The Hindu – February 15 , 2023

By - Sitender Choudhary

News/ topics Paper Page No.

Anti- Defection GS 2 01
KPO GS 2, 3 01
Google VS Microsoft GS 1, 2 Text
Lithium Finding & more GS 1, 2 Text
Digitalisation & Disabled GS 2 Edit
Ladakh & Politics Edit
MCQs Prelims
Aaj ke Din !!!
What is the anti-defection law?

• The Tenth Schedule was inserted in the Constitution in 1985 by the 52nd
Amendment Act.

• It lays down the process by which legislators may be disqualified on grounds of

defection by the Presiding Officer of a legislature based on a petition by any other
member of the House.

• The decision on question as to disqualification on ground of defection is referred to

the Chairman or the Speaker of such House, and his decision is final.

• The law applies to both Parliament and state assemblies.

Features of anti defection law :

Disqualification
• If a member of a house belonging to a political party voluntarily gives up the membership of his political party, or
votes, or does not vote in the legislature, contrary to the directions of his political party.
• However, if the member has taken prior permission, or is condoned by the party within 15 days from such voting
or abstention, the member shall not be disqualified.
• If an independent candidate joins a political party after the election.
• If a nominated member joins a party six months after he becomes a member of the legislature.

Power to Disqualify

• The Chairman or the Speaker of the House takes the decision to disqualify a member.
• If a complaint is received with respect to the defection of the Chairman or Speaker, a member of the House
elected by that House shall take the decision.

Exception
• A person shall not be disqualified if his original political party merges with another, and:
• He and other members of the old political party become members of the new political party, or
• He and other members do not accept the merger and opt to function as a separate group.
• This exception shall operate only if not less than two-thirds of the members of party in the House have agreed to
the merger
For election to the Lok Sabha, a nomination paper can Which of the following are not necessarily the
be filed by consequences of the proclamation of the President’s
a) Anyone residing in India. rule in a State?
b) A resident of the constituency from which the election 1. Dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly
is to be contested. 2. Removal of the Council of Ministers in the State
c) Any citizen of India whose name appears in the 3. Dissolution of the local bodies
electoral roll of a constituency. Select the correct answer using the code given
d) Any citizen of India. below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
Consider the following statements: d) 1, 2 and 3
1. The Election Commission of India is a five member body.
2. Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule Which one of the following is not a feature to
for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections. Indian federalism?
3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to a) There is an independent judiciary in India.
splits/mergers of recognized political parties. b) Powers have been clearly divided between the
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Centre and the States.
a) 1 and 2 only c) The federating units have been given unequal
b) 2 only representation in the Rajya Sabha.
c) 2 and 3 only d) It is the result of an agreement among the federating
d) 3 only units
Some of the criticisms are:

• Violation of Free Speech: The law restricts the freedom of speech and expression of the legislators, as it
prohibits them from expressing dissent or disagreement against the party line.

• Centralization of power: The law centralizes power in the hands of the party leadership, as it gives them the
power to disqualify members who go against the party line. This can undermine the autonomy of elected
representatives and reduce their accountability to their constituents.

• Discourages dissent and debate: The Anti-Defection Law discourages legislators from engaging in meaningful
debate and discussion on issues of public importance, as they are required to toe the party line. This can lead to a
lack of diversity of opinions and ideas in legislative bodies.

• Promotes party discipline over public interest: The law incentivizes legislators to prioritize party discipline
over the interests of their constituents, as they risk losing their seats if they vote against the party line.
• Ambiguous provisions: The provisions of the law are sometimes vague and open to interpretation, which can
lead to inconsistencies in its implementation.

• Arbitrary use of disqualification power: There have been instances where the power to disqualify legislators
under the law has been used arbitrarily or for political purposes, rather than to uphold the spirit of the law.

• Can lead to instability: In some cases, the Anti-Defection Law has led to instability in governments, as the
disqualification of legislators can lead to the collapse of a government or result in frequent changes in leadership.
Which of these is a function of the stock exchange? NIFTY and SENSEX are calculated based on
____________.
a) Role of an economic barometer
b) Valuation of securities a) Free-Float capitalisation
c) Encouraging investments and savings b) Market capitalisation
d) All of the above c) Authorised share capital
d) Paid-up capital

The Securities and Exchange Board of India

Which of the following terms is not related to a stock (SEBI) is not responsible for _________.
exchange?
a) Ensuring fair practices by companies
a) Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) b) Investor protection
b) Net Asset Value (NAV) c) Improving the earnings of shareholders
c) Initial Public Offering (IPO) d) Promoting efficient services by brokers
d) National Stock Exchange (NSE)
Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) is a form of outsourcing where companies outsource their high-end knowledge-based
activities, which require specialized knowledge, expertise, and analytical skills, to a third-party service provider. The
outsourcing company aims to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and focus on core competencies, while the service provider
gains access to specialized expertise and a new source of revenue.

