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Today's Headlines - 01 September 2023
Validity of ‘self-respect’ marriages
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)

The Supreme Court observed that there is no blanket ban on advocates solemnising “self-respect” marriages under Section 7(A) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. In doing so, a Bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Aravind Kumar set aside a 2014 ruling of the Madras High Court holding that marriages performed by the advocates are not valid and that “suyamariyathai” or “self-respect” marriages cannot be solemnised in secrecy.

What are ‘self-respect’ marriages?

On 17 January 1968, the Hindu Marriage (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 1967, received the President’s approval and became the law.
This amendment modified the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, by inserting Section 7-A into it. However, it extended only to the state of Tamil Nadu.
Section 7-A deals with the special provision on “self-respect and secular marriages”.
It legally recognised “any marriage between any two Hindus”, which can be referred to as “suyamariyathai” or “seerthiruththa marriage” or by any other name.
Such marriages are solemnised in the presence of relatives, friends, or other persons, with parties declaring each other to be husband or wife, in a language understood by them.
Further, each party to the marriage garlands the other or puts a ring on the other’s finger or ties a “thali” or mangal sutra. However, such marriages are also required to be registered as per the law.
The rationale behind the Tamil Nadu government amending the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, to include “suyamariyathai” or “self-respect” marriages, was to radically simplify weddings by shunning the need for mandatory Brahmin priests, holy fire and saptapadi (seven steps).
This allowed marriages to be declared in the presence of the couple’s friends or family or any other persons. In a nutshell, the amendment was made to do away with the need for priests and rituals, which were otherwise required to complete wedding ceremonies.
In its recent order, the Supreme Court allowed a petition challenging a Madras High Court order dated 5 May where the court had ordered the initiation of disciplinary action against the advocates who solemnised such marriages in their offices and issued marriage certificates to consenting adults.
What has the top court ruled on ‘self-respect’ marriages in the past?

In “S. Nagalingam vs Sivagami” (2001), a bench of Justices DP Mohapatra and KG Balakrishnan recognised the petitioner’s marriage with his wife to be a valid one despite the ceremony of “saptapadi” or seven steps around the sacred fire, not taking place.
Clarifying that the parties in the present case did not consider the “saptapadi” ceremony to be as essential as per their personal law, the court said that Section 7-A of the Hindu Marriage Act (Tamil Nadu State Amendment) would apply instead.
The main thrust of this provision is that the presence of a priest is not necessary for the performance of a valid marriage. Parties can enter into a marriage in the presence of relatives or friends or other persons and each party to the marriage should declare in the language understood by the parties that each takes the other to be his wife or, as the case may be, her husband and the marriage would be completed by a simple ceremony requiring the parties to the marriage to garland each other or put a ring upon any finger of the other or tie a thali,” the court had observed in its ruling.

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Today's Headlines - 02 September 2023
Govt forms committee on simultaneous elections
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)

The government has constituted a committee headed by former president of India Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibility of “one nation, one election” on 1 September 2023. Over the years, the Prime Minister has pushed for the idea of simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls.

What are the arguments around holding simultaneous elections?

There are pros and cons here. Making polls simultaneous would address various concerns, such as reducing the cost of holding elections and limiting all elections to a single season.
At present, there is an election in one state or the other at almost any given time, and those who favour simultaneous polls argue that the Model Code of Conduct gets in the way of the government announcing projects or policy plans.
Against the idea, the arguments include the complexity of such an exercise, the widely held view that simultaneous polls would benefit the nationally dominant party at the cost of regional players, and the complications that would arise if any of the governments were to collapse before completing its term. Leave alone state legislatures, even the central government could fall.
Of the Lok Sabhas since 1952, many were dissolved ahead of schedule — such as in 1971, 1980, 1984, 1991, 1998, 1999 and 2004.
There would also be logistical issues, requiring about twice as many electronic voting machines and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines.
Has the idea of simultaneous polls been explored before?

The Election Commission had suggested back in 1983 that such a system be worked out.
The Law Commission headed by Justice B P Jeevan Reddy, in its 170th Report in May 1999, stated, “We must go back to the situation where the elections to Lok Sabha and all the Legislative Assemblies are held at once”.
In 2003, then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took up the issue with Congress president Sonia Gandhi. She appeared initially receptive, but the idea did not take off from there.
In 2010, BJP leader LK Advani met with then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and then wrote in his blog: “I found both of them (PM and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee) receptive to a proposal I have been advocating for quite some time: fixed term legislatures and simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.”
Sunil Arora also said in 2019, that the EC would be supportive of the idea. “Yes, we would also prefer it. And this is not a bureaucratic statement, just saying we agree in principle, etc.”

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Today's Headlines - 04 September 2023
NITI Aayog, UNDP join hands to fast-track SDGs
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)

Central think tank NITI Aayog and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a memorandum of understanding to formalise a cooperative framework to fast-track India's pursuit to achieve its sustainable development goals (SDGs), the Aayog said.

