After an entire week, we have collected trending news and legal affairs in our Weekly wrap- up. With big- time controversies, drowning currencies, rising politics and perpetuating crimes; India had witnessed a lot of events taking place this whole time. Therefore, we have tried to wrap it up in our article. In this article, click on the attached links in each weekly update to read the entire story.
1. National Emblem & Controversy around Ashoka Pillar
The controversy arose upon the installation and unveiling of the 9.5-tonne national emblem cast atop the new Parliament building in Delhi and alleged modification of “Fangs of the Furious Lions” on the National Emblem. Now, the question is "Is BJP changing the face of India by modifying the Ashoka’s lions, and turning it around a complete 180° in order to make it look more fierce?" Well! Section 6(2)(f) of the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005 gives the power to the government to make changes in the design of the emblem. However, it only refers to changes in the design and not changes in the state emblem itself.
2. Droupadi Murmu: First Tribal President of India
India scripted history after Droupadi Murmu became the first tribal President of India. Her election as a President was absolutely one- sided and was not contested at all. On defeating the Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha, she also became the second woman President of India. The Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha was with Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress who was picked up as a candidate after Farooq Abdullah, Sharad Pawar & Gopakrishna Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson) refused to run for the post. The counting process for the votes in the Presidential election continued for more than 10 hours and in the end, the returning officer P C Mody declared Murmu as the winner and said that she got 6,76,803 votes against Sinha's 3,80,177 votes. Interestingly, Droupadi Murmu is the first President to be born after independence and is the youngest to occupy the President’s post.
3. Why is the Rupee falling against the US Dollars?
India has been a major importer of crude oil which is used in the making of FMCG products & Iraq, Saudi Arabia & UAE are the leading sources of Crude Oil imports for India. The Indian currency's value is highly dependent on demand & supply. So increase in the prices of crude oil & heavy imports is leading to the depreciation of the value of the Indian currency. If a country imports more than it exports, then the demand for the dollar will be higher than the supply, and the domestic currency like Indian Rupee will depreciate against the dollar. With the rupee dropping to 80 against the dollar, its year-to-date fall has reached about 7%.
4. SC allowed abortion at 24 weeks to unmarried women
Do the distinction between married and unmarried women matter in cases of abortion? The Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Surya Kant and A S Bopanna while emphasizing on the distinction in law between a married and an unmarried woman stated that the distinction must have no bearing on the right to terminate a pregnancy, it allowed an unmarried woman whose relationship status changed during the pregnancy to terminate her 24-week foetus. It is clearly made out by our Indian Constitution that a woman's right to reproductive choice is an inseparable part of her personal liberty under Article 21.
5. Extradition Law in India in context to Abu Salem case
The instance of Extradition recently came up in Abu Salem’s Case. India’s diplomatic relation with the Portugal Government and its commitment in the case were discussed and made to the leading newspaper headlines. Abu Salem is a notorious gangster currently serving multiple life sentences under separate cases. Salem was one of six individuals found guilty in 2017 under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act of being responsible for the explosions in Mumbai in 1993 that left 257 people dead and 713 wounded.
6. Presidential Election and Salary of the President
Whether it’s the philosopher President Dr Radhakrishnan, a passionate educationist Dr Zakir Hussain, or the people’s Presidents Dr APJ Abdul Kalam & Raisina Hill, they all have been some of the finest brains ever produced in our country. Under Article 52 of our Indian Constitution, the President is the first citizen and head of the Indian state. He acts as the symbol of the integrity and solidarity of the nation. So, in this article, we will be discussing the perks & privileges of the President, i.e., their salaries, post-retirement benefits & salaries of the Presidents in different countries.
Hence, the important weekly updates!