Today in History (November 16th, 1988)
On 16th November 1988, Benazir Bhutto was elected as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, making history as the first woman in modern times to lead a Muslim country. She served two non-consecutive terms as the Prime Minister, first from 1988 to 1990 and then from 1993 to 1996. Benazir Bhutto played a significant role in Pakistani politics and left a lasting impact on the country’s history.
Summary of Today’s News
Modi launches mission for most backward of the Scheduled Tribes
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ₹24,000crore PMPVTG Development Mission and a Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra to address the needs of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. He emphasized moving beyond counting and classifying, aiming to unite people.
Secretariat writes to Guv. for proroguing House budget session
The Punjab Assembly Secretariat has requested the Governor, Banwarilal Purohit, to prorogue the budget session held in March. This move follows the Supreme Court’s criticism of the AAP government for repeatedly adjourning the session without specifying a date for the next sitting. The State government, which had taken the matter to the apex court after the Governor did not give assent to certain bills, has now given the go-ahead to prorogue the session.
A grave error in the law
The Supreme Court of India ruled on October 17 that same-sex couples do not have the right to marry under the Special Marriage Act. Critics argue that the judgment misinterprets the Constitution, overlooks precedents, and fails to address the constitutional validity of the Act. The court’s decision to delegate decisions on queer persons’ entitlements to a government committee is seen as an abdication of its role. Comparisons are drawn to the U.S. Obergefell case, suggesting India may need a similar moment for same-sex marriage rights.
Why are IAS coaching centres being probed by the CCPA?
On October 23, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) announced an investigation into 20 IAS coaching institutes for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices. The CCPA observed that these institutes often use the names and pictures of top rankers in their ads without disclosing the nature of their enrolment or the courses they pursued. Most rank holders showcased only took mock interviews, which the institutes provide free of cost.
