General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2016

Dec 2016

Apr 20, 2019

Punjab to Sieze Cars without 3rd Party Insurance Cover

The Punjab government has decided not to release vehicles involved in accidents resulting in death or injuries unless they have third party insurance cover or the owner furnishes "sufficient security" to the court, enough to pay compensation to the victims.
Setting an example for other states, the Punjab transport department has notified that vehicles will be auctioned in three months, if either of these conditions are not met and the proceeds of auction will be deposited in claims tribunal for paying compensation.
The department made the changes in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules on April 3, which is being seen as a major reform to rein in owners who don't renew third party insurance .

Apr 19, 2019

India to Skip Second BRI Meet

India will skip the second Belt and Road Forum being hosted by China to boost President Xi Jinping's five-year-old flagship connectivity project.
The reasons behind the decision to decline the invitation for the second iteration of the forum are the same ones that drove a boycott of the first event in May 2017 – core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity and the uneven playing field created by the Chinese.
As per Chinese officials, about 40 foreign government leaders and representatives of more than 100 countries have confirmed their participation in the forum, expected to be held in Beijing during April 26-27.

AAP to Contest Three Lok Sabha Constituencies in Haryana

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) named three Lok Sabha constituencies in Haryana from where it will contest, while its ally, the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), named four of its candidates.
In the state's 10 seats, JJP will contest in seven and the AAP in three. The state will go to polls on May 12, the same day as Delhi.
AAP said that it is contesting in Faridabad, Karnal and Ambala (reserved) seats, but did not disclose their candidates.
JJP chief Dushyant Chautala will contest from Hisar, Nirmal Singh Malhadi from Sirsa, Pradeep Deswal from Rohtak and Swati Yadav from Bhiwani-Mahendergarh.
JJP is yet to field candidates in Kurukshetra, Sonipat and Gurugram.

Mayawati to Seek Votes for Mulayam

After having been bitter political rivals for 24 years, Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati and Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav will be seen together when the BSP chief, along with her SP and RLD counterparts Akhilesh Yadav and Ajit Singh, will seek votes for the senior Yadav at a joint rally in Mainpuri.
It will be the first time that Mulayam will share the stage with Mayawati since 1995 when the infamous guesthouse incident took place in Lucknow.

Second Phase of LS Poll

The second phase of the Lok Sabha election for 95 constituencies registered a tentative voter turnout of 67.6% across 11 States and one Union Territory.
The overall figure was 69.62% in 2014.
The highest turnout of 78% was reported from Puducherry, followed by Manipur with 77.86% and West Bengal with 76.42%.

Apr 18, 2019

Madras HC Upholds Decision to Cancel Election

The Madras High Court upheld the decision of the Election Commission of India to cancel the election to the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency.
Dismissing a petition moved by AIADMK candidate AC Shanmugam and independent candidate K Sugumar, the High Court upheld the ECI decision which was taken in view of excess use of money power seen in the constituency.
ECI had taken note of reports of money power being used in the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency and had recommended that the election scheduled for April 18 - be cancelled.
It was a recommendation that was upheld by President Ram Nath Kovind also.

AAP-Cong Talks Stall

Alliance talks between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress failed, with the Congress agreeing to a tie-up in Delhi but refusing to include a seat-share in Haryana.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who was heading the alliance talks for the Aam Aadmi Party, said that the Congress was not in a mood for an alliance.

Sadhvi to Take On Digvijaya

The BJP named Malegaon blasts case accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh as its candidate for Bhopal to take on Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh.
The contest in Bhopal, a stronghold of the BJP, has become a battle of prestige for both BJP and Congress. The Sangh Parivar and the Congress have taken special interest in the seat, which the BJP bagged after the emergence of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in 1989.
The Ram Rath Yatra by then BJP president L. K. Advani in 1990 that touched the Bhopal constituency decisively changed its political direction.
Since then, the BJP has held its ground by unfurling strong Hindutva sentiments in this Lok Sabha seat that has sent 16 MPs.
The other candidates are Dr. K.P. Yadav for Guna, Raj Bahadur Singh for Sagar and Ramakant Bhargav for Vidisha. The four seats go to the polls on May 12.

Apr 17, 2019

Campaigning Ends for Second Phase

Campaigning ended for the second phase of the 17th Lok Sabha elections in 97 constituencies, spread over 12 States and a Union Territory that will vote on Thursday.
In the second phase, all 39 constituencies of Tamil Nadu, 14 in Karnataka, 10 in Maharashtra, eight in Uttar Pradesh, five each in Assam, Bihar and Odisha, 3 each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, two in Jammu and Kashmir and one each in Manipur, Tripura and Puducherry will be voting.
Karnataka is the only south Indian State where the BJP has a significant presence and the party had won 17 of its 28 seats in 2014.

Candidates in Fray for Eight Lok Sabha Seats in UP

A total of 85 candidates are in the fray for eight Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh in second phase of Lok Sabha election. The constituencies going to poll in this phase are- Nagina, Amroha, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hathras, Mathura, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. A total of 125 candidates had contested for these seats in 2014 Lok Sabha poll.
In this General Election, the number of independent candidates has come down on these eight seats. While 40 independent candidates had contested in 2014, this year only 26 Independent candidates are in the fray for these seats.

Om Prakash Rajbhar to Go Solo in UP

The Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), an ally of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, will contest on 39 Lok Sabha seats separately.
As per reports, SBSP President Om Prakash Rajbhar had waited long enough for the BJP to share seats. But the BJP gave Apna Dal two seats and none to SBSP.
Rajbhar has announced candidates against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Lucknow among others.
The SBSP candidates will make a dent in the BJP's vote share since the Rajbhar concentration is sizeable in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

RJD and Congress Leaders to Contest as Independents

The Grand Alliance in Bihar received a setback with a prominent leader each of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress giving up their party positions and deciding to contest the Lok Sabha election from Madhubani as independent candidates.
Four-time Darbhanga MP, Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi, of the RJD and former Union minister and Congress's senior spokesperson, Shakeel Ahmad, will both be running for election to the prestigious seat that has been allotted to the Vikassheel Insaan Party, making its electoral debut.

Apr 16, 2019

Centre Extends Truce with Naga Militants

The Centre extended the ceasefire agreement by one year with two insurgent groups in Nagaland, while a fresh pact for suspension of operations was signed with another outfit.
A ceasefire is in operation between the Union government and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Neopao Konyak/Kitovi) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland/Reformation (NSCN/R).
It was decided to extend the suspension of operation agreement with NSCN(NK) and NSCN(R) for a further period of one year with effect from April 28 this year till April 27, 2020.
Meanwhile, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K-Khango) has also entered into a fresh ceasefire agreement with the Union government for a period of one year.

EC Curbs Campaigning by Yogi, Mayawati, Azam

Shortly after the Supreme Court decided to examine the Election Commission's claims that its powers are limited in the face of hate and communal speeches, the poll panel slapped a 72-hour prohibition on campaigning by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan for violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
A 48-hour campaign ban was also imposed on Union Minister and BJP leader Maneka Gandhi, and BSP chief Mayawati.

Creation of Deputy CAG

A meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the creation of the additional post of Deputy Comptroller and Auditor-General.
The Deputy CAG shall oversee the coordination among State Audits, the audit of telecommunication and coordinate the various Information Systems initiatives in the Indian Audit & Accounts Department.

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