Legal Current Affairs

If you’re preparing for CLAT, Current Affairs play a significant role in securing a good score. So, you need to be updated with the daily current affairs and current happenings across the globe. Here is a list of some legal current affairs that took place this week.

SC dismissed Centre’s plea to postpone Women’s entry into NDA.

The Supreme Court has rejected a plea by the Central Government to postpone the entry of women into the National Defence Academy (NDA) till May 2022.

Key Points

• The bench led by Justice SK Kaul told Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati that it is difficult to postpone everything by a year.
• It refused to modify the August 18 interim order that allowed women candidates to appear in the NDA and the Naval Academy Examinations and train at the NDA.
• It also posted the matter for the third week of January 2022 to issue further directions, which might be needed in the case.

Centre’s view

The Centre told the supreme court that women cadets’ entry into the NDA is possible in the year 2021 because several facilities had to be developed for them before they were allowed into the academy.

Centre’s Plea in SC

The central government informed the apex court that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will release notification for women to participate in the NDA exam in May 2022. It also highlighted that the preparations to issue a notice, allowing women candidates to apply for the exams for their recruitment in the Army, Navy, and Airforce, are underway and will be released in May 2021. The Centre has also formed a committee to prepare a training curriculum for female candidates because there is a need to prepare separate aspects of training and a curriculum for women candidates.

Background

The Supreme Court allowed the women to appear for the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam on August 18, 2021, following a writ petition filed by Kush Kalra. She filed a petition seeking permission for women to sit in the NDA entrance exam while highlighting the violation of Articles 14, 15, 16, and 19 of the Constitution.

Interactive digital airspace map for drone operations released.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation released an “interactive digital airspace map” for flying drones, that demarcates areas into different zones for flying drones across India.

Highlights

• Zones for flying drones also include yellow and red zones.
• The release of the map is in line with the revamped drone rules, which are based on premises of self-certification and non-intrusive monitoring of the activities.
• Airspace maps may be modified from time to time by authorised entities.
• Under the drone rules that were notified on August 25, 2021, several permissions have been done away with. The number of forms required has been reduced from 25 to 5. Types of fees have also been drastically reduced from 74 to 4.

Zones of flying drone

• To fly the drone and for drone operations, an interactive digital airspace map divides the zones into three categories, namely, green, yellow, and red.
• The Green Zone is the airspace up to 400 feet. This zone has not been designated as a red or yellow zone.
• The Yellow Zone is the airspace above 400 feet in the designated green zone.
• The Red Zone is the area within which drones can be operated with the permission of the central government.

Significance of Drones

Drones offer several benefits to all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, infrastructure, mining, surveillance, emergency response, geo-spatial mapping, transportation, defense, and law enforcement, etc. Drones can also be significant creators of employment and economic growth because of their reach, versatility, and ease of use.

India’s potential as a drone hub

Considering the traditional strengths of India in innovation, information technology, frugal engineering, and huge domestic demand, it has the potential to become a global drone hub by 2030.

The Centre allowed IAS & IPS officers to retain gifts from Foreign Dignitaries.

The Central Government has amended a 50-year-old rule and allowed IAS, IPS, and IFoS officers to retain gifts they receive from foreign dignitaries while being members of the Indian delegation.

Highlights

• As per existing rules, these officers were allowed to accept gifts from their near relatives or from personal friends having no official dealings with them on the occasions like weddings, funerals, anniversaries, and religious functions.
• However, they are required to make a report to the government if the value of such a gift is more than Rs 25,000.
• Gifts comprise free transport, lodging, boarding, or any other service or pecuniary advantage provided by a person other than a near relative or personal friend with no official dealings.
• It does not include any casual meal, casual lift, or other social hospitality.

All India service (conduct) Rules, 1968

• As per this rule, no member of the service can accept any gift without the government’s sanctions if the value of those gifts exceeds Rs 5,000.
• This rule is applicable to officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) as well as Indian Forest Service (IFoS).
• Members of the service must avoid accepting lavish hospitality or frequent hospitality from persons involved in official dealings, industrial & commercial firms, or other organizations.

Amended rule

A new subsection has been added to Section 11 of the All-India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1968. According to it, a member of the service may receive and retain gifts from foreign dignitaries as per the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Acceptance or Retention of Gifts or Presentations) Rules, 2012.

Background

The Personnel Ministry had proposed this rule in March 2020 and had sought comments from state governments about it. Currently, such gifts received from foreign dignitaries or from known or unknown sources are deposited with the ‘toshakhana’ in the Ministry of External Affairs.

Stay connected with Law Prep Tutorial for more updates on legal current affairs and other law related updates. 

References: 

1. https://www.gktoday.in/current-affairs/centre-allowed-ias-ips-officers-to-retain-gifts-from-foreign-dignitaries/ 
2. https://www.gktoday.in/current-affairs/interactive-digital-airspace-map-for-drone-operations-released/ 
3. https://www.gktoday.in/current-affairs/sc-dismissed-centres-plea-to-postpone-womens-entry-into-nda/