Decoding World Affairs
The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down the electoral bonds scheme, saying it violates the right to information and freedom of speech and expression under the Constitution. Now let's know why did Supreme Court struck it down?
How did government defend Electoral Bond Scheme in court?
[1] Legitimate Banking channels reduces Black Money in politics: The government’s main points in defence of the scheme was that it allowed any person to transfer funds to political parties of their choice through legitimate banking channels and helped prevent unregulated contributions through cash.
[2] Right to privacy of the donor: The Supreme Court in Puttaswamy case held that the Right to Privacy is a fundamental right protected under Article 21 and Part III of the Indian Constitution. Thus, it is important for the donor to secure privacy while donating to political party of his/her choice.
[3] Citizens did not have a right to know the party funding: Attorney General K.K. Venugopal claimed that “Their contention is that voters have a right to know. Right to know what? Voters do not need to know where money of political parties comes from.” It is so because political parties are not "public authority".
♛ Decoding World Affairs
[1] Legitimate Banking channels reduces Black Money in politics: The government’s main points in defence of the scheme was that it allowed any person to transfer funds to political parties of their choice through legitimate banking channels and helped prevent unregulated contributions through cash.
[2] Right to privacy of the donor: The Supreme Court in Puttaswamy case held that the Right to Privacy is a fundamental right protected under Article 21 and Part III of the Indian Constitution. Thus, it is important for the donor to secure privacy while donating to political party of his/her choice.
[3] Citizens did not have a right to know the party funding: Attorney General K.K. Venugopal claimed that “Their contention is that voters have a right to know. Right to know what? Voters do not need to know where money of political parties comes from.” It is so because political parties are not "public authority".
♛ Decoding World Affairs
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Decoding World Affairs
Why do people in Ladakh protesting? Let's decode it...
Why is Ladakh witnessing protests?
[1] Statehood for Ladakh: Protesters are calling for Ladakh's statehood to be reinstated after it was made a Union territory without a legislature in 2019.
[2] Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh: They are concerned of the lobbies in the mining industry who want to harm Ladakh through illegal mining. People of Ladakh are demanding constitutional rights in the face of 6th schedule to safeguard it. It was also promised by the govt.
[3] Two parliamentary seats in Ladakh instead of one: One of their demands is to increase political representativeness by ensuring parliamentary seats for both Leh and Kargil districts.
[4] Job security and early job recruitment: The demonstrators chanted slogans in favour of reservation in jobs for the people of Ladakh among others.
[1] Statehood for Ladakh: Protesters are calling for Ladakh's statehood to be reinstated after it was made a Union territory without a legislature in 2019.
[2] Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh: They are concerned of the lobbies in the mining industry who want to harm Ladakh through illegal mining. People of Ladakh are demanding constitutional rights in the face of 6th schedule to safeguard it. It was also promised by the govt.
[3] Two parliamentary seats in Ladakh instead of one: One of their demands is to increase political representativeness by ensuring parliamentary seats for both Leh and Kargil districts.
[4] Job security and early job recruitment: The demonstrators chanted slogans in favour of reservation in jobs for the people of Ladakh among others.
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Decoding World Affairs
Mitsotakis who inaugurates the annual Raisina Dialogue in Delhi, says that Israel’s war should not ‘weaken the resolve’ to realise the economic corridor. Let's look into it how would it benefit India...
Significances of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) for India
[1] Thwart to China’s BRI: IMEC is seen as a potential counter to China's BRI in the Eurasian region. It can serve to counterbalance China's growing economic and political influence. It would help India in balancing China efficiently without much investments.
[2] Exploring West Asia: After economic liberalization in 1991, India largely explored East Asia through Look East policy followed by Act East policy. Now, it is providing opportunity to extend cooperation beyond balancing west Asia.
[3] Potential strategic Role in Africa: The corridor's model could be extended to Africa, aligning with the US and EU's plan to develop a Trans-African corridor. It signifies India's intent to strengthen its engagement with Africa.
