News in Shorts
Posted 27 Jul 2024
10 min read
New Criminal Laws Come Into Effect From July 1
The three new criminal laws were passed by Parliament in 2023.
- Section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which provides for punishment in hit and run cases, has been put on hold.
- Significance of new criminal laws
- Reformative justice: Such as community service instead of imprisonment.
- Modernising the justice system: for ex Indian Penal Code (1860) is outdated and does not reflect current norms of criminal jurisprudence.
- Seamless flow of information: Designed to improve coordination and collaboration between parties involved in investigation and judicial proceedings.
New Act | Replacing | Major Points |
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 | Indian Penal Code,1860 |
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Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 | Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 |
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Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 | Indian Evidence Act, 1872 |
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- Tags :
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
- New criminal laws
Telecommunications Act, 2023
Multiple sections of Telecommunications Act, 2023 came into effect.
- It aims to amend the law relating to development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks and is guided by principles of Inclusion, Security, Growth, and Responsiveness.
- It repeals Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933 owing to huge technical advancements in telecom sector and technologies.
Salient features of Act that comes into force
- Define various terminologies like telecommunication, spectrum, user etc., thereby reducing uncertainties and improving investor confidence and ease of doing business.
- RoW (Right of Way) framework shall be granted on a non-discriminatory and non-exclusive basis.
- Central Government may notify standards and conformity assessment measures for telecommunication services, networks, security, distribution and sale of telecommunication equipment; etc.
- Protection of users (by Central government) which include prior consent to receive specified messages like advertising messages, creation of Do Not Disturb registers, etc.
- Expands scope of Universal Service Obligation Fund which will now become Digital Bharat Nidhi (under control of central government).
- This fund can be used to support research and development of telecommunication services, technologies, products and pilot projects.
Significance of Act
- Enhancing security and quality in telecommunication services.
- Gives greater emphasis to consumer protection and national security.
- Tags :
- Telecommunication Act, 2023
The Post Office Act 2023 Comes Into Effect
It repeals the Indian Post Office Act, 1898.
Provisions of the Post Office Act, 2023
- Director General of Postal Services (DGPS) will be appointed to head India Post.
- DGPS will have powers to make regulations on matters such as charges for services, supply and sale of postage stamps.
- Powers to intercept postal articles:
- Government can intercept an article transmitted through India Post on specified grounds
- Grounds include security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, emergency, or public safety.
- Exemptions from liability: Post office will not incur any liability with regard to its services, except such liability as may be prescribed with regard to a service provided by the Post Office.
- There are no penal provisions prescribed in the Act.
Importance of the Act
- It creates a simple legislative framework for delivery of citizen centric services, banking services and benefits of Government schemes at the last mile.
- It enhances the ease of doing business and ease of living.
Postal System During British Era
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- Tags :
- Post Office Act 2023
- Indian Post Office Act, 1898
74 Women MPs In 18th Lok Sabha
Election of 74 women to 18th Lok Sabha (LS), accounting for 13.6% representation in Lok Sabha, is a slight dip in women representation as 78 women were elected to 17th LS (14.4% representation).
Status of women representation in Legislature
- 9.7% of 797 women contestants won in 18th LS elections while in 17th LS elections, 10.74% of 726 women contestants won.
- Women’s representation in LS increased from 5% in first LS to its highest in 17th LS (14.4%).
- Presently, women members constitute 14.05% of Rajya Sabha members.
- Globally, share of women in national parliaments is 26.9%.
Significance of women representation
- Women legislators perform better in their constituencies on economic indicators than their male counterparts.
- Accounting for around 50% population, legislative representation is fundamental to political empowerment.
- Women are less likely to be criminal and corrupt, more efficacious, and less vulnerable to political opportunism.
Challenges to women’s legislative representation
- Societal Prejudices, male dominated political structures, and family obligations.
- Structural disadvantages: Election campaigns are costly, time-consuming and are marred by inappropriate commenting, hate speeches, abusive threats and muscle power.
- Internalised patriarchy: Women themselves are often influenced by patriarchal societal norms.
- Tags :
- Women in Legislature
- Political representation of women
Self Declaration Certificates
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting declares Self-declaration certificate (SDC) mandatory for all new advertisements
- As per the Supreme Court (SC) directive, no advertisement will be permitted to run on television, print media, or the internet without a valid SDC.
- SDC, signed by an authorized representative of the advertiser/advertising agency, needs to be submitted through these portals.
- Broadcast Seva Portal for TV and Radio Advertisements.
- The Press Council of India's portal for print and digital/internet advertisements.
- SDC will certify that the advertisement:
- Does not contain misleading claims.
- Complies with all relevant regulatory guidelines, including:
- Those stipulated in Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.
- The Norms of Journalistic Conduct of the Press Council of India.
Significance of the step
- Ensure transparency and accountability: By preventing misleading advertisements being published with no accountability on the part of the manufacturers, promoters and advertisers.
- Ensure consumer protection: By preventing violation of the rights of the consumers, unfair trade practices and false advertisements which are prejudicial to the interest of the public.
- Ensure better implementation of Legislations and Rules: Like complaints registered under Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements of Misleading Advertisements, 2022.
- Tags :
- Self-declaration certificate
- Advertisements in media