The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved one-third of the seats in the executive committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for women.

Accordingly, a minimum of 3 out of 9 positions in the Executive Committee and 2 of 6 Senior Executive Member posts will be reserved for women, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan directed.

It further said “at least one post of the Office-Bearer shall be reserved for women candidates exclusively by turn and on rotation basis” and “in the ensuing election for 2024-2025, the post of Treasurer of the Executive Committee is reserved for women”. The bench clarified that the “reservation is only to guarantee a minimum and women members of the SCBA, subject to their eligibility, shall be entitled to contest the election for all the posts in the Executive Committee”.

The Union Government has rolled out an intensive training strategy for police and prison department personnel across the country on the new criminal laws and to sensitise them to the transition from the colonial legacies to a new system of justice.

In a communication to Heads of Police Forces and Prison Departments, the Ministry of Home Affairs said the Parliament had replaced the three existing laws, namely the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 by three new progressive and modern pieces of legislation, namely the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 respectively.

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor today assumed charge as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command. He was commissioned into the Fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on the 06th of December 1986. A Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader, he has more than 34 hundred hours of flying experience. In recognition of his meritorious service, the Air Marshal was awarded with Vayu Sena Medal in 2008 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022.

During his illustrious career, the Air Marshal has held numerous field and staff appointments. His operational tenures include being the Commanding Officer of a fighter squadron in the Central Sector, Station Commander of a flying base in the Western Sector and Air Officer Commanding of a premier air base. He has done instructional tenures as Chief Instructor (Flying) at Air Force Academy and Directing Staff at the prestigious Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. During his tenure at Air Force Academy, the Air Officer was instrumental in the induction and operationalisation of PC-7 MK Il aircraft in the IAF. He has also undertaken a diplomatic assignment as Defence Attaché, Pakistan. His staff appointments include Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Strategy) at Air HQ, Air Defence Commander at South Western Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ Central Air Command. Before assuming the present appointment, he served as the  Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel at Air HQ. 

Veteran politician John Swinney is on course to become the head of the Scottish National party and the next first minister of Scotland after his main challenger Kate Forbes said she would not enter the race to lead the party.

If elected SNP leader to replace Humza Yousaf, who resigned this week, Swinney would have to work with other parties to lead the Scottish government, since his party has 63 seats and the opposition has 65.

But Forbes’ decision to stand aside means that the SNP will probably avoid a repeat of last year’s bruising leadership contest, which she narrowly lost to Yousaf.

Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) has given its nod for appointment of Hitesh Kumar Sethia as Managing Director and CEO of Jio Financial Services for three years period from November 15,2023.

This approval is however subject to the condition that the appointee holds a valid Employment Visa throughout his tenure in India, said a MCA letter, which has been filed with the stock exchanges by Jio Financial Services Ltd.

The MCA approval is under and in respect of the provisions of the Companies Act 2013 and should not be considered as covering any requirement of security clearance, for which the company/appointee shall be responsible, said the MCA letter.

Renowned playback singer Uma Ramanan, who predominantly sang in Tamil, passed away at 72 in Chennai on Wednesday.

She is survived by her singer-husband AV Ramanan and her son, Vignesh Ramanan.

India Today in a report mentioned that Ramanan was a trained classical singer and appeared in more than 6,000 concerts in 35 years. Song Poongathave Thalthiravai in the Nizhalgal film catapulted her to fame.

Some of her famous songs for Ilaiyaraaja include 'Bhoopalam Isaikkum' from 'Thooral Ninnu Pochchu', 'Aanandha Raagam' from 'Panner Pushpangal, 'Kanmani Nee Vara' from 'Thendrale Ennai Thodu', 'Ponn Maanae' from 'Oru Kaidhiyin Dairy', 'Aagaya Vennilave' from 'Arangetra Velai' and 'Sri Ranga Ranganathanin' from 'Mahanadi', among others.

Constitution Park, jointly developed by Indian Army and Punit Balan Group, was inaugurated in Pune on Monday. The park was inaugurated by GOC-in-C, Southern Command, Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh. Speaking after the inauguration, Lt. Gen. Ajai Kumar Singh said that in order to propel India towards development by 2047, every citizen must honor the duties outlined in the Constitution. Constitution of India bestows upon us both Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties, he said.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Punit Balan, President of Punit Balan Group, Janhavi Dhariwal-Balan, President of Manikchand Oxyrich and Manikchand Group, and Maj. Gen. Vikrant Naik, General Officer Commanding of Dakshin Maharashtra and Goa Sub Area.

Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) successfully secured $400 million (approximately Rs 29,600 crore) on Thursday from a consortium of five leading international banks.

The funds will be used for its ongoing 750 MW solar power projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

It will support the completion and commissioning of these solar projects, with operations expected to begin from November 2024 onwards.

One of the key projects, located in Rajasthan, boasts a capacity of 500 MW and has a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) in place with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

A wildlife biologist from Assam has been honoured with a leading UK wildlife charity award for her conservation efforts of the endangered Greater Adjutant Stork and its wetland habitat.

Dr Purnima Devi Barman won the GBP 1,00,000 Whitley Gold Award from the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), which supports grassroots conservation leaders from around the world, at a Royal Geographical Society awards ceremony in London on Wednesday evening.

Ms Barman received the trophy from charity patron Princess Anne – the Princess Royal, the sister of King Charles III, in recognition of her conservation of the stork known locally as “Hargila” in Assamese.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on May 2 said that 97.76 percent of the Rs 2,000 currency notes in circulation as of May 19, 2023, have returned to the banking system.

The total value of such banknotes in circulation declined to Rs 7,961 crore at the close of business on April 30, 2024, from Rs 3.56 lakh crore at the close of business on May 19, 2023, when the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 banknotes was announced, the RBI said in a statement.

The central bank announced the withdrawal of the high-value denomination banknotes from circulation as part of its clean note policy.

The facility for deposit and / or exchange of the Rs 2,000 banknotes was available at all bank branches in the country upto October 07, 2023.