Examples of KPO activities can include:

1. Market research and analysis: Companies may outsource market research and analysis to KPO service providers to gain
insights into market trends, customer behavior, and competitor activities. The KPO provider may use advanced analytical
techniques and models to generate insights that can inform business decisions.

2. Financial analysis and risk management: Companies may outsource financial analysis and risk management activities to
KPO service providers to manage financial risks, analyze financial data, and make informed investment decisions. The KPO
provider may have expertise in financial modeling, forecasting, and data analysis.

3. Legal research and analysis: Law firms and corporations may outsource legal research and analysis to KPO service
providers to support legal proceedings, regulatory compliance, and intellectual property protection. The KPO provider may
have expertise in legal research databases, case law, and regulatory compliance.

4. Scientific research and development: Pharmaceutical and biotech companies may outsource scientific research and
development to KPO service providers to accelerate drug discovery and development. The KPO provider may have
expertise in bioinformatics, genomics, and clinical trials.

5. Design and engineering: Engineering and manufacturing companies may outsource design and engineering activities to
KPO service providers to reduce costs and improve product quality. The KPO provider may have expertise in computer-
aided design (CAD), 3D modeling, and simulation.
• Free-float capitalization is a method used to calculate the market value of a publicly-
traded company's outstanding shares.
• It represents the total value of the company's shares that are available for trading in the
open market, excluding those that are held by insiders, promoters, and governments,
which are not available for trading.
• Free-float capitalization is calculated by multiplying the company's current stock price
by the number of shares outstanding that are available for trading in the open market.
• This method is used to determine a company's market capitalization, which is a measure
of its total value in the stock market.
• The advantage of using free-float capitalization over other methods is that it provides a
more accurate representation of the company's market value, as it excludes the shares
that are not available for trading.
• This can be particularly useful in comparing the market value of companies with
different levels of insider ownership or government holdings, as it provides a more level
playing field.
• The estimation in Census 2011, that 2.21% of India’s population is disabled is a gross underestimation.
• According to the World Health Organization, about 16% of the global population is disabled.
• If that figure is extrapolated to the Indian context, it would mean at least 192 million disabled people.
• India, it is reported, had 750 million Internet/smartphone users in 2020.
• Applying the 16% figure here, this works out to be roughly 120 million (12 crore) Internet/smartphone
users with disabilities.

Apps and an evaluation

• We use apps to order groceries, food, medicines, in dating, socialising, entertainment and education.
• The apps were Zomato, Swiggy, PayTM, PhonePe, Amazon, Flipkart, Uber, Ola, WhatsApp and
Telegram.
• four out of the 10 apps ranked low, while five were in the medium category
• the only app which sent a representative was the one ranked high in the index, i.e., WhatsApp.

Solutions
• Start discussions on digital accessibility, product design and the development process.
• Work with these service providers and help them design practices and processes
• Improve design and development practices so that the apps are accessible right from the inception
• Moving away from a charity approach to a rights-based and investment outlook.
• Positive developments from the courts lately on the need for accessibility across sectors.
• Incorporating the principles of accessibility and inclusive design into every digital offering, right from
inception.
Digital technology has the potential to transform the lives of people with disabilities by enabling greater
accessibility, independence, and participation in society. Here are some ways digital technology can help
people with disabilities:
• Assistive technology: Digital tools and devices such as screen readers, speech recognition software,
and braille displays can help people with visual and hearing impairments to access digital content and
communicate more easily.
• Augmentative and alternative communication: Digital technology can help people with speech and
language impairments to communicate through text-to-speech software, communication boards, and
other assistive devices.
• Accessibility features: Many digital devices and platforms have built-in accessibility features such as
captioning, audio descriptions, and high-contrast displays that can make digital content more
accessible to people with disabilities.
• Telehealth: Digital technology can enable remote healthcare services such as telemedicine, which can
help people with disabilities to access medical care and support more easily.
• Education and learning: Digital technology can help people with disabilities to access educational
content and resources through e-learning platforms, adaptive technologies, and assistive devices.
• Socialization: Digital technology can help people with disabilities to connect with others and
participate in social activities through social media, online communities, and virtual reality.
• Independent living: Digital technology can support independent living through home automation,
assistive devices, and remote monitoring technologies that can help people with disabilities to manage
their daily activities more easily.
 थैंक्यू
Dhanyawad