
3 May 2023
Swachh Bharat ODF plus Rankings
News: Kerala’s Wayanad has become the first district in the country to be declared ODF (open defecation-free) Plus.
Rankings:
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Wayanad district has come first in the ODF Plus rankings of the Swachh Bharat Mission in the three-star category.
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Wayanad was followed by Mancheriyal district in Maharashtra and Anupur in Madhya Pradesh.
Supreme Court: Irretrievable breakdown of marriage should be a ground for divorce
About the news:
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Using its powers under Article 142(1) of the Constitution, to do “complete justice” in any “cause or matter”, a Constitution Bench said it could use this extraordinary discretionary power to grant divorce by mutual consent to couples trapped in bitter marriages.
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Aim:
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To spare couples the “agony and misery” of waiting six to 18 months for a local court to annul it, as stipulated under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.
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It pointed out that if a marriage is wrecked beyond hope, the public interest lies in recognising this fact, not upholding a ‘married’ status regardless.
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The Court said it could use Article 142 to quash pending criminal or legal proceedings, be it over domestic violence or dowry, against the man or woman.
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Supreme Court could grant the divorce on the grounds of an “irretrievable breakdown of marriage” if the “separation is inevitable and the damage is irreparable”.
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However, Under the Hindu Marriage Act, irretrievable breakdown of marriage is not yet a grounds for divorce.
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The grant of divorce would not be a “matter of right, but a discretion which is to be exercised with great care keeping in mind that ‘complete justice is done to both parties
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Factors to be considered by the Supreme Court before invoking Article 142
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Duration of marriage,
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Period of litigation,
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The time the couple has stayed apart,
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The nature of pending cases, and
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Attempts at reconciliation.
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Mutual agreement to divorce was not under coercion.
Divorces in India
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They have doubled in number over the past two decades, the incidence of divorce is still at 1.1%, with those in urban areas making up the most significant proportion.
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There are many women, particularly among the poor, who are abandoned or deserted.
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Census 2011 revealed that the population which is “separated” is almost triple the divorced number.
Conclusion: In a country which is largely poor, where gender discrimination is rife and many women are still not financially independent, the Court’s stress on “care and caution” and not rushing into a quick divorce must be welcomed as marriage equality is not a reality for all.
U.S. panel report on religious freedom
News: India has termed the report on religious freedom released by the US as “biased” and “motivated”.
About the Report:
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The report was released by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
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It alleged “severe violations” of religious freedom in India.
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It designates India as a “country of particular concern” on the status of religious freedom along with several other nations.