HC: Unmarried same-sex couples can live together

HC: Unmarried same-sex couples can live together

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Nainital:  21.06.2020

The Uttarakhand high court, while hearing a habeas corpus petition earlier this month, held that same-sex couples have the right to live together even if they are not competent to enter into a wedlock.

A single bench of Justice Sharad Kumar Sharma made this observation on June 12 while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by a woman alleging that her partner — a major with whom she has been in a consensual relationship since 2016 — has been illegally confined by her mother and brother.

Citing Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which upholds right to life and personal liberty, the judge said, “Intimacy of marriage, including the choice of partner, which an individual makes, on whether or not to marry and whom to marry are the aspects which exclusively lie outside the control of the state or the society. The court as an upholder of the constitutional freedom has to safeguard that such a relationship where there is a choice exclusively vested with a major person, has to be honoured.”

“In view of the above concept, this court is in agreement that the consensual cohabitation between two adults of the same sex cannot in our understanding be illegal far less a crime because it’s a fundamental right which is being guaranteed to the person under Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” he added.

Justice Sharma said that individuals, even those belonging to the same sex, have the “right to live together even outside wedlock”, adding that a live-in relationship is now recognised by the legislature too.

Justice Sharma said that individuals, even those belonging to the same sex, have the “right to live together even outside wedlock”, adding that a live-in relationship is now recognised by the legislature too

Some schools hold half-yearly Class X examinations secretly

Some schools hold half-yearly Class X examinations secretly

Sambath.kumar & Vishnu.Swaroop TNN

Trichy/Coimbatore:  21.06.2020

At least two government high schools in Trichy and a private school in Tirupur have allegedly made Class X students rewrite half-yearly examinations secretly after the government scrapped the board exams and asked schools to submit quarterly and half yearly answer scripts to award marks.

According to teachers, around 30 students of government high school in Seerathoppu in Trichy were asked to come on Thursday to write the half yearly exam again for Tamil paper as the answer scripts were missing. A few of them wrote mathematics paper too the same day. It was not clear how the exams were conducted or whether Covidpreventive steps were taken for the exercise. While the headmistress could not be reached on phone, a similar incident was reported at the government high schools in Inamkulathur and Poongudi as well. The headmaster of Poongudi school however denied having called students to the school for writing exams again.

The private school in Tirupur allegedly sent halfyearly question papers to its students on WhatsApp and asked them to submit the filled-in answer sheets at the school on Saturday. As visuals of parents and students visiting the school with answer sheets went viral, Tirupur CEO R Ramesh went to the school and held an inquiry. However, he said that they could not find any incriminating evidence on the school campus.

“After we learnt about the allegations, we visited the school, but could not find any parents or students,” he told TOI. Sources say the matriculation school at Chettipalayam in Tirupur did it in a bid to boost the marks of its students as the marklists were yet to be submitted to the directorate.

Med experts sound warning as Covid cases spike in central TN

Med experts sound warning as Covid cases spike in central TN

No. Of Cases Up By 500 In Just 2 Weeks

Gokul.Rajendran@timesgroup.com

21.06.2020

Trichy: As the number of Covid-19 cases crossed 1,500 from 1,000 in the central region in just about two weeks, public health experts have sounded a note of caution at the growing complacency among the people in following preventive measures as the lockdown is relaxed. The doctors have predicted a spike in infection rate in the days to come.

On June 7, the region had 1,007 cases with Trichy district contributing 15 cases while on June 19, the tally touched 1,522 as 63 new patients were added to the count. Ariyalur remained on top with 414 cases while Trichy and Thanjavur crossed 200 plus cases. Karur, Perambalur, Nagappattinam and Tiruvarur clocked over 100 cases except Pudukottai which has recorded 69 cases so far.

While the contribution of Chennai returnees to the district could be an obvious reason for the spike, public health department doctors say the callous attitude of the people in following precautionary measures is also to be blamed. The mortality was comparatively lower in central region in the state as it recorded one death each of Covid-19 patients in Trichy, Pudukottai and Thanjavur.

A senior public health officer who requested anonymity said, “Chennai returnees are not the only reason for the increase of cases. People are unmindful of the fastspreading virus, mortality and other consequences. High-risk category people are more exposed to the virus after the lockdown,” said a senior doctor. Former president of Indian Medical Association (IMA) Dr N Balasubramanian said people should understand the severity of the issue and cooperate with frontline health workers and the police.

“Healthy people are roaming about in the town and crossing borders clandestinely. They are posing a risk to the high risk category people,” said Balasubramanian. Other doctors pointed out that social distancing, wearing masks and hand washing were considered unnecessary by several people. “They are under the impression that returnees from Chennai, other states and foreign countries are quarantined but they should realize the virus may be prevalent everywhere,” said a senior doctor.

NO SAFETY IN NUMBERS: Ever since the lockdown norms were relaxed, there has been a growing complacency among people in Trichy (in photo) and in other places, resulting in a spike of Covid cases in the central region

Locals worried Tiruvallur stn may miss out on express trains

Locals worried Tiruvallur stn may miss out on express trains

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 21.06.2020

Residents are worried railways will remove stops at Tiruvallur station for express trains as a new policy allows dropping of uneconomical stops to improve punctuality of trains. The system, called zero-based time table, will come into effect from July 1.

At present, only about six trains stop at the station though it is a district headquarters. People have been demanding for more stops for express trains that depart from MGR Central and trains that arrive at MGR Central, in addition to starting trains from the station which sees about one lakh passengers a day.

K Baskar, former member of divisional rail users consultative committee, said: “We are not sure if Tiruvallur will get dropped in the process. Current stops allotted to express trains should not be eliminated at Tiruvallur.”

