The Evening Wrap: Kharge authorised to nominate all Congress Working Committee members

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has been authorised to choose new members of the Congress Working Committee, the outgoing Steering Committee, on February 24, decided in a meeting that decided the agenda for the party’s 85th Plenary session at Raipur. While the Gandhis skipped the meeting, the other members of the steering committee were divided on the issue of holding elections to the CWC, the party’s highest decision-making body. The party constitution provides for elections of 12 members to the CWC while the rest are nominated by the party president. Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said the committee freely discussed the matter of CWC elections and all the members present unanimously authorised the Congress president to nominate members. In his opening remarks, Kharge said that he would go by the majority opinion on the issue of holding elections to the CWC. However, sources said that opinion was divided on the question. Senior leaders like Digvijaya Singh, Ajay Maken and Abhishek Singhvi favoured the elections while some other leaders, including Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, called for consensus. Preparations for Assembly elections in key States, fear of lack of representation for smaller States and lack of regular elections at the grassroots were some of the arguments against holding elections. Supreme Court pushes for government to consider making policy on menstrual pain leave The Supreme Court said there are different “dimensions” to menstrual pain leave, which though being a biological process, may also act as a “disincentive” for employers from engaging women in their establishments. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud asked the petitioner to approach the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development Ministry to frame a policy. The court was hearing a petition filed by Shailendra Mani Tripathi, represented by advocate Vishal Tiwari, seeking a direction to States to frame rules for granting menstrual pain leave for students and working women in workplaces. However, the court was also intrigued by a caveat filed by a law student who raised a flip side to such a move. “The law student says that if you compel employers to grant menstrual pain leave, it may operate as a de facto disincentive for employers to engage women in their establishments… This has a policy dimension,” Chief Justice Chandrachud observed. Tiwari said menstruation was a biological process and women should not be discriminated against in educational institutions and workplaces. “We are not denying it… But the student says that is what employers may do in actual practice. There are different dimensions to the issue, we will leave it to the policy makers. Let them first formulate a policy, we will consider it then,” Chief Justice Chandrachud said. “Having regard to the policy dimensions involved in the matter, we are of the considered view that the petitioner makes a representation to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which may take an appropriate decision on the grievance of the petitioner,” the court recorded in its order. Courts cannot be made into fortresses in the name of security: Supreme Court Court complexes across the country cannot be converted into “fortresses” in the name of security, denying ordinary people access to court proceedings, the Supreme Court said. A Bench of Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta said that the judiciary follows the open court principle, insisting that the security solution should be a balanced one. The security is so tight in the Supreme Court complex that it is not accessible to all, Justice Bhat said. “If someone wants to come to the court to observe how proceedings are going on, it is impossible. Let us not make it that way for all the other courts. Let us have a solution that is balanced,” he added. The court was hearing a case for the need to provide more security for the judiciary, and even the formation of a “specialised security force” to protect court complexes. The lawyers appearing in the case referred to an increase in gun battles, fatal attacks on judicial officers and lawyers, and violence within court complexes and outside. Justice Bhat agreed that security in court complexes was important but it was equally important not to spread thin State resources. The Bench asked the Bar Council of India to prepare a list of lawyers who were killed in the recent past and the details of the incidents. “We do not want rhetoric. We want facts,” the court told the lawyers. The court also advised a focused approach rather than a “one-size-fits-all” take on the issue. U.S. commits $2 billion in drones, ammunition, aid to Ukraine The Pentagon announced a new package of long-term security assistance for Ukraine, marking the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion, with a $2 billion commitment to send more rounds of ammunition and a variety of small, high-tech drones into the fight. In a statement, the Pentagon said the aid includes weapons to counter Russia’s unmanned systems and several types of drones, including the upgraded Switchblade 600 Kamikaze drone, as well as electronic warfare detection equipment. It also includes money for additional ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, artillery rounds and munitions for laser-guided rocket systems. But, in an unusual move, the Pentagon provided no details on how many rounds of any kind will be bought. Including this latest package, the U.S. has now committed more than $32 