17-08-2020

17-AUGUST-2020

The Hindu News Analysis – 17th August 2020 – Shankar IAS Academy

S. Page Number*
News Articles
No. C B D H T

1 Lapsing into contempt (Editorial) 6 6 6 6 8

2 Suo motu contempt power is inherent: SC (16-08-2020) 10 10 8 8 -

3 India is moving towards a form of elected autocracy 10 10 10 10 12

4 Allegations of graft not per se contempt 10 10 10 10 12

5 The cost of stifling voices (OPED) 7 7 7 7 9

6 The centrality of devolution in development (OPED) 7 7 7 7 9

7 Parliament to see several firsts 9 9 9 9 11

8 NCC set for big expansion in border areas 10 10 10 10 12

9 PMO denies RTI plea seeking info on PM-CARES 9 9 9 9 11

10 Prelims Practice Questions @ end of the video

© Shankar IAS Academy *C – Chennai; B – Bengaluru; D – Delhi; H – Hyderabad; T – Thiruvananthapuram

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16-08-2020

Pg: 10 – C, B; 8 - D, H;
Pg: 6 – C, B, D, H; 8 – T; Pg: 10 – C, B, D, H; 12 – T;
© Shankar IAS Academy

Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks)
 Current events of national and international importance.
 Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System,
Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-III
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social
Justice and International relations
• Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution,
features, amendments, significant provisions and basic
structure.
• Separation of powers between various organs dispute
redressal mechanisms and institutions.
• Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and
the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the
Government; pressure groups and formal/informal
associations and their role in the Polity.

Pg: 10 – C, B, D, H; • Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers,

functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional
Pg: 12 – T; Bodies. © Shankar IAS Academy

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Constitutional Provisions on Contempt of Court

The Contempt of courts Act, 1971
129. Supreme Court to be a court of record.—The
• Civil contempt - wilful disobedience to any Supreme Court shall be a court of record and shall
have all the powers of such a court including the
judgment, decree, direction, order, writ or power to punish for contempt of itself.
other process of a court or wilful breach of an
undertaking given to a court. 142(2). Subject to the provisions of any law made
in this behalf by Parliament, the Supreme Court
• Criminal contempt - the publication of any shall, as respects the whole of the territory of
India, have all and every power to make any order
matter or doing any other act which
for the purpose of securing the attendance of any
scandalises or tends to scandalise, or lowers or person, the discovery or production of any
tends to lower the authority of, any court. documents, or the investigation or punishment of
any contempt of itself
• Punishment - Simple imprisonment – up to six
months, or fine up to two thousand rupees, or 215. High Courts to be courts of record.—Every
both. High Court shall be a court of record and shall have
all the powers of such a court including the power
to punish for contempt of itself.

© Shankar IAS Academy

16-08-2020
Constitutional Provisions on Contempt of Court

129. Supreme Court to be a court of record.—The

Supreme Court shall be a court of record and shall
have all the powers of such a court including the
power to punish for contempt of itself.

142(2). Subject to the provisions of any law made

in this behalf by Parliament, the Supreme Court
shall, as respects the whole of the territory of
India, have all and every power to make any order
for the purpose of securing the attendance of any
person, the discovery or production of any
documents, or the investigation or punishment of
any contempt of itself

215. High Courts to be courts of record.—Every

High Court shall be a court of record and shall have
all the powers of such a court including the power
to punish for contempt of itself.
Pg: 10 – C, B; 8 - D, H;
© Shankar IAS Academy

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Authors’ opinion
• 2nd tweet - clearly in the nature of a
• The author is ‘critical’ about the recent political opinion
verdict of SC on CoC.
 Mere voicing of an opinion can’t
 It was merely a criticism on an undermine public trust in the judiciary.
authority in Mr Bhushan’s case.
• SC built its reputation in front of the world
• The verdict of SC shows its low threshold for not through punishing of contempt but through
tolerance to criticism. its stellar/high quality judgements and the

 No deep analysis was carried out by the court’s fearless independence.

SC while pronouncing the verdict. • The reputation of SC can be damaged only
due to reasons such as
• 1st tweet - only touches partially on the
CJI’s personal conduct and partially on his  perception of judicial evasion,
administrative decision-making.
 self-imposed reticence,
 It cannot be qualified for criminal
 quiet acquiescence.
contempt.

© Shankar IAS Academy

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Pg: 7 – C, B, D, H; 9 – T;
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-III
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution,
Polity, Social Justice and International relations
• Important aspects of governance, transparency and
accountability, e-governance- applications, models,
successes, limitations, and potential; citizens
charters, transparency & accountability and
institutional and other measures.
17-08-2020
© Shankar IAS Academy
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-V
General Studies- IV: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude
• Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences
of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics - in private
and public relationships. Human Values - lessons from the lives and
teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family
society and educational institutions in inculcating values.
• Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity,
impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public
service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker-
sections.
• Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status
and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and
private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources
of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance;
strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues
in international relations and funding; corporate governance.
© Shankar IAS Academy
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‘Do we strengthen or weaken institutions by

• Voice  A partner in a marriage complains
criticising some of the actions of those holding
of abuse, or workers protest against
public office?’ management action.
• By convicting Bhushan - criticism may weaken
• Exit and Voice work together. Without any
the institutions.
possibility of exit, voices would remain
• Democracy is built on the bedrocks of unheard, and if exit were too easy, very few
deliberation and debate. would invest in voice.