[4] Deepening relations with USA: It dispels the notion that India and the United States may collaborate in the Indo-Pacific but not in the Middle East. The project showcases how India and the U.S., along with Israel and the UAE, can partner in developing joint economic projects through forums like the I2U2.
[5] Bypassing neighbourhood syndrome: It would help in bypassing Pakistan’s veto over India’s overland connectivity to the Central Asia. It is so because Jabel Ali port in UAE is near to Chahbahar port developed in Iran with India's assistance. It may help in further connecting central Asia.
♛ Decoding World Affairs
[1] Thwart to China’s BRI: IMEC is seen as a potential counter to China's BRI in the Eurasian region. It can serve to counterbalance China's growing economic and political influence. It would help India in balancing China efficiently without much investments.
[2] Exploring West Asia: After economic liberalization in 1991, India largely explored East Asia through Look East policy followed by Act East policy. Now, it is providing opportunity to extend cooperation beyond balancing west Asia.
[3] Potential strategic Role in Africa: The corridor's model could be extended to Africa, aligning with the US and EU's plan to develop a Trans-African corridor. It signifies India's intent to strengthen its engagement with Africa.
[4] Deepening relations with USA: It dispels the notion that India and the United States may collaborate in the Indo-Pacific but not in the Middle East. The project showcases how India and the U.S., along with Israel and the UAE, can partner in developing joint economic projects through forums like the I2U2.
[5] Bypassing neighbourhood syndrome: It would help in bypassing Pakistan’s veto over India’s overland connectivity to the Central Asia. It is so because Jabel Ali port in UAE is near to Chahbahar port developed in Iran with India's assistance. It may help in further connecting central Asia.
♛ Decoding World Affairs
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Decoding World Affairs
Thousands of people marched through the freezing streets of Leh, braving the bitter cold, to demand statehood for Ladakh and protection under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution.
What are the Arguments in Favour of Ladakh's Demand for Inclusion in the 6th Schedule?
[1] Lack of Public Participation: After dilution of Article 370, Ladakh was designated as a Union Territory without a legislative assembly. Thus, the decision-making has shifted from public participation to bureaucratic processes.
[2] Ladakh’s Fragile ecosystem: Climate activists have flagged concerns regarding mining in the glacial ecology. People in Ladakh fear that if there are industries, each industry will bring lakhs of people and this fragile ecosystem cannot support so many people.
[3] Border sensitivity: Addressing the China-Pakistan axis necessitates strategic infrastructure development supported by the local community. It demands 6th schedule for the people in Ladakh.
[4] Preservation of Cultural Identity: Inclusion in the 6th Schedule would provide legal safeguards to protect Ladakh's unique cultural heritage and traditional customs. The 6th Schedule empowers tribal communities with a degree of autonomy in governance.
[5] Strengthening of Democratic Institutions: The establishment of autonomous councils under the Sixth Schedule would strengthen democratic institutions at the grassroots level, promoting inclusive governance and accountability.
♛ Decoding World Affairs
[1] Lack of Public Participation: After dilution of Article 370, Ladakh was designated as a Union Territory without a legislative assembly. Thus, the decision-making has shifted from public participation to bureaucratic processes.
[2] Ladakh’s Fragile ecosystem: Climate activists have flagged concerns regarding mining in the glacial ecology. People in Ladakh fear that if there are industries, each industry will bring lakhs of people and this fragile ecosystem cannot support so many people.
[3] Border sensitivity: Addressing the China-Pakistan axis necessitates strategic infrastructure development supported by the local community. It demands 6th schedule for the people in Ladakh.
[4] Preservation of Cultural Identity: Inclusion in the 6th Schedule would provide legal safeguards to protect Ladakh's unique cultural heritage and traditional customs. The 6th Schedule empowers tribal communities with a degree of autonomy in governance.
[5] Strengthening of Democratic Institutions: The establishment of autonomous councils under the Sixth Schedule would strengthen democratic institutions at the grassroots level, promoting inclusive governance and accountability.
