What are Lok Adalats? What is the reason for their establishment?

• Also known as People’s Court.
• Lok Adalat is one of the alternative dispute redressal mechanisms.
• This system is based on Gandhian principles.
• It is a forum where disputes/cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are settled/ compromised amicably.
• Lok Adalats have been given statutory status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
• The award (decision) made by the Lok Adalats is deemed to be a decree of a civil court and is final and binding on all parties and no appeal against such an award lies before any court of law.
• Reason for establishment –  
• Article 39A of the Constitution states that citizens of India are entitled to equal justice and free legal aid. the legal system of the country was not able to deliver this promise. Hence, the Parliament enacted the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to create national, state and district level authorities to establish Lok Adalats.
• Need for speedy justice, there is no strict application of procedural laws like the Civil Procedure Code and the Evidence Act while assessing the claim by Lok Adalat.
• To clear the massive backlog of pending cases in the Indian judicial system.

Disabled are entitled to same benefits of SC/ST quota: SC

• Supreme Court of India observed that persons suffering from disabilities are also socially backward and entitled to the same benefits of relaxation as Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe candidates in public employment and education.
• Provisions for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe –
• Under Article 15 (4) the State shall make special provision for the advancement of the SCs and the STs. E.g. providing fee concession in admission to any educational institution.
• Article 15 (5) Provisions for the Reservation to SC and ST.
• Rights of Person with Disabilities Act, 2016 – Persons with disabilities are provided reservation of seats in government higher educational institutions (not less than 5%) and government jobs (not less than 4%).

NATGRID signed MOU with NCRB to access database that links police stations

• The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
• It is to access the centralised online Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) database for getting details of First Information Reports (FIRs) and stolen vehicles.
• It will be operational by 31st December 2020.
• CCTNS database is a platform that links around 14,000 police stations.
• It will become a secure centralised database to stream sensitive information from sets of data sources such as banks, credit cards, visa, as well as from various intelligence agencies.
• Need – As per the present arrangement, the security agencies directly contact an airline or a telephone company if they are on a suspect’s trail. And that data is shared through international servers.
• The NATGRID is to act as a medium for at least 10 central agencies such as RAW, Intelligence Bureau to access data in a secured platform

FASTag is now mandatory for vehicle registration in India

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced that FAStag details will now be mandatory to register vehicles or even issue fitness certificates.
• Besides facilitating smooth commutation/transit, would also help in checking Covid-19 spread as cash payment is avoided.
• Details of the electronic toll collection device are captured on VAHAN portal.
• VAHAN Portal acts as an integrated solution for vehicle registration for the State Transport Department. It helps in various processes like fitness, taxes, permits & enforcement to get computerized.
• FASTag –
• It was introduced in 2017.
• It is an electronic toll collection system with reloadable tag feature which allows automatic deduction of toll without having to stop for carrying out the cash transaction.
• Operated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

Inauguration of various new economic corridor projects in Haryana

• Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Shri Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of various Highway Projects.
• It will be a part of a new economic corridor worth over Rs 20 thousand crore in Haryana.
• Projects-
• 35.45 km 4-lane Rohna/Hasangarh to Jhajjar section of NH 334B costing Rs 1183 crore.
• 70 km 4-laning of Punjab-Haryana Border to Jind section of NH 71 costing Rs 857 crore.
• 85.36 km 2-lane with paved shoulders Jind-Karnal Highway on NH 709 costing Rs 200 crore.
• These projects will benefit people of Haryana in big way by providing smooth connectivity within State, as well as to other States like Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
• The projects will also save on time, fuels and cost, as also boost development in backward areas of the State.

Current COVID19 Situation in India

QUIZ TIME

As per the recent judgement by SC, Disabled are entitled to same benefits of

1. SC
2. ST
3. OBCs
4. Both A and B

Answer – D

Which of the following is mandatory for vehicle registration in India?

1. FASTag
2. LOSTag
3. Tags
4. None of the above

Answer – A

FASTag was introduced in the year?

1. 2017
2. 2018
3. 2019
4. 2020

Answer – A

FASTag is operated by which of the following?

1. National Highway Authority of India
2. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
3. NITI Ayog
4. Ministry of shipping

Answer – A

Question of the Day

What is the significance of The National Intelligence Grid?

Answer in next session…