Here are the top 5 news updates of July 15, 2021:
Concerned over "enormous misuse" of the colonial era penal law on sedition, the Supreme Court today asked the Centre why it was not repealing the provision used by the British to "silence" people like Mahatma Gandhi to suppress freedom movement. Agreeing to examine the pleas filed by Editors Guild of India and a former major general, challenging the constitutionality of section 124A (sedition) in the IPC, a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said its main concern was the "misuse of law" and issued the notice to the Centre. The non-bailable provision makes any speech or expression that "brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in India" a criminal offence punishable with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Amid the ongoing military standoff with India, the Chinese Army is building permanent concrete structures near the Line of Actual Control, which will allow its troops access the disputed areas with India in a very short time. Senior government sources told news agency ANI that one such camp is coming up few kilometres inside the Chinese territory opposite the Naku La area in north Sikkim area, which is barely a few minutes distance from the area where Indian and Chinese troops had clashed last year when the confrontation started and also in January this year. The building of these warm modern buildings have also been observed near the areas in eastern Ladakh as well as the Arunachal sector, the sources said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today praised the Uttar Pradesh government for its handling of the Covid crisis and said the way it had controlled the second wave of the infection was "unprecedented". The PM, who arrived at his parliamentary constituency in the morning, also appreciated the Yogi Adiyanath-led government for working with a development-oriented approach rather than one based on corruption and nepotism and bringing in rule of law in the state. Describing the efforts of the government in combating COVID-19 as "commendable", the PM said Uttar Pradesh's population is more than a dozen big countries but the way "it has controlled the second wave of corona and stopped its spread is unprecedented".
Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has tested positive for COVID-19 in the ongoing tour of England and did not travel with the Indian team to Durham as it reassembled for next month's Test series against the hosts. A BCCI source confirmed that Pant has been in isolation for the past eight days. He is, according to the source, asymptomatic at this point. However, he is likely to undergo a COVID-19 test in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Jay Shah in a letter told the players to "avoid" crowded places.
Equity benchmark Sensex surged by 255 points to close at an all-time high today, tracking gains in index majors HDFC Bank, L&T and HCL Tech amid signs of earnings recovery. The 30-share BSE index settled 254.75 points or 0.48 per cent higher at its lifetime high of 53,158.85. It touched a record intra-day peak of 53,266.12. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 70.25 points or 0.44 per cent to its all-time high of 15,924.20. It hit a record intra-day peak of 15,952.35.
