consular access to Jadhav under the rules of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963.
• The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations is an international treaty that defines consular relations between independent states.
• A consul, (who is not a diplomat) is a representative of a foreign state in a host country, who works for the interests of his countrymen.
• Article 36 of the Vienna Convention states that foreign nationals who are arrested or detained in the host country must be given notice without delay of their right to have their embassy or consulate notified of that arrest.
• If the detained foreign national so requests, the police must fax that notice to the embassy or consulate, which can then verify the person. 
• The notice to the consulate can be as simple as a fax, giving the person's name, the place of arrest, and, if possible, something about the reason for the arrest or detention.
• Importance of consular access for India in Jadhav case:
• Jadhav was awarded death sentence after a secret trial hence there are chances of trial being fake or sham.
• If India gets consular access to Jadhav, it can demolish the Pakistani case by advising Jadhav on the various aspects of the case and can get access to Jadhav's real version of events leading to his arrest.

• 2.Bigger and better: On number of Supreme Court judges     (GS-2)

• CONTEXT:IN this editorial the writer is in the viewpoint that More judges are welcome, but SC must focus on its role as interpreter of the Constitution, also:
• Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had written to the Prime Minister recently, highlighting the problem of paucity of judges, due to which he was unable to constitute enough Constitution Benches to decide important questions of law
• Background:
• The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 originally provided for a maximum of 10 judges (excluding the CJI). This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 in 1977.
• In 1988, the judge strength of the SC was increased to 26, and then again after two decades in 2009, it was increased to 31, including the CJI, to expedite disposal of cases to keep pace with the rate of institution.
• Who appoints judges to the SC?
• In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the appointments are made by the President of India.
• The names are recommended by the Collegium.
• Eligibility to become a Supreme Court judge:
• The norms relating to the eligibility has been envisaged in the Article 124 of the Indian Constitution.
• To become a judge of the Supreme court, an individual should be an Indian citizen.
• In terms of age, a person should not exceed 65 years of age.
• The person should serve as a judge of one high court or more (continuously), for at least five years or the person should be an advocate in the High court for at least 10 years or a distinguished jurist.
• Is the collegium’s recommendation final and binding?
• The collegium sends its final recommendation to the President of India for approval. The President can either accept it or reject it. In the case it is rejected, the recommendation comes back to the collegium. If the collegium reiterates its recommendation to the President, then he/she is bound by that recommendation.
• Judicial Reforms needed:
• The need of the hour is to revisit the existing system through a transparent and participatory procedure, preferably by an independent broad-based constitutional body guaranteeing judicial primacy but not judicial exclusivity.
• The new system should ensure independence, reflect diversity, demonstrate professional competence and integrity.
• The system needs to establish a body which is independent and objective in the selection process.
• Setting up a constitutional body accommodating the federal concept of diversity and independence of judiciary for appointment of judges to the higher judiciary can also be thought of as an alternate measure.
• As of now, instead of selecting the number of judges required against a certain number of vacancies, the collegium must provide a panel of possible names to the President to appointment in order of preference and other valid criteria.
• Cassation Benches:
• Courts of cassation do not re-examine the facts of a case, they only interpret the relevant law. In this they are appellate courts of the highest instance.

3.Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti placed under house arrest; Section 144 imposed in Srinagar  (GS-2)

• CONTEXT:KASHMIR TURMOIL
• Restrictions under Section 144 CrPC has come into effect from 12 a.m. in Srinagar: mobile internet snapped in entire Jammu and Kashmir
• An uneasy calm enveloped the Kashmir Valley on Sunday as additional security forces occupied civilian installations and police stations and were put in “standby mode.”
• Section 144 CrPC :
• What is Section 144?
• It is an Indian Law under Indian Penal Code.
• Under Section 144 of IPC, it states that, "Joining unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapon. Whoever, being armed with any deadly weapon, or with anything which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, is a member of an unlawful assembly, shall be punished with imprison ment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both".
•  Historical Background of Section 144
• The history of this Section goes back to British Raj. Section 144 was used for the first time in 1861 by the British Raj, and thereafter became an important tool to stop all nationalist protests during the India's Independence Struggle.
•  What the law states?
• The Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) prohibits any assembly of five or more people in an area where it has been imposed.
• According to the law, every member of such "unlawful assembly" can be booked for "engaging in rioting". The maximum punishment for such act is three years.
• Moreover, obstructing police from breaking up an unlawful assembly is a punishable offence as well.
•  Who imposes Section 144?
• The orders for Imposing sec 144 have been conferred to Executive Magistrate, when there is an emergency situation.
•  How the orders of Sec 144 need to be passed?
• It has to been in written form.
• Before imposing Sec 144, Executive Magistrate has to ensure whether there is need to impose section 144. For this he/she need to demand material facts.
• Duration of Order
• Section 144 would be valid only for a period of two months.
• State government can extent the validity for two months and maximum upto 6 months.
• It can be withdrawn at any point of time, if situation turns normal.