He added that it may not be easy to consider a stop at Tiruvallur uneconomical because for some express trains, ticket collection may be less at Tiruvallur, but demand for stoppage is high. “For Chennai Central to Mangalore Mail and Chennai to Palakkad express trains collection from reservation may be less because it is coming under pooled quota shared with all intermediate stations up to Jolarpet and that too fewer number of berths. So, Tiruvallur passengers make reservations from Chennai Central.”

A railways official said dropping stops will depend on the trains and needs to be finalized.

PIL: Despite GO, private schools ask parents to pay fees

PIL: Despite GO, private schools ask parents to pay fees

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.06.2020

Claiming that private schools and colleges in Tamil Nadu were ignoring government instructions and demanding immediate payment of fee for the lockdown period, a lawyer has approached the Madras high court for action against errant institutions.

Advocate L K Charles Alexander said almost all private educational institutions in the state were demanding payment of fee for the lockdown period.

Though the state passed a government order dated April 24, directing all private educational institutions not to insist on payment of any kind during the lockdown, the same has not been publicised or implemented properly, he said.

While in Assam, Delhi and Maharashtra such prohibitory rules have been implemented in letter and spirit, Tamil Nadu has failed to register complaints against such illegalities, he said.

As per the Disaster Management Act, the Epidemic Diseases Act and guidelines of the WHO, the government is duty bound to ensure that citizens are not harassed by such private institutions to pay fees when their livelihood is itself at stake, the lawyer added.

Noting that every person has the right to live with dignity, he said the state is duty-bound to protect rights of citizens by providing income security and targeted social assistance for the marginalised.

Charles wanted the court to direct the state to initiate action against such erring institutions and ensure that they do not demand fees until normalcy is restored. The PIL is likely to be taken up for hearing on Monday.

Tamil Nadu has failed to register complaints against such illegalities, advocate L K Charles Alexander said. The PIL is likely to be taken up for hearing on Monday

No clarity if e-pass needed to travel within city

No clarity if e-pass needed to travel within city

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 21.06.2020

Is an e-pass needed for travel within Chennai during the June 19-June 30 lockdown?

This is the question plaguing many private and public sector employees who are either working in essential medical services or places like petrol pumps.

Greater Chennai Corporation is getting many questions regarding the same.

For instance, Kodambakkam resident V Gopalakrishnan asked if an authorisation from his company stating that he was working with a firm which was engaged in manufacture of medical devices needed for Covid-19 testing, was enough for travel, or he needed an e-pass.

“Many of my friends who are working in other industries or petrol pumps are being issued such letter by their employers. But they have not taken the epass,” he said.

A senior official with a central government agency told TOI that they had to mass apply for e-pass through the website.

However, it was not approved until they went to senior officials in the corporation headquarters. “A friend in a private company also faced this issue,” he said.

On Saturday, a store selling food items tweeted to the Greater Chennai Corporation asking that they had applied for e-pass in the essential services category, but the approval was still pending and that they were unable to proceed with procurement of fruits and vegetables.

Another company who is an MSME and an essential gloves and masks manufacturer which supplies the essentials to customers outside Chennai corporation limits said they had applied for an e-pass but was yet to get it.

Another resident had a doubt if they needed an epass to go and receive a visitor from the Chennai international airport. This is because the GCC has asked the public to get an e-pass for travellers from the airport.

While civic body officials in-charge of e-pass were not available for comment, the guidelines put out by the corporation on their social media said that epass is needed for those travelling within Chennai for marriages, medical reasons and funeral after they provide proof.

The issue is troubling private and public sector employees who are either working in essential medical services or places like fuel outlets

Soon, online degree courses at 230 univs

Soon, online degree courses at 230 univs

After Nudge By HRD, UGC Set To Tweak Rules

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 21.06.2020

In a move that will significantly improve access to higher education, over 200 universities can soon offer online degree courses as the University Grants Commission is changing the criteria for their eligibility.

The UGC, according to a source is finalising a proposal whereby “a university which fulfils one of the two criteria – NAAC 3.01 and above CGPA (Grade A) or among the top 100 NIRF rankings will be allowed to offer online degrees. This will expand the eligibility base to over 230 universities, significantly higher than the previous plan of 100 universities.” The move came following the ministry of human resource development asking the UGC to review the rules.

The government had earlier announced that institutions fulfilling both the criteria of featuring among the top 100 in the National Institutional Ranking Framework ranking and having National Assessment and Accreditation Council 3.26 CGPA (Grade A+) grade will be allowed to offer programmes on online mode.

As per the MHRD’s earlier announcement, only 67 universities became eligible. “Under the present rules, many good universities will be missing out on the opportunity as they have to fulfil both the criteria. So the ministry asked the UGC to have a review so that more institutions can offer online degrees but without diluting the quality,” said a senior official with the MHRD.

The move is seen as a major step in not only enhancing the gross enrolment in higher education, but also improving the quality of the institutions. The TOI, earlier in May 2020 reported that 600 universities are unaccredited in the country.

SC Sharma, director, NAAC said: “Equity and accessibility is important and gross enrolment has to go up significantly. But quality has to be ensured and allowing institutions of 3.01 CGPA and above to offer online degrees will ensure that. Moreover, universities which aspire to offer online degrees now will enhance their student-faculty ratio, improve their infrastructure so that they get at least NAAC A grade or among the top 100 NIRF institutions which will translate into quality improvement as well.”

The HRD ministry is likely to announce the new norms enabling more universities to offer online degrees, once the UGC finalises the criteria. According to ministry sources, around 100 universities are likely to be ready to roll out online degree programmes from the forthcoming academic session.

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