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Context

The Union Cabinet earlier this month has approved the continuation of over 1000 Fast Track Special Courts to ensure faster delivery of justice to victims of sexual offenses, as a centrally sponsored scheme for another two years.

What is the announcement?

• The decision offers continuation of 389 exclusive POCSO courts to expedite trials and provide immediate relief to minor girls who are victims of sexual crimes.
• The continuation of the scheme involves a total outlay of more than Rs 1,572 crore. Rs 971 crore is provided by the Centre from the Nirbhaya Fund, the remaining amount is expected to be provided by states.
• This decision is being hailed as a major step towards de-clogging the justice system.

Fast Track Special Courts: A backgrounder

• Incidents of rape of minor girls below the age of twelve years and women below the age of sixteen years have shaken the conscience of the entire nation.
• To bring more stringent provisions and expeditious trial and disposal of such cases, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 was enacted which made provision of stringent punishment, including death penalty, for perpetrators of rape, it said.
• This led to the establishment of the fast-track special courts.

Sexual Crime in India

• Sexual Abuse/ Molestation/ Rape: Rape is one of the most common crimes in India.According to the National Crime Records Bureau, one woman is raped every 20 minutes in India.
• Marital Crimes: In India, marital rape is not a criminal offense.  India is one of fifty countries that have not yet outlawed marital rape.
• Forced Marriage: Girls are vulnerable to being forced into marriage at young ages, suffering from a double vulnerability: both for being a child and for being female.  
• Trafficking and forced prostitution: Human trafficking, especially of girls and women, often leads to forced prostitution and sexual slavery.
• Online abuse: Women are regularly subject to online rape threats, online harassment, cyber-stalking, blackmail, trolling, slut-shaming and more.
• Harassment at the workplace: Sexual harassment at workplace, mostly comprising of indecent remarks, unwanted touches, demands for sex, and the dissemination of pornography.

Why do we need to tackle such crimes in a speedy manner?

• When we talk about violence, it is easy to focus on the physical effects.
• The injuries on the body can be life-changing and can even result in death. It is important however to consider the impact of this incident can have on victim’s mental health.
• Depression, anxiety and low self-esteem are typical repercussions of a violent experience. These psychological effects can be incredibly destructive.
• Many victims report feeling suicidal tendency. The psychological effect may completely change the personality of the victim.
• Hence it is important to extend the psychological support to the victim. Speedy Justice serves this purpose.

Various laws for the protection of women

Various special laws relating to women include:

• Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
• Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
• Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986
• Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
• Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006

The Government has also taken a number of initiatives for the safety of women and girls, which are given below:

• Nirbhaya Fund for projects for the safety and security of women
• One-Stop Centre Scheme to provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces under one roof
• Online analytic tool for police called “Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences” to monitor and track time-bound investigation in sexual assault cases in accordance with Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2018.
• National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO) to facilitate investigation and tracking of sexual offenders across the country by law enforcement agencies.

Need for fast-track courts

• Clearance rate: They have a better clearance rate as compared to the regular courts and hold speedy trials.
• Speedy Trial: Besides providing quick justice to the hapless victims, it strengthens the deterrence framework for sexual offenders.
• Deterrence framework: Besides providing quick justice to the victims, it strengthens the deterrence framework for sexual offenders.

Expected outcomes from these courts

• Women safety: Further the commitment of the nation to champion the cause of safety and security of women and girl child.
• Reduction of pendency of cases: Fastracking of these cases will declog the judicial system of the burden of case pendency
• Special consideration: Reduce the number of pending cases of Rape & POCSO Act.
• Speedy access to justice: Provide speedy access to justice to the victims of sexual crimes and act as a deterrent for sexual offenders.

What else can be done?

• Increasing number of fast track courts is an urgent need.
• Special investigation units comprising predominantly women police officers should be created.
• In these special courts, women judges should be there so that the victim feels comfortable in narrating the details of the sexual assault perpetrated on her.
• Gender sensitization programs will help the officers to have the required considerate approach for rape victims.
• Another very important aspect is to provide counseling for the family members of the victim. So that the family can positively help the victim to come out of trauma.
• There should be a state sponsored victim compensation fund particularly for heinous offences including rape.

Conclusion

• Breaking the cycle of abuse will require concerted collaboration and action between governmental and non-governmental actors including educators, health-care authorities, legislators, the judiciary and the mass media.
• Education of both men and women will lead to change in attitudes and perceptions.
• It is not easy to eradicate deep seated cultural value or alter traditions that perpetuates discrimination.
• It is mammoth task. We are just doing bits and pieces. A way ahead is obscure but in our sphere with concrete and pronounced steps.

