Page 15 - Indian Constitution

PM to attend Constitution Day celebrations, launch initiatives on Saturday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in Constitution Day celebrations in the Supreme Court on Saturday, his office said. Since 2015, November 26 is observed as Constitution Day to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India by the Constituent Assembly in 1949. Earlier, the day was observed as Law Day. During the programme, the prime minister will launch new initiatives under the e-court project, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on Friday. The e-court project is an effort to provide services to litigants, lawyers and the judiciary through information and communication technology enabled courts, the statement pointed out. The initiatives being launched by Prime Minister Modi include 'virtual justice clock', 'JustIS' mobile app 2.0, digital court and 'S3WaaS' websites. The virtual justice clock is an initiative to exhibit vital statistics of the justice delivery system at the court level, giving the details of cases instituted, cases disposed

What makes state governors so important in India?

States governed by opposition parties are constantly in the news for their brushes with governors. What does the Constitution say about the governor? And what is the role of a governor? Let's find out

Ambedkar in his labyrinth

In Ambedkar: A Life, a comparatively short biography of the leader, Shashi Tharoor nails the pretentious nature of Ambedkar's appropriation by many

Election commission needs a person like the late T N Seshan to lead it: SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the Constitution has vested enormous powers on the "fragile shoulder" of the chief election commissioner and the two election commissioners and it wants a CEC of strong character like late T N Seshan. Seshan was a former cabinet secretary to the Union government and was appointed as the election commissioner (EC) on December 12, 1990 with a tenure till December 11, 1996. He completed his six-year tenure and died on November 10, 2019. A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Justice K M Joseph, said its endeavour is to put a system in place so that the "best man" is selected as the CEC. "There have been numerous CECs and T N Seshan happens once in a while. We do not want anyone to bulldoze him. Enormous power has been vested on the fragile shoulder of three men (two ECs and the CEC). We have to find the best man for the post of CEC. The question is how do we find that best man and how to appoint that best man," the bench, also comprising justices .

Infosys Science Foundation names winners of 14th Prize in six categories

The Infosys Prize focuses on the achievements of the recipients and awards them for their contributions to science and research impacting India

Market regulator Sebi plans to streamline disclosure framework

Suggests halving disclosure timeline to 12 hours; proposes mandating top 250 listed firms to confirm/deny media reports

With new Parliament building to welcome MPs soon, here's what will change

In the new Parliament House, with a soft launch this winter session (the full functionality will happen in January in the budget session), papers are supposed to disappear among other things

Delhi LG nod to prosecute activists for burning copies of Constitution

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has given his nod to prosecute two activists for allegedly burning copies of the Constitution and insulting the SC/ST community during a protest in 2018, sources said on Tuesday. Saxena has approved the prosecution of the accused under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Delhi Police sources said. The accused had also uploaded videos of the protests on social media, they said. The L-G has given sanction to prosecute the accused persons in the case registered on August 10 under sections of the SC/ST (POA) Act and Prevention of Insults to National Honours Act, 1971. These are special statutes and police require L-G nod to book the accused under the acts. "Taking a very serious view against incidents of insults to Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes and the Constitution, the L-G has sanctioned prosecution of the accused -- Krishan Mohan Rai and Ashutosh Kumar -- activists of 'Youth Equality Foundation' and 'Aaraks

Here's all you need to know about basic structure of Indian Constitution

Out of five judges on Supreme Court bench, Justices Dinesh Maheshwari, Bela M Trivedi and J B Pardiwala agreed that the EWS amendment does not violate the 'basic structure of the Constitution'

Supreme Court to pronounce verdict on EWS quota today; What we know so far

On January 12, 2019, the government of India amended the Constitution to provide a 10 per cent reservation to the candidates from the general category that belong to the EWS

