MEITY signs MoU with IBM on Quantum, AI & Semiconductor (GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Why in news?
- IBM recently announced the signing of three MoU with three entities engaged with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to advance and accelerate innovation in AI, Semiconductor and quantum technology for India.
- This body of work will aim to accelerate India’s comprehensive national strategy for AI, strengthen efforts to be self-reliant in Semiconductors and advance its National Quantum Mission.
- These MoUs will help MeitY access IBM’s expertise to build and advance India’s Competency and scale its growth mission in the AI, semiconductor and quantum industries.
Key Highlights:
IBM and IndiaAI
- Digital India Corporation intend to collaborate to establish a world-class national AI Innovation Platform (AIIP) for India that will focus on AI skilling, ecosystem development, and integrating advanced foundation models and generative AI capabilities to support India’s scientific, commercial, and human-capital development in this technology.
- AIIP will serve as an accelerator for incubation and competency development in AI technologies and their applications for use cases of national importance.
- AIIP would have access to relevant capabilities of IBM’s watsonx platform including the ability to use models in language, code and geospatial science with the intent to train models for other domains as needed.
India Semiconductor Mission (ISM):
- IBM would be a knowledge partner of India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) for a semiconductor research center.
- IBM may share its experience with ISM on intellectual property, tools, initiatives, and skills development, aimed at promoting innovation in semiconductor technologies such as logic, advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration, and advanced chip design technologies, using modernized infrastructure.
IBM & C-DAC:
- IBM and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) will also explore opportunities for working together to support the advancement of India’s National Quantum Mission by building competency in quantum computing technology, applications in areas of national interest, and a skilled quantum workforce.
- Activities would broadly focus on: workforce enablement; development of industries and startups; R&D; and quantum services and infrastructure.
Way Forward:
- The plans under which IBM would work with IndiaAI, ISM and C-DAC to focus on skill Development, engaging the ecosystems and accelerating R&D efforts in semiconductors, AI and quantum are envisioned to advance and accelerate India’s innovation in these areas.
Supreme Court pulls up two from NCLAT, issues contempt notice
(GS Paper 2, Judiciary)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Supreme Court issued a show-cause notice to two National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) members for allegedly defying orders in a company dispute.
Details:
- This situation arose in regard to an annual general meeting (AGM) of Finolex Cables and a tussle between cousins Prakash Chhabria and Deepak Chhabria over the company's control.
- Rakesh Kumar and Alok Srivastava of the appellate tribunal delivered a judgement despite the SC having put out a status-quo order on the matter.
National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)
- The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) is a quasi-judicial body established under the Companies Act of 2013 to resolve corporate civil disputes. It has the same powers and procedures as a judge or a court of law and evaluates facts, makes decisions based on natural justice principles, and issues orders according to its findings.
- The NCLT consists of a president, judicial, and technical members appointed by the central government, and it handles fact-finding and evidence-gathering.
- NCLT was established to ensure speedy judgment of cases, considering the burden on judges and courts with numerous pending cases. Parties that are dissatisfied with the tribunal's judgment can appeal to NCLAT and then to the Supreme Court for further legal recourse.
National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT)
- The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), or appellate tribunal, was constituted under Section 410 of the Companies Act, 2013, to hear appeals against the orders of NCLT.
- NCLAT acts as an intermediate appellate forum where appeals are heard after the tribunal's decision. NCLAT also handles appeals against orders passed by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) and the Competition Commission of India (CCI). Its decisions can be appealed to the Supreme Court.
Composition:
- The NCLAT consists of a chairperson, three judicial members, and two technical members. The appellate tribunal can consist of no more than 11 members in total.
- All members must be at least 50 years old. For judicial members, applicants should have been a judge of a high court or a district judge for at least five years or have a minimum of ten years of experience. At the same time, technical members require at least 15 years of experience as a chartered accountant, cost accountant or company secretary.
- The NCLAT has two benches, one principal bench in New Delhi and the other in Chennai.
- A retired judge of the Supreme Court, Ashok Bhushan, is the current chairman of NCLAT. He took up the position after a nearly 20-month gap following the retirement of its first chairperson, Justice S J Mukhopadhaya.
Legal representation for NCLT and NCLAT:
- Parties involved in proceedings before NCLT or NCLAT can either represent themselves or appoint legal representatives, chartered accountants, company secretaries, or cost accountants to represent them.
Why were NCLT and NCLAT formed?
- The creation of both NCLT and NCLAT was driven by the need to enforce new rights due to increasing state activities and evolving justice demands.
- The purpose of these tribunals is to strike a balance between a court and a government agency, ensuring fairness and efficiency in handling corporate civil disputes.
- The primary jurisdiction is with NCLT, which handles fact-finding and evidence-gathering, while NCLAT handles appeals, evaluating NCLT's decisions on points of law or fact.
- Both tribunals have the same jurisdiction, powers, and authority as a High Court to deal with contempt of the tribunal cases.
Finolex case:
- While the Supreme Court had filed a status quo regarding the Finolex Cables AGM results, NCLAT ruled that Deepak Chhabria would remain the chairman of Finolex Cables on the same day.
- Prakash Chhabria has filed a contempt petition with the Supreme Court, which has been taken into consideration.
- As per the Supreme Court’s orders, the NCLAT chairperson, Justice Ashok Bhushan, will conduct an inquiry.
The Aboriginal referendum in Australia
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Why in news?
- A majority of Australian voters have rejected the proposal to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, with the final results likely to be about 40% voting “yes” and 60% voting “no”.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people constitute 3.8% of Australia’s population.
What was the referendum about?
- In this referendum, Australians were asked to vote on whether to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.
- The Voice was proposed as a means of recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia in the Constitution.
- It was to be an advisory body for the national parliament and government. Had the referendum succeeded, Australia’s Constitution would have been amended with a new section 129.
Features of new section 129:
- In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:
- There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
- The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.
Uluru Statement from the Heart:
- This proposal was drawn from the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The Uluru Statement from the Heart is a 2017 petition to the people of Australia, written and endorsed by the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders.
- The document calls for constitutional change and structural reform through the creation of two new institutions; a constitutionally protected First Nations Voice and a Makarrata Commission, to oversee agreements and truth-telling between governments and First Nations from 250 Indigenous leaders, which called for three phases of reform; Voice, followed by Treaty and Truth, telling about Australia’s colonial history.
How did Australians vote?
- Every eligible Australian citizen over 18 years of age is obliged to vote in elections and referendums.
- Australia has one of the highest rates of voter turn out in the world; over 90% of those eligible have voted in every national election since compulsory voting was introduced in 1924.
- Australia has a written Constitution. A successful referendum vote is required to change the Constitution in any way.
- To succeed, a referendum proposition requires a double majority. This means it must be agreed to by a majority of voters, and a majority of states. Australia has six states, so at least four must have a majority of voters in favour for a referendum to succeed.
- Since federation in 1901, 45 questions have been put to Australian voters in referendums. Only eight of those have succeeded.
What happens now?
- The government is bound to abide by the referendum result.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that his government will not seek to legislate a Voice as an alternative to the constitutional model.
