A Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud pried open the restrictive grip of a 51-year-old abortion law which bars unmarried women from terminating pregnancies which are up to 24-weeks old. The court declared that prohibiting single or unmarried pregnant women with pregnancies between 20 and 24 weeks from accessing abortion while allowing married women with the same term of pregnancy to access the care was violative of the right to equality before law and equal protection (Article 14). “The law should not decide the beneficiaries of a statute based on narrow patriarchal principles about what constitutes permissible sex. This would create invidious classifications,” Justice Chandrachud said in the judgment which happen to coincide with the International Safe Abortion Day.
Sexual assault by a man of his wife can take the form of rape: Supreme Court
Sexual assault by a man of his wife can take the form of rape, the Supreme Court said in a significant judicial recognition of ‘marital rape’. Marital assault merely formed a part of a long list of deeds that amount to violence in the context of the family, the court noted. Justice Chandrachud, who authored the judgment, said Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act recognises a husband’s act of sexual assault or forced intercourse committed on his wife as ‘rape’.
Emerging out of Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s 10 Janpath residence, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday announced his withdrawal from the race of Congress presidential polls. “I have apologised to Sonia ji for what happened a couple of days ago,” Mr. Gehlot told reporters, adding “it has shaken me and under these circumstances, I won’t be contesting for the Congress President’s post”. The development comes on a day when Ms. Gandhi is also expected to meet Mr. Gehlot’s rival, Sachin Pilot.
India plays important role as frontline state in fight against terrorism, says President Murmu
President Droupadi Murmu said India’s leadership in several fields has become unchallenged now and the country plays an important role as a frontline state in the fight against terrorism. Addressing a group of officer trainees of the Indian Foreign Service (2021 batch), who had called on her at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, she said that India’s strong position is based on its economic performance, among other factors.
Government hikes interest rate for Kisan Vikas Patra, Senior Citizens’ Savings scheme, and others
While the return payable on Public Provident Fund (PPF) accounts has been retained at 7.1%, the interest rate for Kisan Vikas Patra has been hiked from 6.9% to 7% for the coming quarter and the Senior Citizens’ Savings will now earn 7.6% from the 7.4% rate valid till September 30. Returns on the monthly income account scheme have been raised from 6.6% to 6.7%, 2-year time deposits will earn 5.7% instead of 5.5%, and 3-year time deposits will see the highest increase of 0.3% to fetch 5.8% from 5.5% currently.
CBI launches ‘Operation Garuda’; arrests 175 alleged drug smugglers
The multi-phase exercise code-named “Operation Garuda” has been launched to dismantle the drug smuggling networks with international linkages through coordinated enforcement actions across the world, through the Interpol. According to the CBI, the operation has so far resulted in the registration of 127 cases and arrests along with the seizure of huge quantities of narcotics. “Apart from the CBI and the NCB, the police in eight States and Union Territory, including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Manipur participated,” said an agency official.
“Considering the global supply chain constraints being faced by the auto industry and its impact on the macroeconomic scenario, it has been decided to implement the proposal mandating a minimum of 6 Airbags in Passenger Cars (M-1 Category) w.e.f 01st October 2023,” Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said in a tweet.
NCW seeks explanation from IAS officer over remark to student on sanitary napkins
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought an explanation from a senior IAS officer over her “inappropriate and highly objectionable” remark to a student who asked about affordable sanitary napkins. The NCW said it had observed that such an “insensitive attitude” from a person in a responsible position was condemnable and extremely shameful.
Congress reduced to a party of brother-sister, says J. P. Nadda
Addressing party’s booth-level cadres in Bhubaneswar, BJP president J.P. Nadda said, “BJP is the largest party in India from ideological point of view. We have stuck to ideology and have not deviated from it during past four generations. For us nation comes first, but regional aspirations also get priority in our programmes.” Attacking the Congress, he said, “What is the position of democracy in India? Whom are we fighting with? The Indian National Congress? Neither it is left being national nor is it Indian. The party is only of brother-sister and the remaining few have been left with a job of only clapping.“
Russia set to annex Ukraine territory; West warns of new sanctions
On Moscow’s Red Square, a stage with giant video screens has been set up, with billboards proclaiming “Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson - Russia!” The head of the upper house of the Russian parliament said it could consider the incorporation of the four partially occupied regions on Oct. 4, three days before President Vladimir Putin’s 70th birthday. The Russian-installed administrations of the four provinces have formally asked Putin to incorporate them into Russia, which Russian officials have suggested is a formality.
At least four killed, 44 wounded in Israeli raid in West Bank: Palestine officials
At least four Palestinians were killed and 44 others wounded during an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank town of Jenin on Wednesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported, the latest in a series of deadly Israeli operations in the occupied territory. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party identified one of the men killed in the clashes as a 24-year-old Palestinian intelligence officer named Ahmed Alawneh. The party called for protests and a general strike in the West Bank over what it described as a “dangerous escalation.”
U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss defends economic plan that sent pound tumbling
In her first public comments since her government’s announcement of billions in uncosted tax cuts roiled markets and drove the pound to record lows, British Prime Minister Liz Truss said the country was facing a “very, very difficult” economic situation. But she said the problems were global and spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Markets settle lower for 7th day
Even after rallying in early trade, the 30-share BSE benchmark fell 188.32 points or 0.33% to settle at 56,409.96. During the day, it hit a high of 57,166.14 and a low of 56,314.05. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty dipped 40.50 points or 0.24% to end at 16,818.10.
Rupee rises 13 paise to close at 81.80 against U.S. dollar
At the interbank forex market, the local unit opened at 81.60 against the greenback. It witnessed an intra-day high of 81.58 and a low of 81.94 during the session. It finally ended at 81.80, up 13 paise from its previous close. The dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, rose 0.55% to 113.22.
ICC Twenty20 World Cup | Jasprit Bumrah ruled out with stress fracture
India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is highly unlikely to board the plane to Australia next week. The development comes a day after Bumrah couldn’t take the field for the first T20I against South Africa. Given his recurring back injury, the decision makers are unwilling to take chances with the fitness of one of their key players during a World Cup.