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion. The announcement came days after U.S. President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv and pledged America’s continuing commitment to Ukraine. The White House, in a statement, said, “G7 countries will continue to keep Russia’s sovereign assets immobilized until there is a resolution to the conflict that addresses Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity.” China calls for Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, hits out at ‘blocs’ China has called on all parties to support Russia and Ukraine in reaching “a comprehensive ceasefire”, putting out a new position paper stating its stand on the crisis. Released on the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion, the paper reflected Beijing’s approach of, on the one hand, saying it supported the “sovereignty” of all countries, while on the other, criticising the West and NATO, suggesting implicitly that their actions had been responsible for triggering the invasion. The U.S., for its part, has criticised Beijing for its continued close relations with Russia. “Sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively upheld,” the paper said, adding that “the security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs.” On the way forward, it said China’s view was that “conflict and war benefit no one” and “all parties should support Russia and Ukraine in working in the same direction and resuming direct dialogue as quickly as possible, so as to gradually deescalate the situation and ultimately reach a comprehensive ceasefire.” Friday’s position paper, however, said “dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis” and that China would “continue to play a constructive role” with pushing for a resumption in negotiations. In Brief: India’s forex reserves dropped by $5.681 billion to $561.267 billion for the week ended February 17, the RBI said. This is the third consecutive week of a drop in the reserves after the $8.319 billion decrease in the previous reporting week to $566.948 billion. For the week ended February 17, the foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, decreased by $4.515 billion to $496.072 billion, according to the Weekly Statistical Supplement released by the RBI. Gold reserves decreased for the third week running and were $1.045 billion down to $41.817 billion, the RBI said. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 24 FEBRUARY 2023 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Raipur plenary | Kharge authorised to nominate all Congress Working Committee members Congress president [Mallikarjun Kharge has been authorised to choose new members of the Congress Working Committee]( the outgoing Steering Committee, on February 24, decided in a meeting that decided the agenda for the party’s 85th Plenary session at Raipur. While the Gandhis skipped the meeting, the other members of the steering committee were divided on the issue of holding elections to the CWC, the party’s highest decision-making body. [Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge with party leaders K.C. Venugopal, Ambika Soni and Pawan Kumar Bansal at the steering committee Meeting during the party’s 85th plenary session of the Indian National Congress in Raipur on February 24, 2023. Photo: Twitter/@INCIndia via PTI] The party constitution provides for elections of 12 members to the CWC while the rest are nominated by the party president. Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said the committee freely discussed the matter of CWC elections and all the members present unanimously authorised the Congress president to nominate members. In his opening remarks, Kharge said that he would go by the majority opinion on the issue of holding elections to the CWC. However, sources said that opinion was divided on the question. Senior leaders like Digvijaya Singh, Ajay Maken and Abhishek Singhvi favoured the elections while some other leaders, including Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, called for consensus. Preparations for Assembly elections in key States, fear of lack of representation for smaller States and lack of regular elections at the grassroots were some of the arguments against holding elections. Supreme Court pushes for government to consider making policy on menstrual pain leave The [Supreme Court said there are different “dimensions” to menstrual pain leave]( which though being a biological process, may also act as a “disincentive” for employers from engaging women in their establishments. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud asked the petitioner to approach the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development Ministry to frame a policy. The court was hearing a petition filed by Shailendra Mani Tripathi, represented by advocate Vishal Tiwari, seeking a direction to States to frame rules for granting menstrual pain leave for students and working women in workplaces. However, the court was also intrigued by a caveat filed by a law student who raised a flip side to such a move. “The law student says that if you compel employers to grant menstrual pain leave, it may operate as a de facto disincentive for employers to engage women in their establishments… This has a policy dimension,” Chief Justice Chandrachud observed. Tiwari said menstruation was a biological process and women should not be discriminated against in educational institutions and workplaces. “We are not denying it… But the student says that is what employers may do in actual practice. There are different dimensions to the issue, we will leave it to the policy makers. Let them first formulate