News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: THE HINDU

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai to succeed Sanjeev Khanna as the next Chief Justice of India

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Wednesday (April 16, 2025) recommended to the Centre the name of Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as the next CJI. Justice Gavai, the second senior-most Supreme Court judge after the incumbent CJI Khanna, is set to become the 52nd CJI on May 14 after the retirement of CJI Khanna on May 13. Justice Gavai, who was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, would have a tenure of over six months as the CJI. He is due to retire on November 23, 2025. CJI Khanna, who was sworn in as the 51st CJI on November 11 last year, recommended to the Union Law Ministry to appoint Justice Gavai as the next CJI.

U.S. Vice-President Vance, family to visit India next week

U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance will travel to India with his family on April 21, the External Affairs Ministry and the White House announced on Wednesday. During the four-day visit, which will be part official in Delhi and partly a private tour of Agra and Jaipur, Mr. Vance will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and is expected to launch the India-U.S. technology partnership TRUST announced during Mr. Modi’s visit to Washington in February. Prior to India, Mr. Vance and his entourage will travel to Rome, where he will meet Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He is also set to visit the Vatican.

Waqf-by-user denotification would be ‘huge problem’, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court questioned provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which de-recognised the “established” waqf-by-user category of property, allowed non-Muslims into waqf administrative bodies and granted the state power to determine if a property was waqf or government. During the hearing, the Chief Justice went on to propose a three-point interim order to “balance equities” on all sides in the case. He suggested that properties already declared waqf by courts need not, for the time being, be de-notified or treated as non-waqf properties. These would include properties categorised as ‘waqf-by-user’ or waqf by long usage without formal documentation or registration, waqf by declaration or “otherwise”.

Graham Staines murder convict released on grounds of ‘good behaviour’ after 25 years in jail

After 25 years of incarceration, Mahendra Hembram, one of the convicts in the murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons, was released from Odisha’s Keonjhar jail, 200 km from here, on grounds of “good behaviour”. Hembram was involved in setting fire to the van in which the missionary and his two minor sons were sleeping on January 22, 1999. His release was recommended by the Odisha State Sentence Review Board, and the Keonjhar jail authorities maintained that it was carried out in accordance with the law.

Northeastern region is the gateway to Southeast Asia, says Jaishankar

Weeks after the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government Muhammad Yunus referred to India’s northeastern region as “landlocked”, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday (April 16, 2025) highlighted the region as a “gateway to Southeast Asia”. In a virtual address for the ambassadors’ meet of the North East Investors Summit 2025, Mr. Jaishankar spoke about the potential of the region and encouraged investors to take advantage of what the region has to offer.

SC fixes May 14 for hearing pleas against appointment of CEC, ECs under 2023 law

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (April 16, 2025) fixed May 14 for hearing a batch of pleas challenging the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (EC) under the 2023 law. On February 17, the government appointed EC Gyanesh Kumar as the next CEC. Mr. Kumar is the first CEC to be appointed under the new law and his term would run till January 26, 2029, days before the EC is expected to announce the schedule of the next Lok Sabha election.

Central Railway installs India’s first ATM on Panchavati Express

The Central Railway (CR) has installed an automated teller machine (ATM) onboard the Mumbai-Manmad Panchavati Express on an experimental basis, officials said. The ATM, provided by a private bank, has been installed in an air-conditioned chair car coach of the daily express service and had been made available to passengers, they said.

Nagpur violence: civic chief apologises to HC over illegal demolitions, claims ignorance of SC guidelines

Nagpur Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari has submitted an unconditional apology to the Bombay High Court for the demolition of properties belonging to accused in a recent riots case, admitting civic officials were unaware of Supreme Court mandates on such actions.  A Division Bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and Vrushali Joshi granted the State government two weeks to respond, while noting the administration’s overreach.

Bombay HC grants interim protection from arrest to Kunal Kamra

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday (April 16, 2025) reserved its order on a petition by comedian Kunal Kamra seeking quashing of the first information report (FIR) registered against him over his alleged remarks on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. A Division Bench of Justice Sarang Kotwal and Justice Shriram Modak directed the Mumbai Police not to arrest the comedian till order is passed in the matter.

Govt bans manufacture, sale of 35 fixed-dose combination drugs

Apex drugs regulatory body Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has directed drug controllers of all States and Union Territories to stop manufacture, sale and distribution of unapproved 35 fixed-dose combination drugs that include painkillers, nutrition supplements and anti-diabetics. They have also been asked to review their approval process for such fixed dose combination (FDC) drugs and ensure strict compliance of the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and rules.

