Daily Prelims Booster 27th July 2023

1) DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill 2019 withdrawn: The Bill provided for the regulation of the use of DNA technology for establishing the identity of certain persons.

• DNA refers to deoxyribonucleic acid, it is the carrier of genetic information. 
• A key concern regarding the bill: 
  • DNA testing is currently being done on an extremely limited scale in India. 
  • The standards of the laboratories collecting DNAs are not monitored or regulated. 
  • DNA information can be very intrusive that can be liable for misuse. 
  • The possibility of this law being used for racial profiling.

2) Women reservation in ULBs in Nagaland: Supreme Court asked both the centre and Nagaland government reasons for the non-implementation of women’s quota in urban local body (ULB) polls. 

• Earlier, in 2006, the Nagaland Municipal Act of 2001 was amended to provide for the reservation of women in line with the 74th constitutional amendment in 1992. 
• Challenges in the implementation of women’s quota: 
  • Opposition from Naga tribal bodies against women’s quota in ULBs on grounds of infringement of special rights guaranteed by Article 371(A). 
  • Patriarchal socio-cultural traditions and customary laws of Naga tribes restrict decision-making by women.

3) Communities added to Schedule Tribe: Rajya Sabha passed a Bill to amend the Constitution (Schedule Tribes) Order, 1950 for the inclusion of certain communities in the list of Schedule Tribes of Chhattisgarh. 

• Communities added: Dhanuhar, Dhanuwar, Kisan, Saundra, Saonra, and Binjhia and three Devanagari versions of the Pando community. 
• According to Article 342:
  • The President may with respect to any State/UT and where it is a State after consultation with the Governor, may notify the STs in relation to that State/UT. 
  • The Parliament may by law include or exclude from the list of STs specified in a notification issued.

4) Trade settlement Cycle: SEBI has said that it is working on the real-time settlement of transactions in India’s stock exchanges i.e. ‘T+0’ settlement cycle. 

• After implementation, ‘T+0’ cycle will provide an instant transfer of money to investors who sell shares. 
• ‘Settlement’ is a two-way process that involves the transfer of funds and securities on a settlement date. 
• Currently, the Indian Stock market follows ‘T+1’ cycle (since January 2023) which means that trade settlements happen within a day, or 24 hours of actual transaction. 
• Benefits: Bring operational efficiency, ease for stock market participants etc.