Titbits:
1. The Madras High Court, in a recent decision from
June 2024, overturned a conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, bringing to the forefront the ongoing debate about
the reliability of DNA profiling in legal settings. The court’s ruling
emphasized the importance of not solely depending on DNA evidence for securing
convictions and underscored the necessity for additional corroborative evidence
to ensure fairness and accuracy in the judicial process.
2. After remaining above the 4 per cent mark for
nearly five years, retail inflation slipped to a 59-month low of 3.54 per cent
in July mainly due to a high base effect, data released by the National
Statistical Office (NSO) showed. The last time retail inflation rate was below
the 4 per cent mark - a key level in the 4+/- 2 per cent band of medium-term
inflation target set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) - was in September
2019.
3. The centre's direct tax collections, net of
refunds, as of August 11 in the current financial year stood at Rs 6.93
trillion, which is 22.5 per cent higher than the corresponding period of last
year, an official release said. Refunds from April 1- August 11 stood at Rs 1.2
trillion, which is 33.5 per cent higher than last year.
4. The Supreme Court of India granted bail to former
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia after an extended period of
incarceration, highlighting the court's role as the guardian of individual
liberties and reaffirming the principle that bail is the norm and jail is the
exception. This decision emphasizes the importance of the right to a fair and
speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution.
5. India’s first round-the-clock grain ATM was opened
at Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.Also Known as Annapurti Grain ATM, this
device is a creation of the World Food Programme in India.
6. Government of India has declared August 23rd as
“National Space Day” to celebrate the remarkable success of the Chandrayaan-3
Mission.
7. IIT-Madras retains top spot in National
Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024 ranking for sixth consecutive year.