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Targets of the Day:

A. For 2022 Aspirants:

(a) Full Time Aspirants:- Sectors of Economy: Secondary and Tertiary Sector

(b) For Working Aspirants:- Planning in India

B. For 2021 Aspirants: Attempt one Full Length Test and do the analysis

II. UPSC PRELIMS-2021 || Current Affairs based Most Probable Questions for Prelims 2021

Q1) Which of the following missions are not among the 9 national missions implemented by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC)?

1. Artificial Intelligence
2. National Solar Mission
3. National Biodiversity Mission
4. Natural Language Translation
5. National Mission for a Green India

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

A. 1 and 3 only

B. 2 and 5 only

C. 1, 2 and 3 only

D. None of the above

Q2) Which of the following statements are correct with respect to NISAR Mission

1. It uses a dual-frequency L and S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for earth observation.
2. It can produce extremely high resolution images day and night in any weather.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

Q3) Consider the following statements with respect to Aluminium Air Batteries.

1. It is lower in cost and has more energy dense than Lithium-ion batteries.
2. The special feature is that it can be recharged very fast and can retain the power for longer than any other batteries.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are incorrect?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

Q4) Which of the following pairs are matched correctly with respect to India’s Joint Space missions?

1. Space Mission –  Partnering Nation
2. TRISHNA –  CNES, France
3. NISAR –  NASA, USA
4. LUPEX Mission –  JAXA, Japan
5. Megha-Tropiques –  CNES, France

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

A. 1 & 4 only

B. 2 only

C. 3 & 4 only

D. All of the above

Q5) With respect to INS Karanj, consider the following statements:

1. It is the third of six Scorpene-class submarines being built under Project-75 by Mazagon Dock Limited, Goa.
2. It is a nuclear powered submarine to be commissioned into the Indian Navy in collaboration with France.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

III. UPSC PRELIMS-2021 || Most Probable Questions for UPSC Prelims 2021

Q1) Select the correct statement/s in reference to Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). 

1. These objects are composed mostly of water ice with embedded dust particles. 
2. NEOs do not orbit the Sun and do not have a fixed trajectory path.

Which of the above statements is/are true?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. 1 and 2 

D. None of them

Q2) Select the correct statement/s in context to M-dwarf star. 

1. They are the most numerous type of star in the universe. 
2. They are the smallest type of hydrogen-burning star. 
3. These have masses greater than that of the Sun.

Which of the above statements are true?

A. 1 and 2

B. 2 and 3

C. 1 and 3

D. All of them

Q3) In which of the following projects is India a participant? 

1. Large Hadron Collider (LHC) 
2. Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) 
3. Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) 
4. International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)

Which of the above statements are true?

A. 1 & 2 only

B. 2, 3 & 4

C. 1, 2 & 4

D. All of them

Q4) Consider the following statements in context to the neutrinos.

1. These are particles with no electrical charge. 
2. They are highly interactive with matter. 
3. They are abundantly found in the universe. 

Select the correct code using the codes given below.

A. 1 & 2

B. 2 & 3

C. 1 & 3

D. All of them

Q5. With reference to gravitational waves, which of the following statements is/are correct? 

1. All Gravitational waves produced  through merger of black holes only
2. Gravitational waves travel at the speed of light
3. Gravitational waves were detected by LIGO only in 2015. 

Select the correct answer using the code given below. 

A. 3 only 

B. 1 & 2 only 

C. 2 & 3 only 

D. 1, 2 & 3

 

 

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24st Aug 2021

First Amendment Act, 1951

• Empowered the state to make special provisions for the advancement of socially and economically backward classes.
• Provided for the saving of laws providing for the acquisition of estates, etc.
• Added Ninth Schedule to protect the land reforms and other laws included in it from the judicial review. After Article 31, Articles 31A and 31B were inserted.

The Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956

• The Seventh Amendment brought about the most comprehensive changes so far in the Constitution. This amendment was designed to implement the State Reorganisation Act.
• The Second and Seventh schedules were substantially amended for the purpose of the States Reorganization Act.

Constitutional (10th Amendment) Act, 1961

• The Tenth Amendment integrates the areas of Free Dadra and Nagar Haveli with the Union of India and provides for their administration under the regulation of making powers of the President.

Constitutional (13th Amendment) Act,1963

• Gave the status of a state to Nagaland and made special provisions for it.

The Constitution (24th Amendment) Act, 1971

• It amended Article 13 and 368 with a view to removing all possible doubts regarding the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution and procedure thereof.
• It gets over the Golak Nath ruling and asserts the power of Parliament, denied to in the Golak Nath, to amend Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution (Twenty-fifth) Amendment Act, 1971

• The 25th amendment of the Constitution in 1971 added a new clause, Article 31C to the Constitution. Up to 1971, the position was that Fundamental Rights prevailed over the Directive Principles of State Policy and that a law enacted to implement a Directive Principle could not be valid if it conflicted with a Fundamental Right.
• Article 31C sought to change this relationship to some extent by conferring primacy on Articles 39(b) and 39(c) over Articles 14, 19 and 31.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment Act, 1971

• Abolished the privy purses and privileges of the former rulers of princely states.

