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China has refused to further expand cooperation in the areas of energy, water management, and climate change under the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), it emerged on Tuesday, signalling a strain in the 'ironclad' friendship between the two all-weather allies.
Cash-strapped Pakistan also gave up its opposition to setting up a new imported coal-fired power plant in Gwadar in Balochistan province and agreed to a number of Chinese demands to address Beijing’s concerns.
The JCC is a strategic decision-making body of the CPEC and its 11th meeting was held virtually on October 27 last year on the insistence of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government that wanted to showcase some progress.
However, the minutes of the meeting were signed almost a year later on July 31 during the visit of Chinese vice premier He Lifeng, highlighting the difference of opinions on both sides that led to such a huge delay in reaching a consensus.
When contacted, the Ministry of Planning stated that it was a global practice for the minutes of meetings between two countries to be signed by both sides only after due consultation and evolving consensus.
Front Page
Law panel readies report on simultaneous polls, likely timelines for 2024 and 2029 (Page no. 3)
(GS Paper 2, Polity and Constitution)
The Law Commission of India is set to submit a report recommending simultaneous elections in the country. The Indian Express has learnt that the Commission is likely to frame tentative timelines for simultaneous polls for the 2024 and 2029 cycles.
The report by the 22nd Law Commission, which will be submitted to the Law Ministry, will be one of three — the other two reports are on the minimum age of consent under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and recommendation of a law to provide for online filing of First Information Reports.
The Indian Express had reported earlier that the Commission was not in favour of lowering the age of consent for minors.
The Commission’s report is set to be submitted days after the government, citing “national interest”, formed a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind to “examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections” to Lok Sabha, state Assemblies, municipalities and panchayats.
On September 23, the panel chaired by Kovind held its first meeting which was attended by committee members Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, former Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chairman of the Fifteenth Finance Commission N K Singh, former secretary-general of Lok Sabha Subhash C Kashyap and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari.
Govt & Politics
Anti-drone system along international border soon: Shah (Page no. 5)
(GS Paper 3, Defence)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said anti-drone system will be deployed along the international border for strengthening security.
The Modi government is committed towards strengthening the security system along the border. Soon anti-drone system will be deployed on our country’s borders.
Smuggling of arms, ammunition and narcotics from across the international border to Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir has been a major problem confronting the border guarding forces.
He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has been successful in cracking down on narcotics and terrorism. He was addressing the 31st meeting of the Northern Zonal Council in Amritsar
Stating that in the last five years, the role of zonal councils has changed from advisory nature to action platforms, he said the Northern Zonal Council has an important place from the point of view of development and security of India, being home to 21 per cent of the country’s land and 13 per cent of the population. More than 35 per cent of the food grains are produced in the Northern region.
Ideas Page
A reaction against reform (Page no. 11)
(GS Paper 1, Culture)
If Sanatan Dharma is without beginning and without end, its main organisation, the Sanatan Dharma Sabha is not — and not that old.
It was formed in the 19th century by traditionalists reacting to their co-religionists from the Arya Samaj who then refused to appear as “Hindus” in the Census and were in favour of social reforms, including Dalits’ “purification” (Shuddhi), that Sanatanists rejected. The subtext of Sanatan Dharma, for them, was the defence of caste hierarchy.
The first architect of this ideology was Din Dayalu, who federated the Sanatan Dharma Sabhas he had created across North India into the Bharat Dharma Mahamandal (The Great Circle of the Dharma of India) in 1887, in Haridwar.
Din Dayalu also launched an organisation whose name was a programme in itself: The Gau Varnashrama Hitaishini Ganga Dharma Sabha (The Religious Association for the Benefit of the Cow, Varna Order, and the Holy Ganges).
He considered the restoration of the varna vyavastha as necessary for social harmony and believed in caste hierarchy: For the first session of the Bharat Dharma Mahamandal, he invited only Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, leaving out the Shudras and the Dalits.
Express Network
63% of cancer deaths of Indian women were preventable: Lancet (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, Social Justice)
Nearly 63 per cent of cancer deaths among women in India could have been prevented by reducing risk factors or screening or diagnosis and 37 per cent deaths averted with appropriate and timely treatment, according to the latest Lancet Commission report on gender and cancer treatment based on 2020 data.
