SC asks Patanjali SC to pronounce ‘India ranks...

‘Intense heatwave...

deviation from normal by at least 4.5 degrees. A severe heatwave is declared when the temperature exceeds the normal by more than 6.4 degrees.

With El Nino conditions present but diminishing, the IMD had previously cautioned about extreme heat during the April-June period, coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections, raising concerns about the population’s vulnerability to heatwaves.

The first phase of elections occurred on April 19, with the second phase scheduled for April 26.

The Met Office predicts an increase in heatwave days in April, expecting four to eight days as opposed to the typical one to three days. The entire AprilJune period could see ten to 20 heatwave days, exceeding the usual four to eight days.

Regions such as Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Marathwada, Bihar, and Jharkhand may experience an elevated number of heatwave days, with some areas potentially facing over 20 such days.

The severe heat poses a risk of straining power grids and causing water shortages across India.

Global weather agencies, including the IMD, anticipate the development of La Nina conditions later in the year, which typically results in abundant rainfall during the monsoon season, contrasting with the drier conditions associated with El Nino.

The IMD’s mid-April forecast predicts above-normal cumulative rainfall for India’s 2024 monsoon season, with the onset of La Nina conditions by

August-September being a significant influence.

The monsoon season is vital for India’s agriculture, with over half of the net cultivated area relying on it. It also plays a crucial role in replenishing reservoirs essential for drinking water and power generation throughout the nation.

Although not immediately available, the documents were promised to be submitted within two days.

The court will further examine the apology’s publication on April 30.

The court also emphasised the need for vigilance against deceptive advertising , urging both the Central government and state regulatory bodies to take proactive measures. The court’s remarks came during a hearing concerning Patanjali Ayurved Ltd alleged misleading advertisements, highlighting a broader issue with several Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies.

The bench, comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, scrutinised a letter from the Ministry of Ayush dated August 2023, which instructed licensing authorities not to enforce rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. The court questioned the rationale behind the Ministry of Ayush’s decision to suspend the enforcement of rule 170. The court also criticised the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for its members’ purported unethical practice of prescribing costly medicines in exchange for kickbacks.

The bench said there are several other FMCG companies going that way and the Centre has to respond as to what it has done about this.

“We can’t let the public be taken for a ride,” the bench observed, adding, “If this (misleading advertisements) is happening, the Union of India needs to activate itself and so do the state licensing authorities”.

“You can’t just shrug your shoulders and say I have conveyed the complaint to the state authority and it is for them to do what they are doing,” the bench said.

The bench told the IMA’s counsel that while the association is pointing fingers at Patanjali, “the other four fingers are also pointing at you (IMA)”.

“It is not going to be all just that there are FMCGs. There is you and your members who are prescribing medicines

on the strength of recommendations made for which there is valuable consideration from what we understand,” the bench said, adding, “If that is happening, why should we not turn the beam on you?”

The IMA’s counsel said he would look into this issue.

During the session, Justice Amanullah remarked on the irony of a news channel reporting on the court’s proceedings while simultaneously airing the very advertisements in question. The case, which includes an intervention application demanding a penalty of Rs 1,000 crore from the IMA for its lawsuit, is set to continue on April 30.

The court has also broadened its investigation in the Patanjali Ayurved case, expressing concern over deceptive advertisements by FMCG firms. The court has requested reports from three government ministries on measures taken to address advertisements that mislead consumers and potentially harm their health.

The court is scrutinising the enforcement of laws and regulations related to objectionable advertisements, particularly those affecting vulnerable groups like children and the elderly. The ministries of consumer affairs, broadcasting, and technology have been asked to detail actions taken to prevent consumer law violations.

This hearing is part of a larger case involving accusations by the Indian Medical Association of a defamatory campaign against Covid vaccinations and modern medicine, prompted by misleading claims in Patanjali Ayurved Ltd advertisements. Previously, Ramdev and Balkrishna had presented an unconditional apology to the court for these overstated product efficacy claims.

Deputy Election Commissioner Nitesh Kumar Vyas to grasp EVM operations. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing ADR, was reminded that voter satisfaction and trust are fundamental to the voting process.

Representing the Election Commission, senior advocate Maninder Singh argued that while EVMs are secure and tamper-proof, human errors cannot be entirely excluded.

Earlier on April 16, the apex court criticised the disparagement of EVMs and the suggestion to revert to ballot

papers, highlighting the complexity of India’s electoral process and warning against undermining the system.

The ongoing seven-phase Lok Sabha elections commenced on April 19, with the second phase scheduled for April 26.

ADR’s plea includes a request for the EVM vote count to match the verifiably “recorded as cast” votes and for voters to be able to confirm via the VVPAT slip that their vote, as documented on the paper slip, has been “counted as recorded”.

The Indian Army has emphasised the strength and balance of its troop deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), particularly following the 2020 border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.

SIPRI, an independent institute established in 1966, specialises in research on conflict, armaments, arms control, and disarmament. It is renowned for its comprehensive database on military expenditure, which serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, and the public.

The United States maintained its position as the top military spender, with a budget of $916 billion in 2023, marking a 2.3 per cent increase from 2022. The most significant growth in the US defence budget was allocated to research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E).

Ukraine experienced a 51 per cent surge in military spending, reaching $64.8 billion and becoming the eighthlargest spender globally. The country’s military burden stood at 37 per cent, accounting for 58 per cent of its total government expenditure. Despite this, Ukraine’s military spending was 59 per cent of Russia’s, but with additional military aid, the combined spending nearly matched that of Russia.

Russia’s military expenditure rose by 24 per cent to an estimated $109 billion, while China, the second-largest spender, increased its military budget by 6 per cent to $296 billion. China’s spending accounted for half of the total military expenditure in the Asia and Oceania region, prompting several neighbouring countries to raise their own defence budgets in response.

Collectively, the 31 NATO member countries accounted for 55 per cent of the world’s military expenditure in 2023, totaling $1,341 billion.