CURRENT AFFAIRS
04 November 2020
NATIONAL NEWS:
A) Rajiv Gandhi murder case: Probe into larger conspiracy does not concern convicts already in jail, says SC.
On 3 November, the Supreme Court has said the Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) investigation into the larger conspiracy behind Rajiv Gandhi assassination in 1991 need not deter the Tamil Nadu Governor from deciding the plea for pardon of convicts such as A.G. Perarivalan, who have been serving their sentence in jail for over two decades. Turning to Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, the judge asked this larger conspiracy investigation is pending for the past 20 years. The court was responding to submissions made by Mr. Nataraj that the scope of the MDMA probe extended to many countries and was still on. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, for Mr. Perarivalan, said the status reports filed about the MDMA probe was a copy-paste of earlier such reports. The court in January this year had said the body was yet to conclude its investigation pertaining to the origin and make of the bomb which killed the former Prime Minister. The court made it clear during the hearing that it was reluctant to exercise its jurisdiction when the Governor was already seized of Mr. Perarivalan’s plea for pardon under Article 161 of the Constitution.
B) Phase II: Bihar records over 55% polling.
The second phase of elections for 94 seats across 17 districts in Bihar ended peacefully on Tuesday, though there were some reports of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) malfunctioning. The voter turnout till 6 p.m. was over 54.05 %. In the first phase poll for 71 seats, voter turnout was over 55 % – higher that the figures for the 2015 Assembly election. Meanwhile, top leaders including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the JD(U), Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav continued campaigning for the third phase of 78 seats. Addressing an election rally, Mr. Modi said he won elections because he worked to resolve the issues of mothers and sisters (among the poor). Mr. Modi also said that Bihar was all set to re-elect the NDA government to take the State to new heights. Some people ask how Mr. Modi wins elections. Mr. Modi wins elections because he works to resolve the issues of all the [poor] mothers and sisters…they bless Mr. Modi as their son who has dedicated his life for the poor, he said, while addressing a public meeting at Forbesganj in Araria district of northeast Bihar. Meanwhile, addressing a competing rally, Gandhi Congress leader and former party president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, alleging that they had looted the State and didn’t come out to help the poor migrant workers, who were forced to return home due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
C) Govt defence of land laws a bundle of lies: Gupkar alliance.
The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of around six parties in Jammu and Kashmir, on 3 November have disputed the Centre’s defence of the newly introduced land laws and described it as a bundle of lies and an attempt to change demography. The PAGD rejects the statement of the official spokesman [of November 2] as a bizarre attempt to distort facts, weave lies and mislead people, a spokesman of the Gupkar alliance said in a statement. Disputing the remarks made by government spokesman Rohit Kansal that the previous laws were archaic and regressive, the alliance spokesman said the land laws regime of Jammu and Kashmir was the most progressive, pro-people and pro-farmer in the entire Indian subcontinent. The real object of repealing the basic land laws and making massive amendments to the other laws is to push in and implement the agenda of effecting demographic change and disempowering the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
D) After U.P., Haryana, now Karnataka and M.P. mull law against ‘love jihad’.
The BJP government in Karnataka is set to follow the example of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, with Karnataka Minister and BJP National General Secretary C.T. Ravi on 3 November declaring that the State will enact a law banning religious conversions for the sake of marriage. They will not remain silent when Jihadis strip the dignity of their Sisters. Any one involved in the act of conversion shall face severe & swift punishment, Mr. Ravi tweeted. His statement comes 3 days after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s remarks that his government would bring an effective law against love jihad, a term used by the Hindu right-wing to target inter-faith relationships and marriages involving a Muslim man. Earlier, on Monday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had also said that his government will make legal arrangements to curb the alleged practice of love jihad in the state. To date, four BJP-ruled states have announced their intention to make legal provisions against love jihad.
E) Future Retail files caveat before Delhi High Court against any early move by Amazon.
Kishore Biyani led-Future Group has filed a caveat before the Delhi High Court requesting it to be heard if any plea is filed by e-commerce major Amazon over its ₹24,713 crore deal with Mukesh Ambani-led RIL. Anticipating a move by Amazon, which had got an interim arbitration award in its favour, putting the announced deal on hold, the Future Group firm has moved the Delhi High Court. A caveat is filed by a litigant in High Courts and in the Supreme Court to ensure that no adverse order is passed against the party without it being heard. The Future group firm has already served a copy of the caveat petition to Amazon, it said. On October 25, Singapore International’s Arbitration Centre (SIAC) passed an interim award in favour of Amazon, with a single-judge bench of V K Rajah barring Future Retail Ltd (FRL) from taking any step to dispose of or encumber its assets or issuing any securities to secure any funding from a restricted party. However, subsequently, in a regulatory filing, FRL said the Singapore arbitrator’s interim order against its ₹24,713 crore deal with RIL is not binding and any attempt to enforce it will be resisted.
F) Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments.
The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 82,97,920 with the death toll at 1,23,641. The Health Ministry on 3 November has said that it has asked state governments to refrain from making isolated plans for vaccine distribution. In a statement, it noted that states have been asked to create a database according to the template issued by the Central government and also take stock of the storage and transport facilities for vaccine distribution.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A) Trump vs Biden: Americans head out to vote.
It’s Election Day in the U.S., and polling has begun in a hugely consequential battle between Republican incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic challenger and former Vice President Joe Biden. As a result of the unprecedented circumstances of 2020, some 100 million Americans have already cast their ballot through mail-in voting, throwing up a number of possibilities for how the declaration of results could play out. News agencies also tackle the question of whether there will be a conclusive result on the night of 3 November in the U.S., as President Trump has repeatedly questioned the validity of mail-in voting and has already hinted that a legal challenge could be in the works.
B) China suspended 37 billion dollar stock market listing.
China has suspended the Jack Ma-led Ant Group’s $37 billion stock market listing in both Shanghai and Hong Kong in a dramatic move just two days before what was set to be the world’s largest-ever stock market debut. Ant said that its listing was suspended following a recent interview that regulators held with its founder Jack Ma and top executives. It said it may not meet listing qualifications, and also cited recent changes in the fintech regulatory environment. Ant was set to go public in Hong Kong and Shanghai on Thursday after raising about $37 billion.
