QBullet: SC Crisis Hits Wall; EC Declares Poll Dates for NE States
Here’s a roundup of the top headlines of the day.
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1. Judges’ Talks Hit Wall
The second round of talks between the Chief Justice of India and the next four senior judges hit an impasse on Thursday.
Chief Justice Dipak Misra is understood to hold that his administrative powers as "the master of the roster" cannot be diluted in any manner.
The issues raised by the four judges revolve around the allocation of cases, which is covered by the administrative powers of the CJI.
The roster is the list of cases prepared by the Supreme Court registry for the different benches. Although the list is computer-generated, the CJI has a certain degree of discretion in allocation. The four judges had earlier complained that senior judges had been ignored in the allocation of several key cases.
(Source: The Telegraph)
2. Padmaavat Row: Rajasthan, Haryana May Appeal Against SC Ruling; Bihar Cinema Hall Vandalised
After the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the ban on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama Padmaavat in four states, the first signs of unrest were visible as protesters vandalised a cinema hall in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur.
Reacting to the development, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said they might appeal against the decision after going through the SC judgment. The governments of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana had banned the Shahid Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh-starrer from releasing in their states.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. BJP’s Northeast Policy Faces Test in Elections in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s push to expand its presence in the country’s Northeast will be put to test when Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura go to the polls in February.
The Election Commission on Thursday announced the election dates – 18 February for Tripura and 27 February for Meghalaya and Nagaland. The results will be declared on 3 March.
The BJP’s “Northeast policy” took off in 2016 when it ended the Congress party’s 15-year rule in Assam to form a coalition government with two regional parties.
The party then took over Arunachal Pradesh from the Congress through a regional party. Last year, the BJP virtually snatched Manipur from the Congress that got more seats in the assembly election but was late to stitch a coalition.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. Even Dhoni's UID Details Public, List Privacy Safeguards, Says SC
The Centre will need to assure the Supreme Court that data collected under Aadhaar is fully protected and cannot be misused to ensure its ambitious scheme passes muster, with the apex court on Thursday asking what is the nature of the safeguard to prevent sale of information by private operators.
With a nine-judge bench last year declaring the right to privacy a fundamental right and asking the government to prepare a robust data protection regime, the apex court's Constitution bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan asked whether the government had taken measures to protect data related to Aadhaar.
(Source: Times of India)
5. Israel Loves Bollywood…I Love Bollywood: Benjamin Netanyahu
“Pyaare doston, namaskar. Shalom. I used to think I was a big deal, and then I found out that Amitabh Bachchan has 30 million more Twitter followers than I do. And I added up the followings of all the other Bollywood stars who are here today, and let’s just say that you guys are a big deal. The reason for that is that the world loves Bollywood. And Israel loves Bollywood — I love Bollywood,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said to a hall full of actors and filmmakers gathered at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom in Mumbai Thursday evening.
Prior to his visit to India to celebrate 25 years of diplomatic ties between India and Israel, Netanyahu’s initiative to invite Bollywood to shoot films in Israel was well known and advertised.
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. Prakash Raj: I am Anti-Modi, Anti-Shah, Anti-Hegde. They are Not Hindus
Actor Prakash Raj on Thursday launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for staying silent over the recent attacks taking place under the garb of religious sensitivities in the country. “They call me anti-Hindu but I am anti-Modi, anti-Shah, anti-Hegde. They are not Hindus. People who support killing are not Hindus,” the actor said.
Speaking at the India Today South Conclave in Hyderabad, the actor who has often criticised the government in the past said, “When Gauri Lankesh was killed, some people celebrated the murder. These were people who were being followed by PM Modi. Whether I have voted for him or not, he is my prime minister. He must speak up against these people. He must pull up his minister for saying that they are here to change the Constitution.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. Govt, Cong Clash on Doklam
The foreign ministry has denied any change in status quo at the erstwhile standoff site on the Doklam plateau, following reports of a Chinese build-up in the area.
The statement, though, keeps open the possibility of activity in the neighbourhood.
On Wednesday, army chief Bipin Rawat had confirmed that the Chinese military had carried out infrastructure development at Doklam but said most of it was "temporary".
He had also said that the bonhomie between the two sides had returned to the levels seen before last summer's 72-day troops standoff on the plateau, located at the tri-junction with China and Bhutan.
(Source: The Telegraph)
8. Court: Issue Arrest Warrant Against Mallya in Kingfisher Airlines Case
A court has directed issuance of arrest warrant against defaulter businessman Vijay Mallya and 18 others in the Kingfisher Airlines case, on a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).
The probe agency, which comes under the corporate affairs ministry, has come across various violations of companies law in the case related to Kingfisher Airlines, which was grounded in 2012.
A Special Court, constituted under the Companies Act, in Bengaluru has directed issuance of arrest warrants against Mallya and 18 others, according to a court document. Mallya, who has been based in the UK for a long time, is wanted in India for Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crore and some other matters.
(Source: Times of India)
9. To Protest Sealing, Green Park, Hauz Khas, GK-1, South Ex Markets to Remain Shut
Prominent south Delhi markets will remain shut on Friday to protest against the ongoing sealing drive by the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee in city.
Traders, under the banner of the Federation of Local Shopping Complexes and markets, will shut their shops in Greater Kailash-I and II, South Extension Part-1 and 2, Kailash Colony, Defence Colony, Green Park, Hauz Khas and Meharchand Market.
Traders said it would be a silent protest with no demonstration. They will also meet the press at 12 noon.
Vijay Kumar, a member of South Extension Part I Traders’ association, said that the protest will mainly focus on three points.
“First, to stop the sealing drive till 30 June (the date notified by the centre for taking the benefit of reduced use conversion charge at Rs 22, 274), second, to increase the floor area ratio (FAR) up to 300 and third, to de-seal the basements targeted recently despite payment for the additional FAR (at Rs 4,375 per square metre) and conversion charges (at Rs 6,138 per square metre),” he said.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
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