The court instructed the government to shoulder all medical expenses and directed that the delivery should be conducted at AIIMS when the appropriate time arrives. Additionally, the Supreme Court clarified that the parents would retain the choice of giving the child up for adoption.

With the pregnancy having surpassed 24 weeks, the termination of a 26-week pregnancy was deemed impermissible as it would contravene the provisions outlined in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.

The All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) reported that no fetal abnormalities were detected in the woman’s fetus, emphasizing that, with proper care and treatment under medical supervision, both the mother and the baby could be managed effectively during pregnancy and postpartum.

“It is felt that with proper care and treatment under appropriate medical supervision, the mother and baby can be managed well during pregnancy and postpartum, as has been previously evidenced by her response to medications. In case of worsening of symptoms, she may be admitted and treated,” the AIIMS report stated.

The AIIMS report was submitted in response to the Supreme Court’s directive on October 13.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, provided information about the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, characterizing it as a liberal and pro-choice legislation that prioritizes a woman’s reproductive autonomy and health while also acknowledging the rights of a viable unborn child. Bhati underscored that the situation had transitioned from being a matter of choice to a choice between pre-term and full-term delivery.

She assured the court that the government would extend full support to the woman and her husband, including medical counseling.

Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves raised the issue of the unborn child’s rights and international law, highlighting the absence of a right to the unborn child in contemporary international legal frameworks and emphasizing the absolute nature of a woman’s rights.

The court engaged in a discussion regarding the permissibility of abortion even at 33 weeks of pregnancy in cases where the fetus exhibited no abnormalities, emphasizing that the matter at hand was limited to the woman and the state, with challenges to the law warranting separate proceedings.

The case was referred to a three-judge bench following a split decision by a two-judge bench on October 11. One judge ruled against the termination, while the other expressed disagreement, asserting that the woman’s decision to undergo the termination procedure should be respected.

Also Read: Gaganyaan Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission Set for Oct 21
Catch all the Latest Business News, Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on NewsX

TMC workers are expected to continue their protest tomorrow, asserting that the central government has failed to disburse funds to the state for programs such as MGNREGA and AWAS Yojana, among others. TMC leaders claim that several attempts were made to obstruct the protest, including the denial of permissions and the cancellation of trains and flights intended for participants traveling to the national capital. Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee revealed that verbal permission had been granted for the Jantar Mantar protest, while written permission was still pending.

Banerjee was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on October 3, the day initially planned for the protest in Delhi, in connection with an ongoing investigation into a cash-for-school job scam.

Previously, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Susmita Dev criticized the central government for refusing to provide special trains for MGNREGA job cardholders from West Bengal to reach Delhi. Dev emphasized that the people of Bengal were determined to protest in Delhi and were ready for the challenge.

She said, “A well-known airline like Vistara had a flight booked with 120 people traveling to Delhi for the protest, but without any explanation, Vistara canceled the entire flight, which included TMC leaders. It is evident that the BJP recognizes the significance of people from Bengal coming to Delhi to protest against the Union government. They may try to hinder it, but thousands are arriving by buses and will reach Delhi under the leadership of CM Mamata Banerjee and General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.”

Thousands of MGNREGA job cardholders from West Bengal had embarked on a journey to the national capital in several buses arranged by Trinamool Congress (TMC) to demand payment for 100 days of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme. Their protest, under the banner ‘Dilli Cholo: A fight for our rights!’, aimed to highlight their grievances and seek the settlement of arrears.

Also Read: Rajasthan: PM Slams Congress Over Rising Crime Cases
Catch all the Latest Business News, Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on NewsX

The scheme was originally introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address on August 15. During his speech, PM Modi emphasized the government’s commitment to creating a housing loan program that would specifically benefit underprivileged urban residents.

PM Modi pointed out the challenges faced by economically disadvantaged families residing in urban areas including those living in rented accommodations, slums, chawls, and unauthorized colonies. He affirmed that the forthcoming scheme would offer interest rate relief and facilitate access to bank loans for individuals aspiring to construct their own homes, potentially resulting in substantial savings for them.

In addition to discussing the housing subvention scheme, Union Minister Puri also addressed the escalating global crude oil prices and their potential ramifications on retail prices. He acknowledged the mounting challenges due to crude oil prices reaching up to $96 per barrel, leading to under-recoveries in both petrol and diesel prices. He emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing these issues, citing past instances when India reduced excise duties to counter price fluctuations.

