Judges are also bound by ethics, code of conduct: SC

Judges are also bound by ethics, code of conduct: SC

The bench went on to explain how the right of freedom of speech and expression can’t be misused.

Published: 01st September 2020 02:36 AM |

Prashant Bhushan addresses the media in New Delhi on Monday | Shekhar yadav

By Kanu Sarda

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In its Monday sentencing, the apex court on Monday had a word of advice for judges and lawyers — judicial norms, ethics, and code of conduct are sacrosanct.“Truth can be the defence to the Judges also, but they are bound by their judicial norms, ethics, and code of conduct,” said a three judge bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra.

The top court touched on the unprecedented press conference in 2018 when four SC judges spoke to the media regarding their differences with the CJI. “We hope it was the first and the last occasion that the judges have gone to the press, and God gives wisdom to protect its dignity by internal mechanism, particularly, when allegations made, if any, publicly cannot be met by sufferer judges.”

The bench went on to explain how the right of freedom of speech and expression can’t be misused. “Though there is a freedom of speech, freedom is never absolute because the makers of the Constitution have imposed certain restrictions upon it. Particularly, when such freedom of speech is sought to be abused, and it has the effect of scandalising the institution as a whole and the persons who are part of the said institution and can’t defend themselves publicly, the same can’t be permitted in law.”

“The court can’t abdicate its duty and has to be uninfluenced by the statements published in various articles published in the media and opinions expressed therein. It has to decide the case uninfluenced by such opinions,” the bench said.

Flying to India for NEET amid COVID-19 risk stressful, impractical: Aspirants in Gulf nations

Flying to India for NEET amid COVID-19 risk stressful, impractical: Aspirants in Gulf nations

Some of them have decided the skip the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) altogether this year.

Published: 01st September 2020 08:36 AM 

Students being checked for temperature before appearing for the JEE entrance exam at a centre in New Delhi on Tuesday. 

By PTI

NEW DELHI: Travelling to India to write the medical entrance exam NEET is not only stressful but also impractical, several candidates in Gulf countries have said, citing the risk of contracting COVID-19 and the need to undergo a mandatory quarantine, among other issues.

Some of them have decided the skip the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) altogether this year.

"What choice do I have? It is impractical," said Royston Mendonca, who is based in Dubai.

Several Indian students like her said the Supreme Court's refusal to allow exam centres for the NEET in Gulf countries has left them the lurch.

Many of these students have their JEE Main exam in the Gulf and the NEET in India.

While exam centres have been set up abroad for JEE Main, there is no such plan for NEET.

Reaching India in time to be able to complete the mandatory quarantine period before the exam, arranging a stay before taking a flight back home, additional expenses, the risk of contracting COVID-19 and being quarantined again back home, are among several concerns on the mind of the aspirants.

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts medical and engineering entrance exams, has decided to hold NEET on September 13 and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains from September 1 to 6.

Mendonca said, "Even if I take the next possible Vande Bharat flight, I will not be able to finish my quarantine period by then.

And how can one appear for such a crucial exam amid this much stress," he told PTI over phone from Dubai.

Shailaja Vishwanathan, a Doha-based candidate, said, "I had contacted the Indian embassy here and I have been told that though I had not applied earlier, I would be accommodated in the next Vande Bharat flight. But it is too much of a hassle right before an exam for which I have been preparing for two years. I wish I was able to take the exam in Doha, but I don't have much choice. I will go anyhow."

Jonathan Vergis, who resides in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has to write both these exams, the JEE-Main in Dubai on September 3 and the NEET in India 10 days later.

"If I leave after this exam (JEE Main), I will not be able to finish the quarantine period before September 13, when the NEET exam is scheduled," he said.

However NTA officials said the JEE exam centre in such cases can be shifted to India and the students should reach out to the agency.

NEET candidate Jasim, a resident of Saudi Arabia, said, "This is very impractical. I have not travelled alone before this. If my parents fly with me, we will have to bear extra cost which is an added burden at the moment. The time taken to complete the quarantine, appearing for exam and then completing quarantine here once back, will require a lot of leaves from work for them too. We are still working out what to do."

Another candidate based in Oman, who did not wish to be identified told PTI, she has decided not to appear for the exam this year.

