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Posted 11 Apr 2024

8 min read

Curative Petition

Supreme court (SC) quashes arbitral award against Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
Curative Petition: It’s last constitutional remedy available to a person whose review petition (Art.137) has been dismissed by SC.

Given shape in Rupa Ashok Hurra v. Ashok Hurra & Anr.
- The curative power of the Court flows from Article 142 (power to do complete justice).

Curative petition is entitled, if petitioner establishes-
- Violation of principles of natural justice;
- Judge failed to disclose his connection with the subject-matter.
- There is an apprehension of bias and judgement adversely affects petitioner.

The Election Commission said that anonymous political posters, hoardings are not allowed.

Section 127A of RPA,51:
- Unequivocally prohibits the printing or publishing of election pamphlets, posters, placards, or banners.
  - If the name and address of the printer and publisher are not prominently displayed.

This requirement of disclosing the identity of publishers serves to:
- Fix responsibility in case content is found unbecoming of the framework of the Model Code of Conduct or the statutory provision

About INCB
- It is independent and quasi-judicial monitoring body for implementation of UN international drug control conventions.
- It was established in 1968 in accordance with Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961.
- Members: 13 members (elected by UN Economic and Social Council for five years)
- Its functions are laid down in:
  - Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961.
  - Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971.
  - United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988

Released by WHO, the report revealed that India accounted for 11.6% of the global burden and ranked second after China for hepatitis B & C cases.

Hepatitis
- It is an inflammation of the liver caused by a variety of infectious viruses and noninfectious agents (alcohol, autoimmune, drugs).
- A, B, C, D and E are the five main strains of the hepatitis virus.
  - Types B and C lead to chronic disease and together are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and viral hepatitis-related death.
  - Vaccine is available for type B but not for Type C.

Supreme Court is hearing a case of “misleading” claims in advertisements by an Ayurveda-related company.
Misleading claims are prohibited under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954.
- Section 4 of the Act prohibits advertisements that give false impressions regarding the true character of the drug.
- Section 5 prohibits the Advertisement of Magic Remedies for treatment.
  - magic remedies are defined as any charm (talisman, mantra, kavacha etc.), alleged to possess miraculous powers for diagnosis, cure, mitigation etc.

USA recalls various hand sanitisers containing methanol.
- FDA has warned that methanol exposure could lead to nausea, coma, seizures, permanent blindness, permanent damage to the Central Nervous System, or death

Methanol (CH₃OH)
- Also known as wood alcohol.
- Characteristic:
  - A colorless and fairly volatile liquid with a faintly sweet pungent odor.
  - Completely mixable with water.
  - Considered as an alternative fuel.
- Uses: synthetic dyestuffs, pharmaceuticals, perfumes
- Treatment of methanol poisoning: administer ethanol or an antidote called fomepizole

ICAR has developed the following 3 new microbial formulations:
- Bactolime integrates: It contains PGPRs (Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria) with liming material.
  - Bacteria ensure the availability of essential nutrients to plants and help enhance nutrient use efficiency.
- Bactogypsum: Ameliorates high pH soils and ensures simultaneous delivery of plant-beneficial bacteria.
- Trichogypsum: Ameliorates high pH soils and ensures delivery of Trichoderma (a fungal biocontrol agent).

Gypsum: It is a compound containing Calcium and Sulphate. It is used to counteract soil salinity/sodicity.

Command Hospital, Pune became the first government hospital in India to conduct successful piezoelectric Bone Conduction Hearing Implants (BCI).
Piezoelectric BCI system is an implantable medical electronic device for hearing impaired patients.

About Piezoelectricity
- It is the appearance of positive electric charge on one side of certain non-conducting crystals and negative charge on the opposite side when the crystals are subjected to mechanical pressure.
- It is utilized in various applications, like, microphones, sensors, Piezoelectric Motors etc.