Today in History (July 19th, 1848)
On 19th July 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention was held, marking the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States. The convention aimed to secure various rights and privileges for women, including the right to vote.
Summary of Today’s News
Publish Centre-wise NEET-UG results by tomorrow: SC to NTA
The Supreme Court has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to publish NEET-UG results for all 23.33 lakh candidates by Saturday noon, aiming to identify if perfect 720/720 scores were clustered in specific centres, which could indicate cheating or paper leaks. Petitioners claimed that 67 students achieved perfect scores, while the NTA reports only 17. The Centre objected to the release, citing privacy concerns, but petitioners argue for publication with anonymized data.
‘Can’t take liberty casually’: SC orders interim release of YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar.
The Supreme Court has ordered the interim release of YouTuber A. Shankar, known as ‘Savukku’ Shankar, who was detained under the Goondas Act since May. Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah emphasized Mr. Shankar’s right to personal liberty and instructed the High Court to expedite the review of his detention’s legality. The Tamil Nadu government plans to request a swift hearing. The Supreme Court previously questioned whether Shankar’s detention was justified under national security concerns.
Assam govt. repeals Muslim marriages registration Act.
The Assam Cabinet has approved a Bill to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act of 1935, which allowed underage marriages under certain conditions. Chief Minister Sarma stated the repeal aims to protect young girls and women and ensure fairness in marriage and divorce registration. New legislation for Muslim marriage registration will be proposed in the next Assembly session. Opposition parties criticized the repeal, calling it discriminatory against the Muslim community.
What is the role of the Finance Commission.
The 16th Finance Commission, headed by Arvind Panagariya, was established in December last year and is expected to submit recommendations by October 2025. This constitutional body, reconstituted every five years, advises on distributing Central tax revenues between the Centre and States, though its suggestions are not legally binding. The Commission will address vertical and horizontal devolution, local body funding, and the ongoing friction between the Centre and States over revenue sharing and tax distribution.