"I think I will take the exam next year now. I know a year is precious but it is just not feasible to travel to India for the exam now. I was really hoping that they either postpone the exam or set up centres in Gulf countries too," she said.

On Monday, the Supreme Court of India declined to pass direction to the Central government to hold NEET in Gulf countries.

The court directed the government to allow students to come through Vande Bharat Mission flights to write the exams.

The SC was hearing a plea filed by parents of nearly 4,000 NEET candidates, who alternatively had sought to postpone the examination until the coronavirus pandemic subsides.

The parents of these candidates, who reside in Doha, Qatar, Oman and the UAE, had approached the apex court challenging the High Court of Kerala order which had dismissed their plea in June.

The NTA informed the Supreme Court that it had duly consulted the MCI (Medical Council of India) on the students' demand for overseas test centers.

However, the MCI had clarified that since the exam is conducted in pen and paper mode, it will not be feasible to have a different pattern for Gulf countries or establish a centre there amid the pandemic situation.

Among Indian states too, there has been a growing chorus for postponing the two exams in view of a spike in COVID-19 cases.

However, the Ministry of Education has clarified the exams will be conducted on schedule in September as any further delay now can lead to a zero academic year.

These exams have already been deferred twice in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The JEE-Main was originally scheduled to be held from April 7-11, but was postponed to July 18-23, the NEET-UG was originally scheduled for May 3, but pushed to July 26.

They were postponed again and are now scheduled in September.

MTC buses to be operated only within Chennai police limits in bid to prevent congestion

MTC buses to be operated only within Chennai police limits in bid to prevent congestion

Commuters plying to Kovalam, Mamallapuram, Siruseri, Thiruporur, Chengalpattu and Guduvanchery will have to get down at the border bus stands in Chennai police limits and board another bus

Published: 31st August 2020 08:00 PM 

By B Anbuselvan 

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Thousands of daily wage workers who lost their livelihoods during the COVID-19 lockdown can heave a sigh of relief as public transportation is set to resume in Chennai.

After the state government relaxed the lockdown curbs, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) will resume bus services from Tuesday. The buses will ply in areas covered under Chennai police limits. Beyond that, commuters can use mofussil and town services.

The buses in the northern part of the city will be operated till Ennore and on the east side till Kanathur and Chemmanchery. Similarly, buses will run upto Thirunindravur on the western suburbs and Peerkankaranai on the south western outskirts.

Hence, commuters plying to Kovalam, Mamallapuram, Siruseri, Thiruporur, Chengalpattu and Guduvanchery will have to get down at the border bus stands in Chennai police limits and board another bus.

“About 3000 buses are ready to go into service on Tuesday. The bus services will be resumed completely depending on public patronage,” said a senior MTC official.

On Monday, as part of preparations for resuming the services, buses have been disinfected at depots. “The batteries have been inspected. Fuel condition, air pressure and other mandatory checks have been carried out for the buses. The buses will be provided with hand sanitisers,” said the MTC official adding that commuters without masks will not be allowed into the bus.

As part of the COVID-19 containment measures, the government restricted the carrying capacity of the buses to 60 percent. The 55-seater mofussil bus can carry up to 32 passengers, while 40-seater town buses are allowed to carry up to 24 passengers.

The conductors have been briefed about social distancing and precautionary measure to be taken during travel. Sources said drivers and conductors had been advised not to run the buses, if they are overloaded.

Restricting the transportation within the police limits is aimed at preventing congestion in buses. “The buses will drop the passengers at the last bus stop at the borders where the Chennai

police limits end. From there, mofussil and town buses will be operated to Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts,” explained the official.

Bus services across the state were suspended on March 23 on account of the lockdown. After 68 days, on June 1, 50 percent of buses resumed operations in 33 districts, except Chennai,

Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu.

The state was divided into eight zones, each comprising three to seven districts, to ease transportation. But curbs were again imposed within 25 days owing to a sudden surge in COVID-19 cases in the districts. Since June 25, bus services have remained suspended till August 31.

