Daily News Analysis 04 July 2023

Table of Contents

GS-2

1. The legality of the Delhi Ordinance

Facts for Prelims

1. Gucchi mushroom
2. Swami Vivekananda
3. Sagar Nidhi

The legality of the Delhi Ordinance

Context

The President\’s Ordinance on May 19, 2023, amended the GNCTD Act, taking away the services from the Delhi government, nullifying the Supreme Court\’s earlier decision that restored those services to the government.

Validity of the Ordinance:

Legal Questions:

1. Can an Ordinance or a Bill passed by Parliament nullify a Court\’s decision?
2. Parliament lacks judicial powers and cannot negate a Court\’s decision without changing its basis.
3. The Ordinance does not provide any valid grounds for nullifying the Court\’s decision.
4. Supreme Court\’s Decision and Constitutional Mandate:

Constitutional Mandate:

1. Article 239AA(3)(a) grants power to Delhi\’s Legislative Assembly to make laws, including services, except for police, public order, and land.
2. The Supreme Court\’s decision aligned with this mandate, affirming the government\’s control over services in Delhi.

Invalidating the Court\’s Decision:

Section 3A of the GNCTD Act:

1. The Ordinance inserted Section 3A, stating that the Legislative Assembly cannot make laws concerning services.
2. This section aims to nullify the Supreme Court\’s judgment, which is legally unsustainable without proper grounds.

Overriding the Chief Minister:

National Capital Civil Services Authority:

1. The Ordinance establishes this authority, chaired by the Chief Minister, with the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary as members.
2. The real purpose is to delegate all decisions on posting, transfers, and disciplinary matters to the two members, excluding the Chief Minister\’s opinion.
3. The Lieutenant Governor\’s decision becomes final in these matters, disregarding the Chief Minister\’s role mandated by Article 239AA(4).

Other Key Provisions:

Reviewing Cabinet Decisions:

1. The secretary to the council of ministers can bring a cabinet decision to the Lieutenant Governor\’s notice if it is deemed unlawful or against the rules.
2. This provision allows the secretary to review and potentially rescind cabinet decisions, based solely on their opinion.

Change in Session Convening Procedure:

1. The Ordinance introduces a new procedure where the Chief Secretary seeks the opinions of the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister before issuing summons to convene the Assembly.
2. This contradicts the existing constitutional practice, where the cabinet advises the Lieutenant Governor to summon the Assembly.
3. Seeking opinions before issuing summons is unnecessary and against established practice.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the Ordinance amending the GNCTD Act raises legal and constitutional concerns by nullifying the Supreme Court\’s decision, undermining the Chief Minister\’s authority, and introducing questionable provisions and procedures.

Gucchi mushroom

Context

Unpredictable weather patterns, early springs, and above-average temperatures have left gucchi mushroom hunters in distress.

About Gucchi Mushroom:

Characteristics of Gucchi Mushroom:

1. Gucchi mushroom belongs to the Morchellaceae family of the Ascomycota fungi.
2. It is commonly known as morel.
3. The mushrooms have a pale yellow color with large pits and ridges on the cap\’s surface. They grow on a large white stem.
4. The ideal weather conditions for the great morel include daytime temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius and night-time temperatures between five and nine degrees Celsius.
5. They cannot be commercially cultivated and are found in conifer forests across different temperature regions, as well as in the foothills of Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, and Jammu and Kashmir.
6. Gucchi mushrooms typically grow in clusters on decaying wood, leaves, or humus soil.
7. The mushrooms may or may not reappear in the same location during the next season, making their collection a challenging task.
8. Gucchi mushrooms are considered to be one of the most expensive varieties.

Health Benefits of Gucchi Mushroom:

1. Gucchi mushrooms are rich in potassium, vitamins, and copper.
2. They are a good source of vitamin D and several B-vitamins.
3. The mushrooms also contain antioxidants that help prevent health issues such as heart diseases and diabetes. These antioxidants eliminate reactive oxygen species that can harm the body.

Swami Vivekananda

Context

July 4 is the death anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, recognised as one of the greatest spiritual leaders.

About Swami Vivekananda:

Swami Vivekananda (1863 – 1902):

1. Swami Vivekananda, originally named Narendranath Datta, was a Hindu monk and a highly respected spiritual leader in India.
2. He was the foremost disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and played a significant role in spreading Vedanta philosophy worldwide.
3. His guru, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, recognized him as an expert in meditation (Dhyana Siddha).
4. Vivekananda aimed to combine Indian spirituality with Western progress, believing that they complemented each other.
5. He emphasized the importance of selfless service and working towards the betterment of society as a means of self-purification.

Teachings and Contributions:

1. Vivekananda offered paths to spiritual realization through his teachings on the four Yogas, harmony among religions, the divinity of the soul, and the service of humanity as a form of worshipping God.
2. He represented Hinduism at the 1893 World\’s Parliament of Religions held in Chicago, gaining global recognition.
3. After his visit to the West, Vivekananda returned to India and established the Ramakrishna Order in Belur, near Kolkata, in 1897.

Ramakrishna Order:

1. The Ramakrishna Order, headquartered in Kolkata, is a highly esteemed religious order in India.
2. Inspired by the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, the Order was founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897.
3. The Ramakrishna Order consists of two branches: Ramakrishna Math, dedicated to spiritual development, and Ramakrishna Mission, focused on social service.

Sagar Nidhi

Context

Scientists from Bangladesh and Mauritius recently embarked onboard India’s research vessel Sagar Nidhi to participate in a joint ocean expedition.

About Sagar Nidhi:

Ocean Research Vessel (ORV) Sagar Nidhi:

1. Sagar Nidhi is a research vessel operated by the National Institute of Ocean Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences.
2. It was built in 2007 by Fincantieri in Italy.
3. It is India\’s third research vessel, following Sagar Purvi and Sagar Paschimi.

Features:

1. The vessel is 104 meters long and 18 meters wide.
2. It is powered by fully automatic diesel-electric propulsion.
3. Sagar Nidhi has blue-water capability, enabling voyages of up to 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km) lasting 45 days.
4. It can launch submersible capsules for scientific exploration up to a depth of six kilometers below sea level.

Uses:

1. Sagar Nidhi is utilized for geo-scientific, meteorological, and oceanographic research.
2. It plays a role in launching tsunami monitoring systems, remotely operable vehicles, and identifying mines and gas hydrates.
3. The vessel serves as a reference point for studying marine environments, including tropical and polar regions.

About the Colombo Security Conclave:

Formation and Membership:

1. The Colombo Security Conclave was established in 2011 as a trilateral maritime security grouping comprising India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
2. Mauritius later joined as the fourth member, while Bangladesh and Seychelles participate as observer countries.

Objectives:

1. The conclave emphasizes regional cooperation and shared security goals among all littoral nations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
2. It prioritizes maritime security, marine pollution response, and maritime search and rescue efforts in the region.