Furthermore, the minister scrutinized non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) states, specifically targeting the West Bengal government led by the Trinamool Congress, for maintaining higher energy prices compared to BJP-ruled states. He questioned the significant disparity, pointing out that non-BJP states, like West Bengal, have petrol prices that are Rs 11.80 higher than their BJP-ruled counterparts. Puri called for uniformity in pricing policies, highlighting the importance of coordinated efforts among states and the central government to manage fuel prices effectively.

Also Read: Jharkhand Governor, CM Pay Their Respects to CRPF Constable Killed in Chaibasa IED Blast
Catch all the Latest Business News, Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on NewsX

Union Home Minister Shah commenced his speech by highlighting recent achievements including the successful G20 Summit, Chandrayaan-3 mission, and the Mission Aditya L-1 mission. He also acknowledged the passage of the women’s reservation bill, which he emphasized has injected renewed vigor into the nation.

Reflecting on India’s journey of 75 years since gaining independence, HM Amit Shah underscored the deepening roots of democracy within the country. He reminded that in 2014, India stood at the 11th position in terms of its economic size, but it has since ascended to become the world’s fifth-largest economy.

Home Minister Shah provided insights into the government’s endeavors to fortify the Indian economy. He noted that India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has surpassed 3.75 trillion USD, with a capital expenditure of Rs 10 lakh crore earmarked to stimulate growth. He also highlighted the positive trends in bad debt tax recovery.

With reference to tax collections, the Home Minister mentioned the significant achievement of GST collections which reached Rs 1.87 lakh crore in April. He further disclosed that the average collection for the fiscal year 2023-24 has consistently remained at Rs 1.69 lakh crore.

Drawing from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra, “Yahi Samay Hai, Sahi Samay Hai” (This is the time, the right time), HM Shah called upon industries to expand their size and scale, emphasizing the pivotal role that organizations like PHDCCI can play in facilitating this transformation.

HM Shah stressed that a heightened focus on research and development is key to elevating Indian industries to global excellence. He expressed unwavering confidence that India will soon establish itself as a leading global destination for education.

Also Read: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Unveils Steps to Tackle Pollution
Catch all the Latest Business News, Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on NewsX

Among the topics addressed were the equitable sharing of inter-state river waters, the expansion of banking services and postal banking facilities to rural villages, the effective execution of Direct Benefit Transfer for Social Sector Schemes, matters related to Punjab University, road connectivity through the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), cybercrime prevention, the Jal Jeevan Mission, the resumption of flights under the UDAN Scheme, expeditious investigation of sexual offense/rape cases involving women and children, the implementation of the Scheme of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) for the speedy resolution of rape and POCSO Act cases, the strengthening of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), and the lawful acquisition of agricultural land.

The Northern Zonal Council meeting brought together Chief Ministers from Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, along with Lt Governors of Delhi, Jammu Kashmir, and Ladakh, and the Administrator of Chandigarh. It also featured Senior Ministers from the member states, the Union Home Secretary, the Secretary of the Inter-State Council Secretariat, Chief Secretaries from the Member States in the Northern Zone, and other senior officials from states, Union Territories, Central Ministries, and Departments.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah recognized the evolving role of zonal councils, transforming from advisory platforms to action-oriented forums over the last five years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah stressed the importance of the meeting in terms of national development and security, emphasizing that the Northern region contributes significantly to India’s economy, food grain production, and landmass.

Shah noted that a substantial portion of the personnel in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Army, responsible for safeguarding India’s borders, hail from the states and Union Territories within the Northern Zonal Council.

Acknowledging the government’s successful efforts in combatting narcotics and terrorism under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, Shah reiterated the government’s commitment to enhancing border security. He announced the forthcoming deployment of an anti-drone system along India’s borders.

HM Shah also urged member states to resolve water-sharing disputes through open dialogue and mutual discussions. He called for special attention to issues such as cooperation movements, reducing school dropout rates, and addressing malnutrition as collective priorities. Shah emphasized the responsibility of ensuring that no child in the country remains malnourished and called for a reduction in school dropout rates. He encouraged the cooperative movement to promote prosperity among more than 60 crore (600 million) people in the country. Shah also urged member states to embrace natural and organic farming practices.

