Uniform Civil code — the debate, the status

Last week, while hearing a matter relating to properties of a Goan, the Supreme Court described Goa as a “shining example” with a Uniform Civil Code, observed that the founders of the Constitution had “hoped and expected” a Uniform Civil Code for India but there has been no attempt at framing one. What is a Uniform Civil…

What Is Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act?

What is Public Safety Act? The act lays down guidelines required to maintain the safety and security of the people and the state. The PSA empowers the authorities to detain any person “acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”. This law is called the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978.…

Putting accident victims at the centre of vehicles law

Introduction It is well known that India is one of the most accident-prone countries in the world, accounting for nearly 1,50,000 deaths — 10% of all motor vehicles-related fatalities worldwide. However, the debate often revolves around how to minimize road accidents by incorporating deterrents into laws and ignores the interests of the victims. Motor Vehicles (Amendment)…

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019 and the related issues

Context The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill that seeks to amend the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, was passed by the Parliament in August. UAPA provides special procedures to deal with terrorist activities, among other things. Key amendments: To designate individuals as terrorists on certain grounds provided in the Act. The Bill empowers the Director General of NIA to…

Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill

The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was introduced in Rajya Sabha on August 11, 2016 by the Minister for Labour and Employment, Mr. Bandaru Dattatreya.  The Bill amends the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. The Bill has been passed by Rajya Sabha. The Act regulates the employment of women during the period of child-birth, and provides…

Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act

Constitutional Provisions Relating to Child Labour: Article 24 prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 years in hazardous industries. Allows their employment in non hazardous industries . Subsequently , government passed Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 which prohibited employment in 14 industries and regulated employment condition in the rest Article…

Surrogacy Bill

Here's what you need to know about the draft bill on surrogacy which was recently cleared by the Union Cabinet. 1. Surrogacy means a practice whereby one woman bears and gives birth to a child for a couple with the intention of handing over the child to the intending couple after the birth. 2. Altruistic…

Centre notifies Good Samaritan SOPs

The Centre has issued a notification ensuring that the affidavit of “Good Samaritan”, a person who voluntarily declares himself to be an eyewitness, shall be treated by the investigating officer as a final statement. Background: The notification is in response to Supreme Court directions in an October 2014 case of SaveLIFE Foundation asking the Centre…

Benami Transactions Prohibition Amendment Bill

The agenda for the present government is to reduce the amount of Black money circulation. we already have theBlack Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 which is aimed at bringing back money from abroad. The other big sector where black money exists is the Real Estate sector. But to…

Not only the mother’s responsibility

The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was recently passed by the Rajya Sabha. The bill aims to benefit about 1.8 million women in the organised sector and increase the strength of the working women force in the country. The Bill introduces following major changes to the law relating to maternity benefits: It extends the period…