‘Exit, Voice, and Loyalty’ • Public health and education work best in
countries where they are inclusive.
• Exit and Voice are the two alternative
mechanisms for the repair of societal • When the wealthy and most educated exit or
institutions. shift to private providers, public systems are
often starved of resources and ideas.
• Exit  consumers switch from one firm to
another, an employee moves to a job with • In politics, exit is used at the time of
better working conditions or a family moves elections, while voice makes elected leaders
across neighbourhoods. accountable.

© Shankar IAS Academy

Conclusion
• Courts exist to promote justice by adjudicating
Accountability on disagreements.

• To take complete responsibility by the • By scrutinising the behaviour of the legislative and
person for what he did or failed to do. executive arms, the court did not lower the
dignity associated with those offices or undermine
• Must be able to give a satisfactory
democracy.
reason for it and use of authority
entrusted in him to carry out that • Such scrutiny relied on critical voices from the
responsibility. public or civil society.

• Not only being responsible for something
but also ultimately being answerable for
your actions.
• Answerability, blameworthiness, liability on
the expectation of account giving.
• Voice has the potential to strengthen institutions
and help them adapt to a changing environment.
• Deliberation, debate and dissent are the bedrocks
of any democracy.
• By stifling the voice, we risk the disengagement
of those who are most invested in preserving our
democratic institutions.
© Shankar IAS Academy

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Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks)
 Current events of national and international
importance.
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-III
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity,
Social Justice and International relations
• Bilateral, regional and global groupings and
agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s
interests.
• Effect of policies and politics of developed and
developing countries on India’s interests, Indian
diaspora.

Pg: 7 – C, B, D, H; 9 – T; © Shankar IAS Academy

Economic distress of Tamils in SL

• News: Sri Lankan parliamentary elections took
• High unemployment rate
place on August 5th.
• Farmers are hit by droughts and floods.
 Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) led by
Mahinda Rajapaksa has secured almost two- • 2016 - Sri Lanka ’s poverty headcount was
thirds majority in the election. highest in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

 Election results exposed a fragmented

political opposition such as the Tamil Will the election results counteract?
National Alliance (TNA). • Tamil community’s long pending demand for
greater political autonomy.
 Reason: Tamil voters have moved away
from their political concerns to the • Prominent supporters of the Rajapaksa regime
growing economic distress. want to abolish the provincial council system
and the 13th Amendment.

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987 13th Amendment

• Tamil shall be one of the official languages

• Signed by former Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi and
in Sri Lanka.
former President of SL J.R. Jayawardene at
Colombo. • Ensure devolution of power to the people of
north and east.
• Desires to preserve the unity, sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
Way forward
• Acknowledges that Sri Lanka is a 'multi-ethnic
and a multi-lingual plural society’. • Proper devolution of power is central to both
political and economic development.
• Paved the way for 13th Amendment.
• Tamil’s voting pattern indicates their
political and socioeconomic priorities.

© Shankar IAS Academy

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Arrange the following radiations in the
increasing order of their wavelengths:
1. Visible light
2. Radio waves
3. Ultraviolet
4. Microwaves
5. Infrared
Select the correct answer from the codes given
below?
(a) 1-3-5-4-2
(b) 1-5-3-4-2
(c) 3-1-5-4-2
(d) 3-1-4-5-2

© Shankar IAS Academy Pg: 9 – C, B, D, H; 11 – T;

Ultraviolet (UV) light ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

• Wavelength  290 - 400 nm.

• UV spectrum  UV-A, UV-B and UV-C.

• UV-C rays

 Most harmful

 Almost completely absorbed by the

atmosphere.
Source: https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/toolbox/emspectrum1.html

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI)

• UVGI for air disinfection,
• UVGI is the use of ultraviolet energy to
kill/inactivate viral, bacterial and fungal  Irradiating the upper-room air only.

species.  Irradiating the full room.

• UV-C energy provides the most germicidal  Irradiating air as it passes through
effect: 265 nm is the optimum wavelength. enclosed air-circulation and heating,

• Low-pressure mercury discharge lamps are ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC)

commonly used in UVGI applications. systems.