The Union Home Minister assured the Himachal Pradesh government of the Centre’s full support in dealing with the state’s flood situation.

The Northern Zonal Council commended the achievements of Chandrayaan-3, India’s leadership on the global stage, and the historic passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill by Parliament.

Union Home Minister Shah praised the Zonal Councils for their role in promoting mutual understanding and cooperation among states. He highlighted that these councils serve as platforms for resolving complex issues in an atmosphere of goodwill and amity. The Zonal Councils facilitate coordinated approaches among states on significant socio-economic development matters and provide recommendations on common interest issues.

Shah noted the increased frequency of meetings of the Zonal Councils and their Standing Committees, emphasizing the commitment to fostering cooperation among states. He observed that the number of meetings had more than doubled over the last decade.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for member states and Union Territories to share and learn from each other’s best practices.

Also Read: ‘India is Seen As Problem Solver’, Says EAM Jaishankar
Catch all the Latest Business News, Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on NewsX

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) announced this decision in a notification issued late on Monday evening, permitting exports to the UAE through the National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL). In amending the export policy, DGFT clarified that such exports would be allowed in accordance with the government’s permissions to other nations, primarily to meet their food security requirements, as requested by their respective governments.

Last month, the Government of India had similarly allowed the export of rice to meet the food security needs of Singapore. It’s important to note that one of the prominent importers of non-basmati rice from India is the West African nation of Benin. Additionally, countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, China, Cote D’Ivoire, Togo, Senegal, Guinea, Vietnam, Djibouti, Madagascar, Cameroon, Somalia, Malaysia, and Liberia are among the other destinations for Indian non-basmati rice exports.

India had imposed a ban on broken rice exports in September 2022, along with a 20 percent duty on non-basmati rice exports (excluding parboiled rice). These measures were enacted due to concerns about reduced production resulting from a decrease in the area under paddy cultivation. However, the ban was subsequently lifted in November of the same year.

Also Read: Cauvery Row: CM Siddaramaiah Accuses BJP & JDS of Doing Politics

Catch all the Latest Business News, Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on NewsX

Jairam Ramesh disclosed that discussions regarding the strategy for the Special Session were held during a Congress Parliamentary Strategy Group meeting chaired by Sonia Gandhi. Following this, a meeting was convened at the residence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, gathering the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc to further deliberate on the strategy for the upcoming session.

He elaborated, “We have decided that we will not boycott the special session as it is an opportunity for us to raise public issues concerning the public.”

Jairam Ramesh underscored that this Special Session is unique as it has been called without sharing the agenda with the opposition, presenting a challenge for the participating parties.

In the context of this development, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi addressed a letter to Prime Minister Modi, requesting time to discuss and debate the nine issues. In her letter, she expressed her concerns about the lack of consultation with other political parties and the absence of clarity regarding the session’s agenda.

Sonia Gandhi’s letter highlighted the importance of the Special Session as an opportunity to address matters of public concern and significance. She emphasized the need for time allocation under the appropriate Rules to facilitate meaningful discussions on these issues.

The nine key points outlined in the letter encompass a wide range of topics, including the current economic situation with a focus on rising prices of essential commodities, unemployment, growing inequalities, and the distress faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Additionally, the Congress leader called for discussions on the government’s commitments to farmers and their organizations regarding Minimum Support Prices (MSP), the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the transactions of the Adani business group, the challenges faced by the people of Manipur, communal tensions in various states, the continued occupation of Indian Territory by China, and issues related to Centre-State relations.

Sonia Gandhi also highlighted the impact of natural disasters, such as extreme floods and droughts, on various states and the urgent need for a Caste Census.

As the Special Session of Parliament draws near, Congress aims to shed light on these critical issues and engage in meaningful discussions to address the concerns of the Indian public.

Comparatively, during the same period of the financial year 2022-23, the fiscal deficit was at 20.5 per cent of the Budget Estimates (BE). In the current financial year’s Union Budget, the government aimed to reduce the fiscal deficit to 5.9 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) for 2023-24. This is in contrast to the fiscal deficit of 6.4 percent of GDP recorded in 2022-23, which was lower than the earlier projected 6.71 percent.

The Controller General of Accounts (CGA) disclosed the revenue and expenditure data of the Union government for the April-July period of the 2023-24 fiscal year. The net tax revenue for this period was Rs 5.83 lakh crore, accounting for 25 percent of the Budget Estimate for the current fiscal. This figure was 34.4 percent at the end of July 2022.