More about the memorandum of understanding

The memorandum of understanding will focus on the two organisations' cooperation on a range of areas, including SDG localisation, data-driven monitoring, Aspirational Districts and Blocks, among others.
Over the years, NITI Aayog and UNDP's collaboration has grown from strength to strength. This partnership would foster data-driven policy interventions and programmatic action.
NITI Aayog is the nodal body for the monitoring of SDGs in India and reviews the process through a nationwide SDG index. The memorandum of understanding between the think tank and UNDP was signed for a period of years.
Midway to 2030, India's leadership is critical for making the SDGs a reality. India nearly halved multidimensional poverty between 2015-2016 and 2019-2021, demonstrating that despite complex challenges, accelerating progress towards the Goals is possible.
Through this memorandum of understanding with NITI Aayog, UNDP will also provide support for NITI Aayog's work on women's livelihoods, innovation, and Mission LiFE.

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Today's Headlines - 10 September 2023
Supreme Court restores party symbol for Ladakh
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)

The Supreme Court on 6 September 2023 restored to the National Conference, its party symbol – the plough – after the Ladakh administration refused to allot the symbol to the party’s candidates for the upcoming election to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) in Kargil.

How did the matter of the symbol for NC candidates reach the courts?

With the announcement of the LAHDC polls for Kargil, the election commissioner for the UT of Ladakh refused to allot the symbol of the plough to the NC.
In its arguments against reserving the plough symbol for the NC, the Ladakh administration said that no state party, including the NC, is a recognised party in Ladakh, and that the NC could therefore not claim its plough symbol in the UT.
However, the NC challenged this decision in the High Court of J&K and Ladakh and the courts ruled in their favour.
The NC and Congress have a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming election to 26 seats in the Hill Council. Polls for the council were slated for 10 September 2023 however the 6 September 2023 order by the Supreme Court is likely to push the election further.
What is the LAHDC?

The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils were constituted under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997.
For effective governance in the districts comprising Ladakh – Leh and Kargil – two councils were constituted in 1995 (LAHDC, Leh) and 2003 (LAHDC, Kargil). The law was deemed to come into force from June 1995.
What are the powers of the LAHDC?

Powers to both councils include drafting development plans for the region, formulation of budgets for both districts, implementation of movement schemes, promotion of language and culture, public health, education, local road transport and its development among other concerns.
Small-scale industries, non-conventional energy and tourism also form part of the 28 subjects under the LAHDC’s ambit in governance in the Ladakh region.
The Hill Councils also have the authority to levy and collect taxes and other fees in their jurisdiction.

#upsc #news #headline #supreme #court #restores #party #symbol #ladakh #polity #national #conference #LAHDC #polls #kargil #NC #JAMMUANDKASHMIR #hill #council #seat #agreement #autonomous #hilldevelopment #poblic #health #education #culture #localroad #transport #smallscale #industries #levy #taxes #fees #jurisdiction
Session 03 | PT Shala with Dr A R Khan | UPSC Prelims 2025 | 23 Oct 9pm | KSG India

In this Session Dr A R Khan would be taking the "DPSPs and Fundamental Duties" Segment of POLITY Subject for UPSC Civil Services Prelims Examination 2025.

https://youtube.com/live/avgtE0DjvN4

A must watch LIVE Session streaming From 9pm.
Session 04 | PT Shala with Dr A R Khan | UPSC Prelims 2025 | 24 Oct 9pm | KSG India

In this Session Dr A R Khan would be taking the "Parliament and Budgetary Provisions" Segment of POLITY Subject for UPSC Civil Services Prelims Examination 2025.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS8y4q150Qc

A must watch LIVE Session streaming From 9pm.
Session 04 | PT Shala with Dr A R Khan | UPSC Prelims 2025 | 24 Oct 9pm | KSG India

https://youtube.com/live/jS8y4q150Qc

In this Session Dr A R Khan would be taking the "Parliament and Budgetary Provisions" Segment of POLITY Subject for UPSC Civil Services Prelims Examination 2025.

A must watch LIVE Session streaming From 9pm.
Session 05 | PT Shala with Dr A R Khan | UPSC Prelims 2025 | 25 Oct 9pm | KSG India

In this Session Dr A R Khan would be taking the "Parliament and Budgetary Provisions" Segment of POLITY Subject for UPSC Civil Services Prelims Examination 2025.

https://youtube.com/live/ZKtC_bCLqb8?feature=share

A must watch LIVE Session streaming From 9pm.
Session 06 | PT Shala with Dr A R Khan | UPSC Prelims 2025 | 28 Oct 9pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjiiFGctjlo

In this Session Dr A R Khan would be taking the "Union Executive & Emergency" Segment of POLITY Subject for UPSC Civil Services Prelims Examination 2025.

Note: From tonight PT Shala LIVE STREAMS will be archived at 11:59pm for MEMBERS ONLY Section. Make sure you attend it LIVE (Free). Though you may Join The Channel and Subscribe for PT Shala Members Only Section.
Session 7 | PT Shala with Dr A R Khan | UPSC Prelims 2025 | 29 Oct 9pm | KSG India

https://youtube.com/live/TXDiRxlkW7g

In this Session Dr A R Khan would be taking the "Judiciary" Segment of POLITY Subject for UPSC Civil Services Prelims Examination 2025.

A must watch LIVE Session streaming From 9pm.