Contents:
- How to Crack TNPSC: Use Disappearing Ink, Re-marked Answer Sheets
- Aspirants with Criminal past should not get Ticket: EC tells SC
- Cane Farmers Flag Brazil’s WTO Case Against India
- Gujarat High Court holds IGST on ocean freight ‘ultra vires’
- “Vyom Mitra”-ISRO’s half Humanoid-An experimental mission of Gaganyaan
- GoI launches “Seismic Hazard Microzonation” to minimize earthquake disasters
HOW TO CRACK TNPSC: USE DISAPPEARING INK, RE-MARKED ANSWER SHEETS
Why in news?
The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) on Friday debarred 99 candidates for life on charges of indulging in malpractice in the Group IV Services examination conducted on September 1, 2019
ASPIRANTS WITH CRIMINAL PAST SHOULD NOT GET TICKET, EC TELLS SC
Why in news?
- The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine a proposition made by the Election Commission (EC) to ask political parties to not give ticket to those with criminal antecedents
- The Supreme Court’s long string of judgments against criminalization of politics had hardly scratched
‘Cleansing parties’
- The judgment had urged Parliament to bring a “strong law” to cleanse political parties of leaders facing trial for serious crimes
- The ruling by a five judge Bench led by then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra concluded that rapid criminalization of politics cannot be arrested by merely disqualifying tainted legislators but should begin by “cleansing” the political parties
CANE FARMERS FLAG BRAZIL’S WTO CASE AGAINST INDIA
Why in news?
Several farmers groups have demanded that the government push Brazil to withdraw its complaint against India’s sugar pricing policies at the World Trade Organisation
Challenge to price
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements (ICCFM) noted that “the Brazilian government, under the leadership of Mr. Bolsonaro,is directly threatening the livelihoods of five crore Indian sugarcane farmers” by challenging the minimum price for sugarcane set by the Indian government.
GUJARAT HIGH COURT HOLDS IGST ON OCEAN FREIGHT ‘ULTRA VIRES’
Why in news?
- The High Court of Gujarat has declared the imposition of integrated goods and services tax (IGST) on ocean freight as ultra vires and held that such a levy was not permissible under the law.
- The landmark judgment has brought about major relief to the importing community as this tax was mired in controversies leading to its challenge before the high court
- Court reached the conclusion that no tax is leviable under the integrated goods and services tax (IGST) Act 2017 on ocean freight for the services provided by a person located in a non-taxable territory by way of transportation of goods by a vessel from a place outside India up to customs station of clearance in India
- They also submitted that IGST on ocean freight amounted to double taxation and hence, unconstitutional.
What is ‘ultra vires’?
Ultra vires is a Latin phrase meaning “beyond the powers”. An act which requires legal authority but is done without it, is characterized in law as ultra vires.
“VYOM MITRA”-ISRO’S HALF HUMANOID-AN EXPERIMENTAL MISSION OF GAGANYAAN
Why in news?
- ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) is to send a half-humanoid robot called the “Vyom Mitra” as an experimental mission to Gaganyaan
- Vyom Mitra means a friend in Sky.
Details
- Presented in “Human Space Flight and Exploration-Present Challenges and Future Trends” seminar that was held in Bengaluru
- The robot can mimic human activities such as recognizing other humans and responding to them in two languages namely Hindi and English.
GOI LAUNCHES “SEISMIC HAZARD MICROZONATION” TO MINIMIZE EARTHQUAKE DISASTERS
Why in news?
The Ministry of Earth Science has launched Seismic Hazard Microzonation project in major cities of India. The project aims to reduce hazards of seismic activities by putting in adequate measures
What is Seismic Hazard Microzonation?
- The process of dividing earth quake prone areas based on certain factors like geological and geophysical characteristics of sites .
- They are ground shaking, landslide, liquefaction susceptibility, rock fall hazard and flooding caused due to earth quakes.
- Based on the division, mitigation measures are prepared to minimise the losses.
- In India So far, the mapping has been done in the State of Sikkim and in other eight cities of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Dehra Dun, Delhi, , Gandhi Dham, Guwahati, Jabalpur and Kolkata .
- The technique gives better mitigatory measures as it helps to understand the impact of seismic activities precisely.
- In certain places where no reliable prediction model can be implemented, it is essential to adopt preventive measures.