Around 6.9 million cancer deaths among women in India were preventable and 4.03 million were treatable, the data shows.
The report, “Women, Power and Cancer”, highlights how societal apathy towards women’s health, lack of awareness and absence of quality expertise at the primary care level delayed their access to cancer prevention, detection and care.
The report highlights a case study of a 36-year-old woman from Mumbai’s Nala Sopara area as representative of gender inequity in cancer care in the country.
She did not know that her headaches stemmed from a developing brain cancer as her alcoholic husband never thought it merited basic consultation.
SC to hear petition seeking review of ruling holding money laundering law valid (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, Judiciary)
The Supreme Court has set up a three-judge bench to hear petitions seeking review of its July 27, 2022, judgment upholding the constitutional validity of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
Justice S K Kaul disclosed this while presiding over a two-judge bench hearing a matter arising out of an Enforcement Directorate probe in the Delhi excise policy case in which the agency had summoned Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha.
Besides Justice Kaul, the three-judge bench will also comprise Justices Sanjeev Khanna and Bela M Trivedi. Justice Kaul said that the bench will hear the matter starting October 18.
A bench of Justice Kaul and Justice (retired) R F Nariman had in November 2017 held section 45(1) of PMLA unconstitutional insofar as it imposes two further conditions for grant of bail to an accused saying this violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
This was however overruled by a three-judge bench in the July 27 judgment in the case Vijay Madanlal Choudhary vs Union of India.
After 60yrs of excellence, Waheeda Rehman to get Phalke award (Page no. 13)
(Miscellaneous)
In the world of Hindi cinema, actor Waheeda Rehman, 85, holds a unique position as someone who owned her Muslim identity and didn’t give in to the trend of sensualisation of female actors.
A directors’ favourite, she worked in both mainstream and arthouse movies with equal ease. Choosy about her roles and known for her acting prowess, Rehman became part of a number of landmark movies in a career spanning over six decades.
For outstanding contribution to Indian cinema, Rehman will be conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2021. Rehman is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.
The actor, born on February 3, 1938 in Chengalpattu in Tamil Nadu, made her debut in Tamil film Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum, but it was Rojulu Marayi (1955) in Telugu that released first.
Backed by Guru Dutt, she entered Hindi cinema with CID (1956), which had Dev Anand as the protagonist, in a meaty role.
Though only 17 then, she vehemently opposed the suggestion to change her name. Several popular actors of that time had adopted a more universal sounding name — Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Meena Kumari.
On the sets of CID, when she was asked to wear a blouse with a deep cut, she once again put her foot down, saying it was not needed for that scene.
Explained
Political issue of delimitation (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
The Women’s Reservation Bill, providing 33 per cent quota to women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, was swiftly passed by both Houses of Parliament last week, but its fate hangs in balance because of its dependence on the delimitation exercise.
Opposition parties have repeatedly slammed the government for linking the implementation of women’s reservation with delimitation, claiming there was no reason or requirement to connect the two. Indeed, the last time the women’s reservation Bill was discussed in Parliament, there was no such linkage.
By making the women’s reservation contingent on delimitation, the government seems to be aiming for several objectives. The delimitation exercise will increase the number of both Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies.
In that scenario, reservation of one third of seats for women is likely to leave the current number of male legislators largely undisturbed. This could mean greater acceptability of women’s reservation within the political class.
Economy
FinMin notifies rules for startup investors (Page no. 17)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
The Finance Ministry notified final valuation rules for foreign and domestic investors into shares of unlisted companies – such as start-ups – under the new angel tax mechanism proposed in the Finance Act 2023.
The rules have accounted for the industry’s calls by addressing an additional sub-clause of compulsorily convertible preference shares (CCPS). In a draft of the rules released in May, the ministry had left out CCPS which are used extensively to inject capital into startups.
As per the changes in Rule 11UA of Income Tax rules, which comes into effect from September 25, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has provided that the valuation of CCPS can also be based on the fair market value of unquoted equity shares.
Angel tax – which is income tax at the rate of 30.6 per cent – is levied when an unlisted company issues shares to an investor at a price higher than its fair market value.
Earlier, it was imposed only on investments made by a resident investor. However the Finance Act 2023 proposed to extend angel tax even to non-resident investors from April 1, 2024.