Ans: A

Exp: 

In April, while 60 lakh cases remained pending at various High Courts, 30% of the seats remained vacant, according to a report published by the Department of Justice. 

Evolution of Collegium system for the Appointment of Judges

• • The word Collegium is nowhere mentioned in the Constitution.
  • It has evolved through the Supreme Court’s own three judgments, known collectively as the Three Judges Cases (1981, 1993, and 1998).
  • Earlier, the appointment of judges was made by the President in consultation with the Chief Justice and other judges.

• First Judges Case (S.P. Gupta vs Union of India) 1982

• • • The Executive has the ultimate and final say in the appointment of judges.
    • It emphasised that “consultation” of the Judiciary should not be seen as a “concurrence”.
    • The Supreme Court ruled that the President can turn down the recommendations of the CJI.

• Second Judges Case (Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association vs Union of India),1993

• • • The primacy in the matter of appointment of judges to the higher judiciary was transferred from the executive to the Chief Justice of India
    •  CJI only needed to consult a collegium of two senior-most judges.
    • Statement 1 is Correct: SC held that the advice rendered by the CJI on matters of appointments is binding on the President.

• Third Judges Case

• • • The Supreme Court expanded the strength of the collegium which included the CJI and four senior most Supreme Court judges in case of a Supreme Court Judge appointment.
    • In case of an appointment of judges in the High court, it included a High Court Justice and two senior most Supreme Court judges.

• Fourth Judges Case (Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association And Anr. v. Union of India) 2016

• • Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Supreme Court held the 99th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2014 and the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, 2014 unconstitutional and void.
  • Citing the independence of the judiciary, and veto powers of these two eminent powers, the act was held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court and it restored the collegium system for the appointment of judges in India.

Ans: C

Exp:

The French culture ministry has chosen the zinc roofers as the country’s entry for the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage to be decided at the UN body’s session in Paraguayan capital Asuncion in December.

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of India:

• Kutiyattam, Sanskrit Theater: 2008
• Tradition of Vedic Chanting: 2008
• Ramlila, the Traditional Performance of the Ramayana: 2008

Option 1 is correct: Ramman, Religious Festival and Ritual Theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas, India: 2009

• • Chhau Dance:2010

Option 2 is correct: Kalbelia Folk Songs and Dances of Rajasthan: 2010

• Option 4 is correct: Mudiyettu, Ritual Theatre and Dance Drama of Kerala: 2010
  • Buddhist Chanting of Ladakh: Recitation of Sacred Buddhist Texts in the Trans-Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir, India: 2012

• Option 5 is correct: Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur: 2013
  • Traditional Brass and Copper Craft of Utensil Making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, India: 2014
  • Nowruz: 2016
  • Yoga: 2016
  • Kumbh Mela: 2017
  • Durga Puja in Kolkata: 2021
• Garba of Gujarat: 2023

Option 3 is Incorrect: The Jamdani weaving tradition was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013 from Bangladesh, recognizing its cultural importance and craftsmanship.

Ans: D

Exp: 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently conducted a second round of polygraph tests on seven people, in connection with the rape and murder of a resident doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. 

About Polygraph Test (Lie Detector Test): 

• Statement II is correct: Polygraph Test: A procedure that measures and records physiological indicators like blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while a person answers questions.
• Assumption: The test is based on the idea that physiological responses during lying differ from those during truthful responses.
• Evaluation: Responses are numerically scored to determine if the person is telling the truth, deceiving, or uncertain.

Accuracy:

• Polygraph is not scientifically proven to be 100% accurate.
• These tests are controversial in the medical field.
• Statement I is Incorrect:  Due to their unreliability and the possibility of false positives, polygraph tests are not considered fully reliable for detecting deception.
• Despite doubts, investigative agencies sometimes use these tests as a “softer alternative” to torture for extracting truth from suspects.

Ans: D

Exp: 

Recently, the Supreme Court has highlighted the rights of people accused of money laundering, even in the face of stringent provisions on arrest and bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).

About Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002:

• Aim: The Act aims to prevent money laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from, or involved in, money laundering and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. 
• Statement 1 is Correct: Section 3 – It defines the offence of money laundering as any attempt, assistance, or involvement in processes connected to the proceeds of crime to project it as untainted property
• Investigation Authority: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or State Police investigates and prosecutes the predicate offence.
• Statement 2 is Correct: Section 50 – It Provides ED authorities powers to summon suspects for money laundering and record their statements.
• Statement 3 is Correct: Condition for Bail Under PMLA is different from ordinary criminal law.  The bar for bail under PMLA imposes a reverse burden of proof, which means that instead of the prosecution having to prove their accusation, it is the accused who must prove their innocence

Ans: A

Exp: 

Cyclone Asna recently moved past Gujarat without making any serious impact on the prone regions, said officials. 

About Cyclone:

• A cyclone is a large-scale rotating storm that forms over the ocean. 
• It is also known as a tropical cyclone or hurricane, depending on the region. 
• Cyclones are characterized by strong winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges. 
• Statement 1 is Correct:  Minimum Temperature Requirement: A sea surface temperature of 27 degrees Celsius and above is needed for a low-pressure system to intensify into a cyclone.
  • Currently, the sea surface temperature in the Bay of Bengal is 28-30 degrees Celsius. 
  • It is around 27-28 degrees Celsius in the Arabian Sea.
  • It’s colder (below 26 degrees Celsius) in the west-central Arabian Sea and very warm (above 32 degrees Celsius) in the Gulf of Aden.
  • The Tropical Cyclone Heat Potential is high in the central Bay of Bengal but low in the northern and central Arabian Sea.
• Statement 2 is Incorrect:  Frequency: Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal (BOB) are relatively more frequent and intense than those of the Arabian Sea.
• Reason: The BOB usually has higher sea surface temperatures, especially during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons
  • This provides the necessary energy and moisture for cyclone formation and intensification.