Today’s Current Affairs Update: “ProxyGyan IAS Express”
Date: 05 August 2024.
1. Keeladi
2. Golan Heights
3. Article 311
4. Waqf board
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Keeldi • News: Terracotta pipelines have been unearthed at Keeladi. • Location: Keeladi is situated on the banks of the VaigaiRiver in Tamil Nadu. • Excavation: The site has been excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department. • Significance of the Excavation: • Keeladi is linked to the Sangam age. • It is crucial for understanding the transition from the Iron Age (12th century BCE to 6th century BCE) to the Early Historic Period (6th century BCE to 4th century BCE). • The site exhibits characteristics of an urban civilization. • Some pottery fragments discovered at Keeladi are inscribed with Tamil Brahmi script. • Sangam Age: • The Sangam Age spans from approximately the 6th century BCE to the 3rd century CE. • The period includes ancient Tamil Nadu and Kerala. • Significance of Sangam: • Sangam refers to assemblies or gatherings of poets and scholars. • Sangams: There were three Sangams: o 1st and 3rd Sangams were held at Madurai . • 2nd Sangam was held at Kapadapuram . • Rituals: • Vattakirutal was a Tamil ritual of fasting until death, prevalent during the Sangam age. • Literature: Key literary works include: • Tolkappiyam • Ettuthokai • Pathuppattu • Twin epics of the Sangam Age are: • Silappathigaram • Manimegalai
2. Golan Heights:
• News: Israel has launched drones at Lebanon after the rocket attack on the Israel-occupied Golan Heights, blamed by Israel on Hezbollah.
• Location: The Golan Heights is a rocky plateau in southwestern Syria.
• International Status: It is considered occupied territory under international law: and UN Security Council resolutions.
• Geographical Boundaries:
• West: Bounded by the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.
• North: Bounded by Mount Hermon.
• East: Bounded by the seasonal Wadi Al-Ruqqad River.
• South: Bounded by the Yarmuk River:
• Neighboring Countries: The Golan Heights shares borders with Jordan and Lebanon.
3. Article 311:
• News: Five police constables and one teacher working in a government school were dismissed from service by the Jammu and Kashmir government under Article 311 of the Constitution of India.
• Constitutional Provision: Article 311
• General Provision:
° Article 311 of the Constitution addresses the dismissal, removal, or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities under the Union or a State.
• Article 311(2) Safeguard:
° No civil servant can be dismissed, removed, or reduced in rank without an inquiry.
° The civil servant must be informed of the charges and given a reasonable opportunity to be heard
• Exceptions to the Safeguard:
• Security of the State: The safeguard of an inquiry does not apply if the President or Governor is satisfied that holding such an inquiry is not expedient in the interest of State security. Article 311(2)(c)]
• Criminal Conviction: The inquiry safeguard does not apply if the civil servant is convicted on a criminal charge. [Article 311(2)(a)]
• Practical Impracticability: The safeguard does not apply if the authority is satisfied that it is not reasonably practicable to hold an inquiry, with reasons recorded in writing. [Article 311(2) (b)]
• Jammu and Kashmir Constitution:
• Section 126 of the constitution of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir provided similar safeguards to civil servants.
• It also laid down exceptions under which a person could be dismissed without holding an inquiry.
4. Waqf Board:
• News: The Central Government is planning to introduce a bill to amend the Waqf Act, which manages mosques and Islamic religious endowments.
• What is a Waqf?
• A Waqf is a property dedicated in the name of God for religious and charitable purposes, such as mosques, graveyards, shelter homes, and educational institutes.
• It is a permanent donation by a person professing Islam of any movable or immovable property for purposes recognized by Muslim law as pious, religious, or charitable.
• The Waqf Act of 1995:
• Enacted to regulate 'auqaf' (assets donated and notified as waqf) by a 'wakif' (the person who dedicates a property for Islamic purposes).
• The Act was amended in 2013 by the UPA government.
• A property can become a Waqf through a deed or instrument, or if it has been used for religious or charitable purposes.
• Non-Muslims can also create a Waqf if they profess Islam and the objective aligns with Islamic principles.
• A survey commissioner conducts investigations, including summoning witnesses and examining public documents, to declare properties as Waqfunder the 1995 Act.
• Functions of the Waqf Board:
• The Waqf Board has the legal authority to acquire, hold, and transfer Waqf property.
• Each state has a Waqf Board headed by a chairperson, including state government nominees, Muslim MLAs and MPs, members of the state Bar Council, recognized Islamic scholars, and mutawalis of waqfs with an annual income of Rs 1 lakh or more.
• The Waqf Board administers the property, recovers lost properties, and sanctions any transfer of immovable Waqf property through sale, gift, mortgage, or lease.
• Controversies Around Waqf:
Powers of the Board: The Waqf Board cannot claim property unless it is recorded in the revenue department's records before Partition and must prove the land is Waqf property.
• Section 40: Section 40 of the Waqf Act 1995 (amended in 2013) gives the State Waqf Board the power to decide questions about whether a property is Waqf or if a Waqf is Sunni or Shia. The Board's decision is final unless revoked or modified by the Tribunal.
• PIL in Supreme Court: A leader filed a PIL challenging the Waqf Act 1995, seeking a uniform code for trusts, charities, and religious endowments. The Supreme Court refused to entertain the PIL, stating that challenging the constitutionality of a law as a mere academic exercise is not permissible.
• Proposed Changes in Waqf Act:
• Registration of Properties: The proposed Bill will require Waqf boards to register their properties with district collectors to ensure accurate valuation.
• Revenue Discrepancy: The bill will address the discrepancy between the estimated revenue of Rs200 crore per annum from Waqf properties and the actual number of properties managed
• Verification of Disputed Lands: The bill will seek fresh verification of disputed lands claimed bv various state boards.
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