a policy, we will consider it then,” Chief Justice Chandrachud said. “Having regard to the policy dimensions involved in the matter, we are of the considered view that the petitioner makes a representation to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which may take an appropriate decision on the grievance of the petitioner,” the court recorded in its order. Courts cannot be made into fortresses in the name of security: Supreme Court [Court complexes across the country cannot be converted into “fortresses” in the name of security]( denying ordinary people access to court proceedings, the Supreme Court said. A Bench of Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta said that the judiciary follows the open court principle, insisting that the security solution should be a balanced one. The security is so tight in the Supreme Court complex that it is not accessible to all, Justice Bhat said. “If someone wants to come to the court to observe how proceedings are going on, it is impossible. Let us not make it that way for all the other courts. Let us have a solution that is balanced,” he added. The court was hearing a case for the need to provide more security for the judiciary, and even the formation of a “specialised security force” to protect court complexes. The lawyers appearing in the case referred to an increase in gun battles, fatal attacks on judicial officers and lawyers, and violence within court complexes and outside. Justice Bhat agreed that security in court complexes was important but it was equally important not to spread thin State resources. The Bench asked the Bar Council of India to prepare a list of lawyers who were killed in the recent past and the details of the incidents. “We do not want rhetoric. We want facts,” the court told the lawyers. The court also advised a focused approach rather than a “one-size-fits-all” take on the issue. U.S. commits $2 billion in drones, ammunition, aid to Ukraine The [Pentagon announced a new package of long-term security assistance for Ukraine]( marking the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion, with a $2 billion commitment to send more rounds of ammunition and a variety of small, high-tech drones into the fight. In a statement, the Pentagon said the aid includes weapons to counter Russia’s unmanned systems and several types of drones, including the upgraded Switchblade 600 Kamikaze drone, as well as electronic warfare detection equipment. It also includes money for additional ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, artillery rounds and munitions for laser-guided rocket systems. But, in an unusual move, the Pentagon provided no details on how many rounds of any kind will be bought. Including this latest package, the U.S. has now committed more than $32 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion. The announcement came days after U.S. President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv and pledged America’s continuing commitment to Ukraine. The White House, in a statement, said, “G7 countries will continue to keep Russia’s sovereign assets immobilized until there is a resolution to the conflict that addresses Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity.” China calls for Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, hits out at ‘blocs’ [China has called on all parties to support Russia and Ukraine in reaching “a comprehensive ceasefire”]( putting out a new position paper stating its stand on the crisis. Released on the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion, the paper reflected Beijing’s approach of, on the one hand, saying it supported the “sovereignty” of all countries, while on the other, criticising the West and NATO, suggesting implicitly that their actions had been responsible for triggering the invasion. The U.S., for its part, has criticised Beijing for its continued close relations with Russia. “Sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively upheld,” the paper said, adding that “the security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs.” On the way forward, it said China’s view was that “conflict and war benefit no one” and “all parties should support Russia and Ukraine in working in the same direction and resuming direct dialogue as quickly as possible, so as to gradually deescalate the situation and ultimately reach a comprehensive ceasefire.” Friday’s position paper, however, said “dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis” and that China would “continue to play a constructive role” with pushing for a resumption in negotiations. In Brief: [India’s forex reserves dropped by $5.681 billion to $561.267 billion for the week ended February 17]( the RBI said. This is the third consecutive week of a drop in the reserves after the $8.319 billion decrease in the previous reporting week to $566.948 billion. For the week ended February 17, the foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, decreased by $4.515 billion to $496.072 billion, according to the Weekly Statistical Supplement released by the RBI. Gold reserves decreased for the third week running and were $1.045 billion down to $41.817 billion, the RBI said. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. First Day First Show Stay up-to-date on all things cinema with the "First Day First Show" cinema & entertainment newsletter. Every week, we bring you movie reviews, news from regional cinema, Bollywood, Hollywood, and beyond, as well as updates from the streaming platforms. Whether you're a cinephile or just looking for your next great binge-watch, we've got you covered. 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