Karrar Combat Drones: It is an Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) developed by Iran. It is the first long-endurance, combat-capable Iranian drone. It will be strategically deployed along border areas, providing air defence units with the capability to intercept and neutralize hostile aerial threats at significantly reduced costs compared to traditional manned fighter sorties. The Karrar drone, which was first introduced in 2010, has an operational range of up to 1,000 kilometres. It has a maximum speed granted by its turbojet installation of 560 miles per hour. It reportedly boasts a service ceiling altitude of 47,000 feet. Lacking any retractable or fixed undercarriage, the Karrar is launched via rocket-assist (with a catapult launching rail) and is recovered by way of a parachute-retarded freefall. It has been equipped with the Majid thermal missile with a range of 8 kilometres. The Iranian-made Majid air defence missile features advanced thermal and optical seekers, enhancing its tracking and interception capabilities.
Election Commission of India: Election Commission is a permanent and independent body. By Article 324 of the Constitution of India, it is vested with the power of conducting elections to –Parliament, State Legislatures, Office of President and Vice-President of India. The Constitution does not lay down a specific legislative process for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. Article 324(2) says appointment of CEC and other ECs shall be subject to provisions of any law made by the Parliament. However, no such law has been framed so far. The President makes the appointment on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. They have tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. They enjoy the same status and receive salary and perks as available to Judges of the Supreme Court of India. The CEC can be removed from office except in same manner and on the same grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court. The Constitution has not debarred the retiring Election Commissioners from any further appointment by the Government
Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023: The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was passed in the Rajya Sabha in August, 2023. Recently, during winter session, the bill was passed from LS. Aimed at weeding out touts from the legal system, the Bill: repeals the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879, andamends the Advocates Act, 1961.This was done in order to reduce the number of superfluous enactments in the statute book and repeal all obsolete laws. This is in line with the government’s policy of repealing all obsolete laws or pre-independence Acts that have lost their utility. Key Features of the bill:
Touts: The Bill provides that every High Court, district judge, sessions judge, district magistrate, and revenue officer may frame and publish lists of touts. The Court or judge may exclude from the premises of the Court any person whose name is included in the list of touts.
Preparation of lists: The authorities empowered to frame and publish the list of touts may order subordinate courts to hold an inquiry into the conduct of persons alleged or suspected to be touts. Once such a person is proven to be a tout, his name may be included by the authority in the list of touts. No person will be included in such lists without getting an opportunity of showing cause against his inclusion.
Penalty: Any person who acts as a tout while his name is included in the list of touts will be punished with imprisonment up to three months, a fine up to Rs 500, or both.