[Breaking] "Can JEE MAIN Exams Be Postponed For For Students From Flood Affected Areas?" Asks Bombay HC, Hearing At 8.30 AM

[Breaking] "Can JEE MAIN Exams Be Postponed For For Students From Flood Affected Areas?" Asks Bombay HC, Hearing At 8.30 AM: Just ahead of the JEE Main examination scheduled for Tuesday morning, the Nagpur bench of the Bom

He walked 7km-8km and wrote his diary even on the day he fell sick

He walked 7km-8km and wrote his diary even on the day he fell sick

Abhishek Singhvi

01.09.2020

Anyone who interacted with Pranab Mukherjee —Pranabda to so many of us — came back with a lasting impression about this remarkable man. In public life and in politics, my earliest interactions, after those with Madhavrao Scindia, were with Pranabda. The former took me to meet the latter. I came back marvelling at this encyclopaedic intellect blessed with an elephantine memory. I frequently told Pranabda that politics’ gain was the loss of so many disciplines—constitutional law, the legal profession, academia, historical research and so on. Few could rival his precise precedentbased approach, plucking accurately from the air an anecdotal event which usually fit the problem at hand like a glove.

Just last year he regaled me for over an hour with the historical evolution of West Bengal politics, greeting me as the new West Bengal MP! Typically, he would rattle off precise figures of political parties’ relative strengths during each WB assembly election since Independence, with names and facts 50 years old!

Few could match his iron discipline, from his morning constitutional to his late-night diary entries, followed with unfailing and uninterrupted continuity. My access to him allows me to disclose that the very day he suffered the brain injury late at night, he had completed his 7 or 8 km walk (split into morning and evening segments) and written his treasured diary before retiring — early by his standards — at 11pm.

Opening the Parliamentary debate on Budget 2011for the Treasury benches, I had coined an acronym for the budget, each letter of which applied equally to its author, Pranabda. In my acronym ‘DIRECT’, D stood for discipline, I for inclusive, R for reform-oriented, E for expenditure & growth reduction, C for creative and T for transformative.

The real USP of Pranabda was his rock-like solidity. He had humongous and unmatched experience, a middle-ofthe-road approach on economic issues, which leveraged the virtues of a historically licensed and currently liberalising economy with the benefits of a free market approach, without becoming starry eyed or being swayed by either. His elephantine memory, a unique mix of political grip with technocratic expertise and an unprecedented mastery of procedures, rules, convention, practices and precedents, set him apart.

Singhvi is a Congress MP and eminent jurist

A left-of-centre centrist who was a master storyteller

On each of four vital criteria available for any individual’s evaluation, Pranabda scored highly and in different ways. His talent was legendary. There are few, if any, who possessed his in-depth knowledge and easy familiarity with the intricacies of policymaking on totally unrelated subjects. He was a man for all seasons and I cannot think of any occasion when he failed to deliver.

Secondly, his ideological commitment was clear and consistent: he was a slightly left-ofcentre centrist, with a balanced approach on social and economic issues, but consistent with the socialist context of a transforming and unequal economy like India and with the inclusive philosophy of the party he represented.

Thirdly, his temperament, criticised by some as short and hot, was fully understandable for a man heavily pressed for time, who had no time for small talk or idle political gossip. But catch him with time or in a relaxed mood (like a flight to Kolkata or elsewhere, as happened with me more than once), and you would be treated to a delightful experience of old-world charm, anecdotal treasures, deep and incisive analysis and a childlike simplicity.

Finally, his commitment to his convictions was strong, honest and sincere: he was incapable of pretensions and came across as he was, without hypocrisy or camouflage.

In a 2012 article before Pranabda was even selected as the Presidential nominee by diverse parties, Inder Malhotra quoted an unnamed writer who described Pranabda as a “front person, reference point, troubleshooter, lightning rod, live wire, fulcrum, flywheel, and, indeed, the very heart and soul of the government”. Malhotra added: “This was a mind boggling... stupendous achievement for someone with most modest beginnings... who had to walk a few miles to the nearest school.” He was the go-to man for everything in UPA I and II and the number of EGOMs/GOMs he headed was testimony to this.

In our late-night meetings, he would tell me how Ajoy Mukherjee, a fine leader, expelled unfairly by Atulya Ghosh, formed the Bangla Congress, starting Pranabda’s political career in 1967. Bangla Congress sent him to Rajya Sabha, where, Indira Gandhi, impressed with his industry and analysis, started relying on him and appointed him commerce minister of India at the age of 42. After his exile (he named the persons responsible for it), Rajiv himself appointed him spokesperson. He would frequently tell me (whilst I would deny) that he had two failings because of which he could not aspire to be PM — his lack of fluency in Hindi and the fact that he was never elected to Lok Sabha (cured later for one term).