The Constitution (Thirty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1974

• By this amendment twenty State Acts concerning land ceiling and land tenure reforms were added to the Ninth Schedule to the Constitution.

The Constitution (Thirty-eight Amendment) Act, 1975 

• Made the declaration of emergency by the President non-justiciable.
• Made the promulgation of ordinances by the President, governors and administrators of Union territories non-justiciable.
• Empowered the President to declare different proclamations of national emergency on different grounds simultaneously

The Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976

• The Amendment was meant to enhance enormously the strength of the Government. The major Amendments made in the Constitution by the 42nd Amendment Act are: Preamble The characterization of India as ‘Sovereign Democratic Republic’ has been changed to ‘Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic’.
• The words ‘Unity of the nation’ have been changed to ‘Unity and integrity of the nation’.
• Parliament and State Legislatures: The life of the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies was extended from 5 to 6 years.
• Executive: It amended Article 74 to State explicitly that the President shall act in accordance with the advice of the Council of Ministers in the discharge of his functions.
• Judiciary: The 42nd Amendment Act inserted Article 32A in order to deny the Supreme Court the power to consider the Constitutional validity of the State law. Another new provision, Article 131A, gave the Supreme Court an exclusive jurisdiction to determine question relating to the Constitutional validity of a central laws. Article 144A and Article 128A, the creatures of the Constitutional Amendment Act made further innovation in the area of judicial review of the Constitutionality of legislation. Under Article 144A, the minimum number of judges of the Supreme Court to decide a question of  Constitutional validity of a Central or State law was fixed as at least seven and further, this required two-thirds majority of the judges sitting declare law as unconstitutional. While the power  of the High Court to enforce Fundamental Rights remained untouched, several restrictions were imposed on its power to issue writs ‘for any other purpose’.
• Federalism: The Act added Article 257A in the Constitution to enable the Centre to deploy any armed force of the Union, or any other force under its control for dealing with any grave situation of law and order in any State.
• Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles: A major change that was made by42nd Constitutional Amendment was to give primacy to all Directive Principles over the Fundamental Rights contained in Articles 14, 19 or 31.
• The 42nd Constitutional Amendment added a few more Directive Principles – free legal aid, participations of workers in the management of industries, protection for environment and protection of forests and wildlife of the country.
• Fundamental Duties: The 42nd Amendment Act inserted Article 51-A to create a new part called IV-A in the Constitution, which prescribed the Fundamental Duties to the citizens.
• Emergency: Prior to the 42nd Amendment Act, the President could declare an emergency under Article 352 throughout the country and not in a part of the country alone. The Act authorized the President to proclaim emergency in any part of the country.

The Constitution (44th Amendment) Act, 1978

• It reduced the life of Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies again to five years and thus restore the status quo ante.
• It cancelled 39th Amendment which had deprived the Supreme Court of its jurisdiction to decide disputes concerning election of the President and the Vice-President
• A new provision was added to Article 74(1) saying that the President could require the council of ministers to reconsider its advice to him, either generally or otherwise and the President should Act in accordance with the advice tendered after such re-consideration. Article 257A was Omitted
• It has been provided that an Emergency can be proclaimed only on the basis of written advice tendered to the President by the Cabinet.
• Right to Property has been taken out from the list of Fundamental Rights and has been declared a legal right.

The Constitution (Fifty-first Amendment) Act, 1984

• The Amendment effectuates some changes in Articles 330 and 332 with a view to provide for reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha for Scheduled Tribes in Meghalaya, Aruncahal Pradesh and Mizoram, as well as in the Legislative Assemblies of Nagaland and Meghalaya.

The Constitution (52nd Amendment) Act, 1985

• The amendment is designed to prevent the scourge of defection of Members of Parliament and State Legislatures from one political party to another.

 The Constitution (61st Amendment) Act, 1989

• The 61st Amendment reduces the voting age from 21 years to 18 years for the Lok Sabha and Assembly election.

The Constitution (Sixty-fifth Amendment) Act, 1990

• Article 338 of the Constitution has been amended for the Constitution of a National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes consisting of a chairperson, vice-chairperson and five other members who shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.

The Constitution (Sixty-ninth Amendment) Act, 1991

• The Amendment Act was to grant Statehood to Delhi as ‘National Capital Territory of Delhi’. It also provides a 70 member assembly and a 7 member Council of Ministers for Delhi.

