📰 Current Affairs

Article 3 of the Indian Constitution empowers Parliament to form new States and alter areas, boundaries, or names of existing States.

A bill for altering a state's name can be introduced in Parliament only on the prior recommendation of the President.

Before recommending the bill, the President must refer it to the concerned State Legislature for expressing its views within a specified period.

Parliament is not bound by the views expressed by the State Legislature regarding state name alteration or boundary changes.

A bill for state name alteration under Article 3 requires a Simple Majority in both Houses of Parliament to be enacted.

First Schedule of the Indian Constitution specifies the list of States and Union Territories along with their territorial extent.

Article 4 clarifies that laws made under Article 3 for altering state names are not considered Constitutional Amendments under Article 368.

National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) was established as a statutory corporation under an Act of Parliament in 1963.

The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) was constituted by the Union Government on June 2, 1990 under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.

The final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal was delivered on February 5, 2007.

Article 262 of the Indian Constitution empowers Parliament to adjudicate disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers or river valleys.

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) was officially constituted on June 1, 2018 following Supreme Court directions.

The Cauvery river originates at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range of the Western Ghats in Kodagu district, Karnataka.

River Cauvery enters Tamil Nadu at Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri district.

Article 51 of the Indian Constitution, under Directive Principles of State Policy, directs the State to promote international peace and security.

Article 253 empowers Parliament to make laws for implementing international treaties, agreements, and conventions.

Foreign affairs, defence, and treaties are listed under Entry 10, 13, and 14 of the Union List in the Seventh Schedule.

Article 352 allows the President to proclaim a National Emergency on grounds of war, external aggression, or armed rebellion.

Under Article 73, executive power of the Union extends to all foreign relations and treaty enforcement matters.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by the Prime Minister, acts as the supreme decision-making body on national security matters.

IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre) was approved by the Union Cabinet in June 2020.

IN-SPACe is headquartered in Bopal, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Kulasekarapattinam is located in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu.

India released its Indian Space Policy in 2023 to define roles for ISRO, IN-SPACe, and NSIL.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was established on August 15, 1969.

Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR is located at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) is the commercial arm of ISRO, incorporated in March 2019.

ISRO was established on August 15, 1969, and is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

NASA was established on July 29, 1958, under the National Aeronautics and Space Act in the United States.

India signed the Artemis Accords for international civil space exploration in June 2023.

India became the fourth country to soft-land on the Moon and the first near the lunar South Pole on August 23, 2023.

August 23 is designated as National Space Day in India to commemorate Chandrayaan-3 landing success.

NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is a joint Earth-observation satellite mission developed by NASA and ISRO.

The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act was originally enacted in 1971.

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Vande Mataram in his 1882 Bengali novel Anandamath.

Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram for the first time politically at the 1896 Calcutta session of the INC.

The Constituent Assembly adopted Vande Mataram as the National Song on January 24, 1950.

Article 51A(a) mandates that citizens must respect the Constitution, National Flag, and National Anthem.

Jana Gana Mana was composed by Rabindranath Tagore and adopted as the National Anthem on January 24, 1950.

Under Article 111 of the Constitution, the President gives assent to Bills passed by Parliament.

Article 324 of the Constitution vests the superintendence, direction, and control of elections in the Election Commission of India.

Article 326 guarantees adult suffrage for elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

The 61st Constitutional Amendment Act 1988 lowered the voting age in India from 21 years to 18 years.

Preparation and updating of electoral rolls are governed by the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

Electoral Registration Officers (ERO) designated under Section 13B of RPA 1950 prepare electoral rolls for assembly constituencies.

The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act was enacted in 2023.

Education was transferred from the State List to the Concurrent List via the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976.

High-Level Committee headed by retired High Court Judge Justice A.K. Rajan was constituted in June 2021 to study NEET impact in Tamil Nadu.

Article 254(2) of the Constitution allows a State law on a Concurrent List subject to prevail over a Central law if it receives Presidential assent.

Tamil Nadu previously abolished professional entrance examinations through the TN Admission in Professional Educational Institutions Act, 2006 under M. Anandakrishnan Committee recommendations.

Article 200 of the Indian Constitution governs the assent of the Governor to Bills passed by the State Legislative Assembly.

Article 201 empowers the President to assent to or withhold assent from a State Bill reserved by the Governor for presidential consideration.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) was originally enacted in 1976 during Emergency to regulate foreign funds received by individuals and associations.

A consolidated new FCRA statute was subsequently enacted in 2010 to strictly regulate acceptance and utilization of foreign donations.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) serves as the nodal administrative authority for enforcing FCRA compliance and NGO registrations.

Under Article 208 of the Indian Constitution, a House of the Legislature of a State may make rules for regulating its procedure and conduct of business.

FCRA registration certificates issued to eligible voluntary organizations remain valid for a statutory period of 5 years.

The FCRA Amendment Act 2020 made it mandatory for foreign contributions to be received only in designated FCRA accounts at the State Bank of India, Main Branch, New Delhi.

Under Article 174 of the Constitution, the Governor has the power to summon, prorogue, and dissolve the State Legislative Assembly.

Article 47 of the Indian Constitution directs the State to endeavor to bring about prohibition of intoxicating drinks and drugs harmful to health.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was enacted by the Parliament of India in 1985.

The Prohibition of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) was passed in 2003 to prohibit smoking in public places.

The Home, Prohibition and Excise Department in Tamil Nadu manages the enforcement of prohibition laws and state excise duties.

Presidency College in Chennai, established in 1840, is one of the oldest government higher education institutions in India.

International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed globally every year on June 26.

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was enacted in 1985 to prohibit illicit drug trafficking and consumption.

Article 47 of the Indian Constitution directs the State to endeavour to bring about prohibition of intoxicating drinks and drugs harmful to health.

Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) was constituted in 1986 under the Ministry of Home Affairs to coordinate national anti-narcotics efforts.

Police and Public Order are subjects listed under the State List (List II) of the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

The Tamil Nadu Police Department was formally created under the Madras District Police Act of 1859.

International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed globally every year on June 26.