Soli Sorabjee was true legal and constitutional philosopher: CJI U U Lalit

Chief Justice of India (CJI) U U Lalit on Monday said late jurist Soli Sorabjee was a true legal and constitutional philosopher as well as a social engineer. Speaking at the release of a book titled "Soli Sorabjee - A Great Maestro", the CJI said he worked as a junior lawyer in Sorabji's chambers for about five-and-a-half years and every case that the renowned jurist argued set an example for his juniors. "All his cases bring goosebumps to me. These cases were milestones in my career. I have spent five-and-a-half years with this legendary man, who was a true legal and constitutional philosopher, a social engineer. Whenever an opportunity came by, he never lost it and utilised the most of it," the CJI said. Justice D Y Chandrachud also spoke on the occasion and said Sorabjee brought a joyous zest of human experience to the solemnity of law. "It is said that the fields of mimicry, jazz music suffered a great loss when Sorabjee decided to join law," Justice Chandrachud said. Sorabji'

Kerala guv writes to CM Vijayan, wants finance minister Balagopal sacked

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, in a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday, informed that he has "ceased to enjoy pleasure" in Finance Minister KN Balagopal

Merger of group of 8 Cong MLAs with BJP in Goa as per constitution: Speaker

The recent move by a group of eight Congress MLAs in Goa to merge with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was as per the constitutional norms, state Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar said. Tawadkar told PTI that the political dynamics has changed in recent times and politics is now more "vibrant". On September 14 this year, eight out of the 11 Congress MLAs in Goa joined the BJP. They had passed a resolution to merge the Congress Legislature Party with the BJP. Asked about the last month's political development, Tawadkar said the merger was as per the constitutional provisions. A group of two-third MLAs split from the party and merged with the BJP. Everything went as per the rule book, he said. Tawadkar said when the split took place in the Congress, he was in Delhi but rushed back to Goa capital Panaji the same day and completed the formalities. It happened all of sudden. I presume even they had taken the decision suddenly, he said. Asked whether it is healthy in a democracy for

Supreme Court rejects plea seeking declaration of cow as national animal

'It is not the job of the court to decide on such matters,' the SC bench commented while enquiring which fundamental right of the petitioner was affected

SC refuses to entertain plea seeking display of Preamble at public places

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking directions to the Centre, States and Union Territories to display the Preamble to the Constitution in local languages at public places and in government offices to enhance the spirit of fraternity, saying it is for the government to do. The apex court said there is something which has to be left to the government on how to go about it. "Some people are really enterprising. Get elected and do this. This is not the place for it," a bench of Justices S K Kaul and A S Oka told the advocate representing the Maharashtra-based petitioner. "If we get into it....where preamble will be displayed, where Constitution will be displayed. It is not our job," the bench observed. It told the lawyer appearing for petitioner, Z A N Ahmad Peerzade, that either the petition be withdrawn or the court will dismiss it. The counsel said he would withdraw the petition. The plea, filed through advocate M R Shamshad, had sought direction to t

SC begins live streaming of constitutional bench cases on Sept 27

Check https://webcast.gov.in/scindia/ to view the proceedings

Article 143: What are constitution benches; when and why are they formed

Article 143 of the Indian Constitution defines the conditions in which a constitution bench can be formed

Keep BJP out of power to safeguard Constitution, says Sitaram Yechury

CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Sunday said BJP should be kept out of power to safeguard the Constitution and guaranteed rights to people, Speaking to reporters here, he said the saffron party has no role in Hyderabad Liberation and is trying to distort history. If you want to save India as a secular, democratic republic, if you want to safeguard the Indian Constitution and guaranteed rights are provided to the people, if I want to ensure that official agencies are not misused to be the political pals of the ruling party, you have to keep the BJP away from wielding political power and government control, he said replying to a query. He said Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) rally on September 25 and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's meetings with various leaders are some of the initiatives to bring in secular parties for a common agenda. Yechury said the BJP is trying to create confusion on the annexure of Hyderabad State by distorting facts. He said the BJP wants to c

Benami Law: What is the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988?

Introduced in 1988 and amended in 2016, the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act prohibits Benami transactions and gives the government the right to recover Benami property

Additional protocol to Universal Postal Union constitution ratified

The Union Cabinet approved the ratification of amendments to the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union as contained in the Eleventh Additional Protocol to the Constitution