♛ Decoding World Affairs
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Decoding World Affairs
Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice informed the Lok Sabha that the Law Ministry has accepted its recommendation to establish regional benches of the Supreme Court across India. Let's look into it...
Why should India have regional benches of the Supreme Court?
[1] Speedy disposal of cases: The former Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu once in his speech has suggested that the Supreme Court institute four regional Benches to tackle the enormous backlog of cases, and to ensure their speedy disposal.
[2] Ensure equal opportunities: It has been pointed out that Article 39A says that the state shall ensure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on a basis of equal opportunity.
[3] Cost effective for litigants: It is obvious that travelling to New Delhi or engaging expensive Supreme Court counsel to pursue a case is beyond the means of most litigants.
[4] Increasing appeal rate: There was a correlation between geographical proximity to the Supreme Court and appeal rate. It is to be noted that the appeals from the High Court of Punjab and Haryana comprised a large portion of the total appeals, with no appeals from the High Courts of the North East.
👑 Decoding World Affairs
[1] Speedy disposal of cases: The former Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu once in his speech has suggested that the Supreme Court institute four regional Benches to tackle the enormous backlog of cases, and to ensure their speedy disposal.
[2] Ensure equal opportunities: It has been pointed out that Article 39A says that the state shall ensure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on a basis of equal opportunity.
[3] Cost effective for litigants: It is obvious that travelling to New Delhi or engaging expensive Supreme Court counsel to pursue a case is beyond the means of most litigants.
[4] Increasing appeal rate: There was a correlation between geographical proximity to the Supreme Court and appeal rate. It is to be noted that the appeals from the High Court of Punjab and Haryana comprised a large portion of the total appeals, with no appeals from the High Courts of the North East.
👑 Decoding World Affairs
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Decoding World Affairs
Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice informed the Lok Sabha that the Law Ministry has accepted its recommendation to establish regional benches of the Supreme Court across India. Let's look into it...
Challenges associated with regional branches of the Supreme Court
[1] Dilute the prestige of SC: The Supreme Court has not agreed with the proposal, which in its opinion will dilute the sacrosanct nature of the Supreme Court.
[2] Break unitary character: A full court of the Supreme Court on the administrative side, headed by Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan, had turned down a plea seeking regional benches, and had said that dividing the Supreme Court would ‘break its unitary character.’
[3] Increase pendency of cases: With reduced costs involved in the litigation process and easier access, the introduction of regional benches could worsen the pendency.
[4] Differs in legal principles: With more benches in different regions, there will be more litigation, and in turn, the risk of a larger body of changing legal principles.
👑 Decoding World Affairs
[1] Dilute the prestige of SC: The Supreme Court has not agreed with the proposal, which in its opinion will dilute the sacrosanct nature of the Supreme Court.
[2] Break unitary character: A full court of the Supreme Court on the administrative side, headed by Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan, had turned down a plea seeking regional benches, and had said that dividing the Supreme Court would ‘break its unitary character.’
[3] Increase pendency of cases: With reduced costs involved in the litigation process and easier access, the introduction of regional benches could worsen the pendency.
[4] Differs in legal principles: With more benches in different regions, there will be more litigation, and in turn, the risk of a larger body of changing legal principles.
👑 Decoding World Affairs
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Decoding World Affairs
Let's infer the recent national poll in Pakistan...
Key takeaways from elections in Pakistan
[1] Dominance of Imran Khan: The Pakistan elections is that the vote belongs to the PTI and Mr. Khan, even though the party did not have a level playing field. Mr. Khan has been arrested and just before the elections, two court verdicts barred him from contesting in elections. Also the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) debarred the PTI from contesting as a party. Despite all the above odds, the PTI-backed candidates won 93 seats for the National Assembly, 18 more than the PML-N.