During the first four months, the total expenditure of the central government reached Rs 13.81 lakh crore, equivalent to 30.7 percent of the Budget Estimate. In comparison, the expenditure was 28.6 percent of the Budget Estimate during the corresponding period of the previous year.

Out of the total expenditure, Rs 10.64 lakh crore was allocated to the revenue account, while Rs 3.17 lakh crore was directed toward the capital account. The fiscal deficit serves as an indicator of the government’s total borrowing requirements, determined by the difference between total expenditures and revenues.

On the final day of the monsoon session of Parliament, three historic measures that would replace legislation from the British era with a focus on “justice instead of punishment” were introduced in Lok Sabha.

On Friday, three bills were introduced in the Lower House of Parliament: The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023. The measures are being sent to the Standing Committee for review, according to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Former Union Law Secretary PK Malhotra responded to it by stating that the three bills—replacing the IPC, Evidence Act, and CrPC—are a long-needed and desired reform of the criminal justice system.

The three laws that would replace the IPC, Evidence Act and CrPC from the British era are a long-awaited and much-needed overhaul of the criminal judicial system. Despite the reforms that have been implemented thus far and numerous recommendations such as those from the Justice Malimath Committee and the Law Commission, “justice for the common man has remained a far cry and those accused of petty crimes remain in prisons as undertrials for long periods of time,” he added.

“It is anticipated that justice delivery will be much quicker and reform-oriented with the procedural changes now suggested such as community service for minor offences, use of technology in the justice delivery system and rationalizing punishment for serious offences,” he continued.

Senior attorney Vikas Pahwa claimed that since the statutes were put into place more than a century ago, they urgently require revision.

The three Criminal Major Acts, which were put into effect more than a century ago, needed to be drastically changed. As a criminal defence attorney, I’ve long believed that India’s current legal system, as well as the definitions of criminal offences and the rules governing admissibility of evidence, need to be completely updated. Any law created along these lines would be advantageous for our nation’s criminal justice system. I applaud the government’s decision to submit these proposals to Parliament. The laws will mark a significant development in the way trials are handled in the nation if they pass the test of our urgent judicial needs, as per a statement by Vikas Pahwa.

In addition, former Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad described the three measures as historic and stated they will improve India’s criminal justice system.

The Indian Penal Code of 1860 is to be replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, the Criminal Procedure Code by the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872 by the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023.

Congress made a statement

In a statement, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh said that Shree Cement, India’s third-largest cement company, dropped out of the contest when the Income Tax Department raided it. According to the top leader, “Adani-owned” Ambuja Cements purchased Sanghi Industries within a month.

“The latest episode involves the takeover of Sanghi Industries by the Adani-owned Ambuja Cements. Aap Chronology Samajhiye. April 28, 2023, India’s third-largest cement producer Shree Cement is reported to be in talks to acquire Sanghi Industries, On June 21, 2023, Income Tax Department launches raids against Shree Cement at five locations, On 19 July 2023, Shree Cement exits race to acquire Sanghi Industries, and on August 3, 2023, the Adani-owned Ambuja Cements announces it has acquired Sanghi Industries,” Jairam Ramesh said in the statement.

“Sanghi’s unit in Sanghipuram, Gujarat, is India’s largest single-location cement and clinker plant. The associated Sanghipuram Port will also further facilitate Adani’s ports monopoly. Given its importance for his close friends, PM Modi has left no stone unturned to ensure control of these assets by the Adani Group,” the statement added.

He said that what we are seeing is part of a longstanding pattern of misuse of investigative agencies to enrich the PM’s cronies. 
“Agencies like the ED and CBI are not only being used to break apart opposition parties and bring down opposition-ruled governments, with 95 percent of investigations aimed against opposition leaders. Prized assets like Mumbai airport, Krishnapatnam Port and, now, Sanghi Industries are being handed over to the Adani Group following raids by these agencies,” the statement read further. 

Ambuja Cements Ltd (ACL), Adani Cement’s cement and building material firm and part of the diversified Adani Group, announced the purchase of Sanghi Industries Ltd (SIL) on Thursday for Rs 5,000 crore.

Also Read: Delhi police apprehended over 1700 criminals, recovered stolen property worth lakhs in July

Catch all the Latest Business News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on NewsX)