4.Statue of Unity shortlisted for UK-based structural award     (GS-1)

• CONTEXT: The Statue of Unity, a memorial to Sardar Patel, in Gujarat’s Kevadia town has been shortlisted for ‘The Structural Awards 2019’ of the UK-based Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE).
• It is among the 49 structures that will vie for the prestigious award, according to the institution’s website. The awards will be announced at a function in London on November 15.
• Statue of Unity:
• The Statue of Unity which is built in honour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is dedicated to the nation.
• Sardar Patel is credited with uniting over 560 princely states in pre-independent India to build the Republic of India, hence the name of the statue is christened as ‘Statue of Unity’.
• The date for the inauguration of the statue (October 31, 2018) also marks the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.
• It is located on the Sadhu Bet island on the Narmada river, which flows between the Satpura and the Vindhya mountain ranges.
• The Statue of Unity is the tallest statue in the world. At 182 metres, it is 23 metres taller than China's Spring Temple Buddha statue and almost double the height of the Statue of Liberty (93 metres tall) in US.
• The viewing gallery for the statue, at 153 metres, can accommodate 200 people at a time and offer an expansive view of the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
• The statue is a three-layered structure. The innermost layer is made of reinforced cement concrete (RCC), comprising two towers 127 metres high that rise till the statue's chest. The second layer is a steel structure and the third an 8 mm bronze cladding on the surface.
• It was built within three-and-a-half years by more than 3,000 workers, including 300 engineers from infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro (L&T).
• The Statue of Unity was designed by Padma Bhushan recipient sculptor Ram V Sutar and intricate bronze cladding work was done by a Chinese foundry, the Jiangxi Toqine Company (JTQ).
• Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel:
• Vallabhbhai Patel was a political and social leader who played a major role in the country's struggle for independence and subsequently guided its integration into a united, independent nation.
• Women of Bardoli bestowed the title Sardar to Vallebhai Patel, which in Gujarati and most Indian languages means Chief or Leader.
• Vallabhbhai Patel was inspired by the work and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. Patel subsequently organised the peasants of Kheda, Borsad, and Bardoli in Gujarat in a non-violent civil disobedience movement against oppressive policies imposed by the British Raj.
• He rose to the leadership of the Indian National Congress and was at the forefront of rebellions and political events, organising the party for elections in 1934 and 1937, and promoting the Quit India movement.
• As the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India, Patel organised relief for refugees in Punjab and Delhi, and led efforts to restore peace across the nation.
• Patel took charge of the task to forge a united India from over 560 semi-autonomous princely states and British-era colonial provinces. Using frank diplomacy backed with the option (and the use) of military action, Patel's leadership enabled the accession of almost every princely state.
• Hailed as the Iron Man of India, he is also remembered as the "Patron Saint" of India's civil servants for establishing modern all-India services.
• Patel was also one of the earliest proponents of property rights and free enterprise in India.

5.Indigenous missile successfully tested 

(GS-3)

• The Defence Research Development Organisation on Sunday successfully test­ fired the indigenously developed Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur
• India successfully test-fired the state-of-the-art Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) on Sunday from Chandipur test firing range against live aerial targets and met all mission objectives.
• DRDO:The Defence Research Development Organization :
• Agency of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, headquartered in New Delhi, India. It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production of the Indian Ordnance Factories with the Defence Science Organisation. It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
• With a network of 52 laboratories, which are engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems, DRDO is India's largest and most diverse research organisation. The organisation includes around 5,000 scientists belonging to the Defence Research & Development Service (DRDS) and about 25,000 other scientific, technical and supporting personnel.

6.Rajasthan’s effort to criminalise mob lynching is a good start   (GS-1,2)

• CONTEXT: MOB LYNCHING: SOCIETAL ISSUE.
• In furtherance of the recommendations made by the apex court in Tehseen S. Poonawalla v. Union of India, the Rajasthan government has introduced the Rajasthan Protection From Lynching Bill, 2019. If it gets passed, Rajasthan will be the second State after Manipur to have a dedicated law criminalising mob lynching as a special offence, in addition to other offences under the Indian Penal Code.
• The Bill defines lynching as an act or series of acts of violence or aiding, abetting or attempting an act of violence, whether spontaneous or planned, by a mob (two or more persons) on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, language, dietary practices, sexual orientation, political affiliation and ethnicity. Though wide-ranging in content, the document does not cover cases of solitary offences. Noticeably, the Bill says that police officers and district magistrates have to take measures to prevent lynching and related offences. However, unlike the law on mob lynching in Manipur, it does not prescribe any punishment for dereliction of duty.
• Lynching is an egregious manifestation of prejudice, intolerance, and contempt towards the rule of law. With all its limitations, the Rajasthan Bill is evidence of political will by the State government. It is expected that deliberations help in the enactment of a more constitutionally robust Bill. However, legislation cannot act as a panacea; what is required is political commitment. It is high time that the other States and the Centre show some urgency so that creeping threats are prevented from metastasising into an out-of-control monster.