© Shankar IAS Academy

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements with reference
to National Cadet Corps (NCC):
1. It is a youth development movement which
aims to create a pool of organized, trained and
motivated youth with leadership qualities in all
walks of life.
2. It was set up in 1948 by an executive order.
3. It comes under the Ministry of Youth Affairs
and Sports.
Which of the following statements is/are
incorrect?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Pg: 10 – C, B, D, H; 12 – T;
© Shankar IAS Academy

National Cadet Corps

• A youth development movement in India. • Aim:

• Open to all regular students of schools and  To develop character, comradeship,

colleges on a voluntary basis. discipline, a secular outlook, the spirit of
adventure and ideals of selfless service
• Enrolls cadets at the high school and college
amongst young citizens.
level and also awards certificates after
training.  To create a pool of organized, trained
and motivated youth with leadership
• Came into existence under the National Cadet
qualities in all walks of life, who will
Corps Act XXXI, 1948.
serve the Nation regardless of which
• Motto: ‘Unity and discipline’. career they choose.

• Comes under the Ministry of Defence.

© Shankar IAS Academy

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• Composition:

 Headed by the Director General (DG), an • Training Aspects of NCC:

Army Officer of the rank of Lieutnant
 Institutional training like basic military
General.
training to prepare them to join the
 Assisted by two Additional Directors Armed Forces.
General (ADG), one a Major General from
 Various training camps, adventure
the Army and other a Rear Admiral from
activities etc.
the Navy or an Air Vice Marshal from the
Air Force.

© Shankar IAS Academy

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Which of the following funds is created in the
wake of COVID-19 pandemic?
(a) Prime Minister's National Relief Fund
(b) National Disaster Response Fund
(c) National Calamity Contingency Fund
(d) Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and
Relief in Emergency Situations Fund
Pg: 9 – C, B, D, H; 11 – T;

© Shankar IAS Academy

PM - CARES

• Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief

in Emergency Situations Fund.

• Prime Minister is the ex-officio Chairman.

• Union Minister of Defence, Union Minister of

Home Affairs and Union Minister of Finance Section 7(9) of RTI Act, 2005
are ex-officio Trustees

• Consists entirely of voluntary contributions

from individuals/organizations and does not
get any budgetary support.

• Donations are exempted from the Income

Tax Act and will also qualify to be counted
as Corporate Social Responsibility.

• Can also receive foreign contributions as it

got an exemption under FCRA.
© Shankar IAS Academy

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© Shankar IAS Academy

Practice Question – Prelims

Q1.Arrange the following radiations in the
increasing order of their wavelengths: ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
1. Visible light
2. Radio waves
3. Ultraviolet
4. Microwaves
5. Infrared
Select the correct answer from the codes given
below?
Source: https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/toolbox/emspectrum1.html
(a) 1-3-5-4-2
(b) 1-5-3-4-2
(c) 3-1-5-4-2
(d) 3-1-4-5-2

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Practice Question – Prelims

Q2.Consider the following statements with reference
to National Cadet Corps (NCC):
Practice Question – Prelims
1. It is a youth development movement which
aims to create a pool of organized, trained and Q3.Which of the following funds is created in the
motivated youth with leadership qualities in all wake of COVID-19 pandemic?
walks of life.
(a) Prime Minister's National Relief Fund
2. It was set up in 1948 by an executive order.
(b) National Disaster Response Fund
3. It comes under the Ministry of Youth Affairs
and Sports. (c) National Calamity Contingency Fund
Which of the following statements is/are (d) Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and
incorrect? Relief in Emergency Situations Fund
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

© Shankar IAS Academy

Practice Question – Prelims

Q4.Consider the following statements with
reference to the term ‘contempt of court’ in
Indian context.
1. The power of Supreme Court to punish
for its contempt is a constitutional power.
2. The Supreme Court does not have powers
to take suo moto cognizance of contempt
of court.
Which of the following statements is/are
correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Important Sea Ports in Sri Lanka

Practice Question – Prelims
Colombo Port
Q5.Consider the following seaports:
1. Galle Galle Harbor

2. Yangon
Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksha
3. Trincomalee Port (Hambanthota)
4. Sittwe
Trincomalee Harbor
5. Hambanthota
Which of the above are located in Sri Lanka? Kankesanthurei Harbor

(a) 1, 2 and 5 only Thalaimannar Pier

(b) 1, 3, 4 and 5 only
(c) 3, 4 and 5 only Norochcholai Pier
(d) 1, 3 and 5 only
Source:
http://www.immigration.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id
=85&Itemid=201&lang=en
© Shankar IAS Academy

Source:
Source: http://www.mackinnonshipping.com/ https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Deep-sea-ports-in-Myanmar_fig1_324007267

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Practice Question – Prelims

Answers
Q1. Option (c) - 3-1-5-4-2
Q2. Option (c) - 2 and 3 only
Q3. Option (d) - Prime Minister’s Citizen
Assistance and Relief in
Emergency Situations Fund
Q4. Option (a) - 1 only
Q5. Option (d) - 1, 3 and 5 only

© Shankar IAS Academy

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