[2] Wishes of Pakistan army prevails: Pakistan's army wanted the PML-N to win, especially in Punjab, and expected its pre-election political engineering to dent the widespread support for Mr. Khan and the PTI. Whether the vote is what it wanted, or against its plan, the Establishment will continue its political engineering. And political parties will fall in line; those who refuse, will face the wall and the jails.
[3] Nawaz’s diminishing returns: Nawaz Sharif came back to Pakistan on the Establishment’s approval. The plan was that Mr. Sharif’s return would increase the PML-N’s chances and dent PTI’s, especially in Punjab. However, the return of Mr. Sharif has not catapulted the PML-N back into the driver’s seat — either at the national level or in Punjab.
[4] Continuing political instability: Now the PPP and PML-N have agreed to form a government at the national level, along with other political parties minus the PTI. The PTI, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and a few other regional parties have already announced filing cases in courts, renouncing the results, and taking to the streets.
[5] Regional parties losing relevance: At the national level, except for the MQM-P (14 seats for the national assembly and 28 for the Sindh provincial assembly), no other regional party from the Sindh, Balochistan and KP have made an impact. The JI could not win a single seat for the national assembly.
♛ Decoding World Affairs
[1] Dominance of Imran Khan: The Pakistan elections is that the vote belongs to the PTI and Mr. Khan, even though the party did not have a level playing field. Mr. Khan has been arrested and just before the elections, two court verdicts barred him from contesting in elections. Also the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) debarred the PTI from contesting as a party. Despite all the above odds, the PTI-backed candidates won 93 seats for the National Assembly, 18 more than the PML-N.
[2] Wishes of Pakistan army prevails: Pakistan's army wanted the PML-N to win, especially in Punjab, and expected its pre-election political engineering to dent the widespread support for Mr. Khan and the PTI. Whether the vote is what it wanted, or against its plan, the Establishment will continue its political engineering. And political parties will fall in line; those who refuse, will face the wall and the jails.
[3] Nawaz’s diminishing returns: Nawaz Sharif came back to Pakistan on the Establishment’s approval. The plan was that Mr. Sharif’s return would increase the PML-N’s chances and dent PTI’s, especially in Punjab. However, the return of Mr. Sharif has not catapulted the PML-N back into the driver’s seat — either at the national level or in Punjab.
[4] Continuing political instability: Now the PPP and PML-N have agreed to form a government at the national level, along with other political parties minus the PTI. The PTI, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and a few other regional parties have already announced filing cases in courts, renouncing the results, and taking to the streets.
[5] Regional parties losing relevance: At the national level, except for the MQM-P (14 seats for the national assembly and 28 for the Sindh provincial assembly), no other regional party from the Sindh, Balochistan and KP have made an impact. The JI could not win a single seat for the national assembly.
♛ Decoding World Affairs
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♛ Decoding World Affairs
1. Visionary decision making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic. (Link: https://decodingworldaffairs.com/visionary-decision-making-happens-at-the-intersection-of-intuition-and-logic/)
2. Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school (Link: https://decodingworldaffairs.com/education-is-what-remains-after-one-has-forgotten-what-one-has-learned-in-school/)
3. Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands – two equally harmful disciplines (Link: https://decodingworldaffairs.com/girls-are-weighed-down-by-restrictions-boys-with-demands-two-equally-harmful-disciplines/)
4. A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity (Link: https://decodingworldaffairs.com/a-society-that-has-more-justice-is-a-society-that-needs-less-charity/)
5. Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposition (Link: https://decodingworldaffairs.com/thinking-is-like-a-game-it-does-not-begin-unless-there-is-an-opposite-team/)
6. Not all who wander are lost (Link: https://decodingworldaffairs.com/not-all-who-wander-are-lost/)
7. Mathematics is the music of reason (Link: https://decodingworldaffairs.com/mathematics-is-the-music-of-reasons/)
8. Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane (Link: https://decodingworldaffairs.com/inspiration-for-creativity-springs-from-the-effort-to-look-for-the-magical-in-the-mundane/)
♛ Decoding World Affairs
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