7.Tenders cancelled to boost ‘Make in India’ 

(GS-2)

• CONTEXT:Government tenders worth over RS 25,000 crore were either cancelled or modified and re­issued after the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) stepped in to change their conditions to promote ‘Make in India’ goods, a top official said. “The Department is taking every step for effective implementation of public procurement order, 2017, to promote ‘Make in India’ products,” the official said.
• Make in India:
• Make in India, a type of Swadeshi movement covering 25 sectors of the economy, was launched by the Government of India on 25 September 2014 to encourage companies to manufacture their products in India and enthuse with dedicated investments into manufacturing.
• After the launch, India gave investment commitments worth RS16.40 lakh crore (US$240 billion) and investment inquiries worth of impration 1.5 lakh crore (US$22 billion) between September 2014 to February 2016.As a result, India emerged as the top destination globally in 2015 for foreign direct investment (FDI), surpassing the United States and China, with US$60.1 billion FDI. As per the current policy, 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is permitted in all 100 sectors, except for Space industry (74%), defence industry (49%) and Media of India (26%).Japan and India had also announced a US$12 billion "Japan-India Make-in-India Special Finance Facility" fund to push investment.
• In line with the Make in India, individual states too launched their own local initiatives, such as "Make in Odisha", "Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet", Vibrant Gujarat, "Happening Haryana" and "Magnetic Maharashtra". India received US $60 billion FDI in FY 2016-17.
• The World Bank latest 'Doing Business Report'(DBR, 2019) acknowledges India's jump of 23 positions against its rank of 100 in 2017 to be placed now at 77th rank among 190 countries.By the end of 2017, India had risen 42 places on Ease of doing business index, 32 places World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index, and 19 notches in the Logistics Performance Index,thanks to recent governmental initiatives, which include converges, synergies and enables other important Government of India schemes, such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, Dedicated Freight Corridors, Industrial corridors, UDAN-RCS, Bharat Broadband Network, Digital India.Data

8.M.P. returns over 25% of target under PMAY     (GS-2)

• CONTEXT:Madhya Pradesh has surrendered more than a quarter of its allotted Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Grameen) houses for this financial year, giving up 2.32 lakh out of a total 8.32 lakh houses. This is the first time any State has done so, according to senior officials from the Union Rural Development Ministry which administers the scheme.
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Grameen) :
• The erstwhile rural housing scheme Indira Awaas yojana (IAY) has been restructured into Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana –Gramin (PMAY-G) from 01.04.2016.
• PMAY-G aims at providing a pucca house, with basic amenities, to all houseless householder and those households living in kutcha and dilapidated house, by 2022.
• Cost sharing: The cost of unit assistance in this scheme is shared between Central and State Governments in the ratio 60:40 in plain areas and 90: 10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States.
• The scheme envisages training of Rural Masons with the objective of improving workmanship and quality of construction of houses while at the same time, increasing availability of skilled masons and enhancing employability of such masons.
• Selection of beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) is based on housing deprivation parameters of Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), 2011, subject to 13 point exclusion criteria, followed by Gram Sabha verification.

9.Iran seizes third foreign tanker in Gulf

(GS-1,2).

•  Iran said it has seized another foreign vessel suspected of smuggling fuel in the Persian Gulf, state media reported Sunday, adding to growing tensions over a spate of incidents involving oil tankers in the region.
• IMPORTANT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS:
• PERSIAN GULF:
• The Persian Gulf is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Hormuz and lies between Iran to the northeast and the Arabian Peninsula to the southwest. The Shatt al-Arab river delta forms the northwest shoreline.
• GULF OF OMAN:
• The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is a gulf that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It borders Iran and Pakistan on the north, Oman on the south, and the United Arab Emirates on the west
• STRAIT OF HORMUZ:
• The Strait of Hormuz is a strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world's most strategically important choke points.
• ARABIAN SEA:
• The Arabian Sea is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Peninsula, on the southeast by the Laccadive Sea, on the southwest by the Somali Sea, and on the east by India
• CHABAHAR PORT:
• Chabahar Port is a seaport in Chabahar located in southeastern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman. It serves as Iran's only oceanic port, and consists of two separate ports named Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti, each of which has five berths.

10.Chandrayaan-2 sends back images of Earth.

(GS-3)

SOURCE:ISRO

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday released the first set of images of earth captured by Chandrayaan-2 from outer space. “First set of beautiful images of the Earth captured by #Chandrayaan2 #VikramLander. Earth as viewed by #Chandrayaan2 LI4 Camera on August 3, 2019 17:28 UT,” ISRO tweeted.
• Chandrayaan-2, the 3,850-kg three-module spacecraft, was launched on July 22 into an elliptical orbit around the Earth, with the aim of landing a rover on the South Pole of the moon. The rover is scheduled to land on the lunar surface on September 7.



DOWNLOAD FREE PDF FOR 5TH AUGUST 2019



FOR IMPORTANT TOPICS EVERY DAY PLEASE VISIT…. https://dailycurrentaffairs-sumit.blogspot.com/                                  

AND DOWNLOAD  THE FREE PDF AS WELL….…..PLEASE  FOLLOW ME AS WELL BY CLICKING THE FOLLOW BUTTON . PROVIDE FEEDBACK TOO AS CHANGES ARE DONE ON YOUR SUGGESTIONS EVERYDAY.
THANKYOU.