Israeli Defence Minister says troops will remain in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria indefinitely

Israel’s Defence Minister said Wednesday (April 16, 2025) that troops will remain in so-called security zones in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria indefinitely, remarks that could further complicate talks with Hamas over a ceasefire and hostage release. Israeli forces have taken over more than half of Gaza in a renewed campaign to pressure Hamas to release hostages after Israel ended their ceasefire last month.

WHO countries strike landmark agreement on tackling future pandemics

Years of negotiations culminated early on Wednesday (April 16, 2025), with countries agreeing on the text of a landmark accord on how to tackle future pandemics, aimed at avoiding the mistakes made during the Covid-19 crisis. After more than three years of talks and one last marathon session, weary delegates at the World Health Organisation's headquarters finally sealed the deal at around 2:00 am (0000 GMT) Wednesday.

U.S. remains India’s largest trading partner for fourth consecutive year in 2024 -25: Government data

The U.S. remained India’s largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024-25 with bilateral trade valued at $131.84 billion, while the country’s trade deficit with China widened to $99.2 billion during the same period, government data showed. In the last fiscal, India’s exports to China contracted 14.5% to $14.25 billion as against $16.66 billion in 2023-24. The imports, however, rose by 11.52% in 2024-25 to $113.45 billion against $101.73 billion in 2023-24.

WTO slashes 2025 trade growth forecast, warns of deeper slump

The World Trade Organization sharply cut its forecast for global merchandise trade from solid growth to a decline on Wednesday (April 16, 2025), saying further U.S. tariffs and spillover effects could lead to the heaviest slump since the height of the COVID pandemic. The WTO said it expected trade in goods to fall by 0.2% this year, down from its expectation in October of 3.0% expansion. It said its new estimate was based on measures in place at the start of this week.

Kancha Gachibowli row: SC directs Telangana Wildlife Warden to take steps to protect wildlife

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (April 16, 2025) directed the Telangana Wildlife Warden to take immediate steps to protect the wildlife affected by the destruction of 100 acres of Kancha Gachibowli “forest” area, telling the State Government that it cannot have “high-rises in the company of deer.” A Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and A.G. Masih made it clear to the Telangana Government that not a single tree more must be felled in the area. Justice Gavai said the State would be inviting an order from the apex court to send its officials responsible for the deforestation to a temporary jail in the “very same spot” destroyed by bulldozers if it dared to justify the destruction.

Blow to unity to believe Hindi is for Hindus and Urdu for Muslims, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has said it is a “pitiable digression from reality” to believe that Hindi is the language of the Hindus and Urdu of the Muslims. A language is only a means of communication and does not represent a religion. “Language is not religion. Language does not even represent religion. Language belongs to a community, to a region, to people; and not to a religion. Language is culture. Language is the yardstick to measure the civilizational march of a community and its people. So is the case of Urdu, which is the finest specimen of Ganga-Jamuni tahzeeb, or the Hindustani tahzeeb, which is the composite cultural ethos of the plains of northern and central India,” a Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Vinod Chandran said in a judgment.

Indian, Chinese officials speed up efforts on Kailash Manasarovar Yatra resumption agreement

With the deadline for choosing pilgrims for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra looming in a few weeks, Indian and Chinese officials are speeding up efforts to reach an agreement on restarting the annual pilgrimage, which has remained suspended since 2019. Sources said that the two sides have discussed the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar in detail in the last few weeks, and expect a breakthrough “shortly”. According to officials, talks have been narrowing the gaps in outstanding issues, including checking infrastructure on both sides, and reviving logistical systems for a smooth process of travel. The Manasarovar Yatra used to be held between June and September each year until China withdrew facilities for Indians to visit during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Yatra remained suspended due to tensions at the Line of Actual Control after the Galwan killings in 2020.

Trump vs Harvard: U.S. President ramps up conflict against defiant University, demands apology

U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his war against elite U.S. universities with a threat to strip Harvard’s tax-exempt status if the country’s most famous educational establishment refuses to submit to wide-ranging government oversight. Harvard stands out for defying Mr. Trump, in contrast to several other universities and a string of powerful law firms that have folded under intense pressure from the White House in its crackdown on American institutions. Mr. Trump “wants to see Harvard apologize. And Harvard should apologize,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told journalists.

U.S. federal Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from deporting Indian student

 A U.S. federal Judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting a 21-year-old undergraduate Indian whose student visa was cancelled. Krish Lal Isserdasani has been pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an F-1 student visa since 2021. Court documents, as seen by PTI, said that “having maintained full-time enrollment and good academic standing, Isserdasani is now in the final semester of his senior year with less than 30 days remaining until an expected graduation on May 10, 2025”. The court document said that, “He was given no warning, no opportunity to explain or defend himself, and no chance to correct any potential misunderstanding before his F-1 student visa record was terminated in SEVIS.”