 The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992

• April 20,1993 as it got rectification by the State legislatures and was assented to by the President of India. After notification, the Panchayati Raj Institutions have now got Constitutional legitimacy.
• After part VIII of the Constitution, a separate part IX has been added to the Constitution with the addition in Article 243A and fresh Schedule called Eleventh Schedule enumerating the powers and functions of Panchayti Raj Institutions.
• The Act provides for Gram Sabha, a three-tier model of Panchayati Raj, reservation of seats for SCs and STs in proportion to their population and one-third reservation of seats for women.

The Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992

• The Act provides constitutional status to Urban Local Bodies. After part VIII of the Constitution, a separate part IXA has been added to the Constitution with the addition in Article 243A and a fresh schedule called Twelfth schedule enumerating the powers and functions of urban local bodies has been incorporated.
• The Act provides Municipal Panchayat, Municipal Council and Municipal Corporation, reservation of seats for SCs and STs in proportion to their population and one-third reservation of seats for women

The Constitution (76th Amendment) Act, 1994

• This Amendment Act raises the reservation quota of government jobs and seats for admission in the educational institutions in favor of socially and educationally backward classes to 69 per cent in Tamil Nadu.
• Further, the Amendment Act has been included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution to exempt it from the purview of judicial scrutiny

The Constitution (Seventy-seventh Amendment) Act, 1995

• This Amendment has added a new clause (4-a) to Article 16 of the Constitution which empowers the State to make any provisions for reservation in promotions in Government jobs in favour of SCs and STs, if it is of opinion that they are inadequately represented in the services under the State.
• This has been done to nullify the effect of the Supreme Court Judgment in the Mandal Commission Case (Indra Sawhney vs. Union of India) in which the Court has held that reservation in promotions cannot be made.

The Constitution (80th Amendment) Act, 2000

• Based on the recommendations of the Tenth Finance Commission, an alternative scheme for sharing taxes between the Union and the State has been enacted by the Constitution (Eightieth Amendment) Act, 2000.
• Under the new scheme of devolution of revenue between Union and the States, 26 per cent out of gross proceeds of Union taxes and duties is to be assigned to the States in lieu of their existing share in the income-tax, excise duties special excise duties and grants in lieu of tax on railway passenger fares. 

The Constitution (85^th Amendment) Act, 2001

• This Act amended Article 16 (4A) of the Constitution to provide for consequential seniority in the case of promotion by virtue of rule of reservation for Government servants belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

The Constitution (86^th Amendment) Act, 2002

• With a view to making right to free and compulsory education a fundamental right, the Act inserts a new Article, namely, Article 21A conferring on all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years the right to free and compulsory education.
• The Act amends in Part-III, Part –IV and Part-IV(A) of the Constitution.

The Constitution (89^th Amendment) Act, 2003

• The Act adds Article 338A and provides for the creation of National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.

 The Constitution (90^th Amendment) Act, 2003

• The Act amends Article 332 and adds section (6) regarding representation in the Bodo Territorial Areas District in the State of Assam.

The Constitution (Ninety-one Amendment) Act,2003

• The Act makes provisions for limiting the size of the Council of Ministers at the Center and in the States and gives teeth to debar a defector from holding any remunerative political post for the remaining tenure of the legislature unless reelected.

The Constitution (Ninety- third Amendment) Act, 2005

• Providing reservation for the socially and educationally backward classes, besides the Schedules Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, in private unaided educational institutions.

The Constitution (97th Amendment) Act, 2012

• In Part IIIof the constitution, after the words “or unions” the words “Cooperative Societies” was added.
• In Part IVa new Article 43Bwas inserted, which says: The state shall endeavour to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control and professional management of the co-operative societies”.
• After Part IXAof the constitution, a Part IXBwas inserted to accommodate state vs centre roles.

The Constitution (99th Amendment) Act, 2014

• The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) was established by the Union government of India by amending the constitution of India through the 99^th Constitutional Amendment Act, 201

The Constitution (100th Amendment) Act, 2015

• Constitution (100th Amendment) Act 2015 ratified the land boundary agreement between India and Bangladesh.
• The act amended the 1st schedule of the constitution to exchange the disputed territories occupied by both the nations in accordance with the 1974 bilateral Land Boundary Agreement.
• India received 51 Bangladeshi enclaves (covering 7,110 acres) in the Indian mainland, while Bangladesh received 111 Indian enclaves (covering 17,160 acres) in the Bangladeshi mainland

The Constitution (101st Amendment) Act, 2017

• Introduced the Goods and Services Tax.

The Constitution (102nd Amendment) Act, 2018

• Constitutional status to National Commission for Backward Classes

The Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act, 2019

• A maximum of 10% Reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWSs) of citizens of classes other than the classes mentioned in clauses (4) and (5) of Article 15, i.e. Classes other than socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
• Inserted Clause [6] under Article 15 as well as Inserted Clause [6] under Article 16.

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