India was fortunate in having the indefatigable spirit, the unending zest for sincere hard work, the sagacious counsel and anchor-like stability of a wise philosopher and guide like Pranab Kumar Mukherjee.

Singhvi is a Congress MP and eminent jurist

INDISPENSABLE: Mukherjee was described as the go-to man for both the UPA governments

In A Select Club

Pranab Mukherjee is one of only three people (PMs holding portfolios excluded) who have held three or more different portfolios in the Cabinet Committee on Security, which is the key decision-making body of the Cabinet — in his case finance, defence and external affairs. Y B Chavan is the only one to have held four — finance, defence, home and external affairs — while R Venkataraman held the finance, defence and home portfolios at different points. Like Mukherjee, Venkataraman also went on to become President.

PIL urges govt to take over, manage finances of pvt edu institutions

PIL urges govt to take over, manage finances of pvt edu institutions

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:01.09.2020

A public interest writ petition filed in the Madras High court has urged the state government’s treasury to take over the finances of private educational institutions so that salaries could be disbursed to teachers and professors, besides keeping fee reasonable for students.

A division bench of Justice M M Sundresh and Justice R Hemalatha issued notice to the authorities, returnable by four weeks.

In his petition, Trichy-based activist K M Karthik wanted the state government to reduce the fee structures of private schools and colleges after a detailed audit by the income tax department. “Unfortunately in some private schools, the wages of teachers are as little as ₹5,000 a month,” the petitioner stated.

Stating that there is no legislation which specifies salary structure of teaching faculty in private educational institutions, he said teachers are left to the mercy of the managements for their salary. With the labour department staying away from monitoring and controlling management of institutions citing interim orders of courts, a majority of managements of private educational institutions under-paid the teachers for a long time. Noting that the income tax department had seized more than ₹1,000 crore from just three chains of private educational institutions in the past six months, he said it is an example of how largescale malpractices were happening in the finances of private schools and colleges. There is no proper mechanism either to verify the earnings of private educational institutions through fees or the expenditure they incurred towards salaries, the PIL said.

Curbs eased, TN Covid count may go up: Officials

STEADY CLIMB

Curbs eased, TN Covid count may go up: Officials

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:01.09.2020

After crossing the 6,000 mark for two days, fresh Covid-19 cases in the state dropped to 5,956 on Monday while 91 deaths were reported. At the end of the day, there were 52,578 people still under treatment.

In August, the state reported 1,82,182 cases and 3,387 deaths compared to 1,55,692 cases and 2,289 deaths in July.

Officials say, cases are likely to increase as the state is opening more business and entertainment activities. "The only way to stop this is to wear masks and maintain social distancing. The state will ensure there is aggressive testing and isolation of positive cases,” said health secretary J Radhakrishnan.

The state has also urged Covid-19 patients with comorbidities to report to a hospital for early treatment. "At least 32% of patients who succumbed to the infection had both diabetes and hypertension, while 24% of them had just diabetes. In most patients where these two disorders are not under control, there are severe complications," he said.

While fresh cases in Chennai are plateauing, the curve in western district is now going up. On Monday, Coimbatore had 589 cases, and Salem 497. Like fresh cases, Coimbatore also had the most deaths, 14, after Chennai, 19.

Chennai reported the maximum number of fresh cases, 1,150 fresh cases, and the adjoining three districts Chengalpet (347), Kancheepuram (187) and Tiruvallur (299) together added 833 cases and 16 deaths.

The seven other northern districts added 985 cases – with 307 cases in Cuddalore followed by 176 in Villupuram, 140 in Thiruvannamalai, 125 in Vellore and 124 in Ranipet. Vellore reported eight deaths.

The ten districts in the south reported 887 cases. While 129 were reported from Dindigul, 127 were from Madurai, 111 from Tuticorin and 98 from Kanyakumari.

Among the 656 cases in the central districts, there were 125 in Thanjavur, 113 in Thiruvarur, 105 in Nagapattinam, 95 in Trichy, 86 in Pudukottai and 75 in Ariyalur.