Morning Filter: Will the Supreme Court recognise same-sex marriage?

1. SC to deliver on Tuesday verdict on pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage The Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver its much anticipated judgement on Tuesday on pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage. A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had on May 11 reserved its verdict on the pleas after a marathon hearing of 10 days. The other members of the bench are Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli and P S Narasimha. The judgement will be delivered on Tuesday and accordingly, the information will be updated on the apex court website, sources said. During the arguments, the Centre had told the apex court that any constitutional declaration made by it on pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage may not be a “correct course of action” as the court will not be able to foresee, envisage, comprehend and deal with its fallout. 2. Israel-Hamas conflict The UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said he would be heading to the Middle East on Tuesday to try to help negotiate aid access to the Gaza Strip. Griffiths said he was hoping to hear some “good news” later Monday on aid access into the blockaded and besieged Palestinian enclave via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Israel said Monday there was no temporary truce to allow aid in or foreigners out of the Gaza Strip, as fears grew over the dire humanitarian situation faced by millions of Palestinians trapped in the heavily bombarded territory. 3. Congress to release manifesto for MP assembly polls on Tuesday The opposition Congress will release its “Vachan Patra” (manifesto) for the next month’s assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. The document will be unveiled by MP Congress president Kamal Nath and AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala in Bhopal, a party spokesman said on Monday. Among other things, conducting a caste census in MP is one of the prominent promises made by Congress. Party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have announced a string of “guarantees”, including the implementation of the old pension scheme (OPS), free electricity up to 100 units, Rs 1,500 month aid for women and a farm loan waiver, providing an LPG cylinder at Rs 500, if Congress wins the elections in the state. 4. India to skip China’s Belt and Road Forum for a third time For the third consecutive time, India is set to boycott a summit of China’s Belt and Road Initiative here on Tuesday to highlight its stand on the sovereignty issues in the controversial CPEC, which is being laid through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and the financial viability of Beijing’s projects in smaller countries, official sources here said. The two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRFIC) is being held by China amid criticism that the loans amounting to billions of dollars for unsustainable projects turned out to be debt traps for smaller countries like Sri Lanka, driving them into a deep economic crisis. This year marks the completion of 10 years of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the pet project of President Xi Jinping. China held two international forums for its mega global infrastructure initiative in 2017 and 2019. India had stayed away from both the meetings. Official sources here said like in the previous two BRI conferences, India will not take part in this year’s meeting either. India is steadfast in its criticism of the BRI, especially its flagship the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) overriding New Delhi’s sovereignty concerns. 5. Cannot keep former deputy CM Manish Sisodia in jail in excise policy cases indefinitely: SC to CBI, ED The Supreme Court told the CBI and ED on Monday they cannot keep former deputy chief minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia in jail for an “indefinite period” in the Delhi excise policy cases. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti asked Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the two probe agencies, when will the arguments on charges against Sisodia commence in the trial court. “You cannot keep him behind (bars) for an indefinite period. You cannot keep him behind like this. Once a chargesheet is filed in a case, arguments on charge should commence immediately,” the bench told Raju. Raju told the bench the cases against Sisodia are at the stage of section 207 of CrPC (supply of documents to the accused) and after that the arguments on charge will commence. “Why have the arguments on charge not yet commenced and when will they commence? Tell us by tomorrow (Tuesday),” Justice Khanna told Raju. 6. PM Modi to inaugurate 3rd edition of Global Maritime India Summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the third edition of the three-day Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS), which will be held in Mumbai, via video-conferencing on Tuesday and unveil “Amrit Kaal Vision 2047”, a long-term blueprint for the Indian maritime economy His office said the blueprint outlines strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing port facilities, promoting sustainable practices, and facilitating international collaboration. In line with this futuristic plan, the prime minister will inaugurate, dedicate to nation and lay the foundation stone of projects worth more than Rs 23,000 crore, that are aligned with this vision for the Indian maritime blue economy, the statement said. Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Tuna Tekra all-weather deep draft terminal, to be built at a cost of more than Rs 4,500 crore at the Deendayal Port Authority in Gujarat. This state-of-the-art greenfield terminal will be developed in PPP mode. 7. Rahul Gandhi arrives in poll-bound Mizoram on two-day visit to campaign for Congress candidates Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in Aizawl on Monday on a two-day visit to poll-bound Mizoram to campaign for party candidates for the November 7 assembly elections in the northeastern state, party officials said. Gandhi arrived in Aizawl aboard a helicopter from Tripura’s capital Agartala, Mizoram Congress media cell chairman Lalremruata Renthlei said. He will undertake a padayatra (march) from Chanmari junction to Raj Bhavan, a distance of around 4-5 km, and address a rally near the governor’s house, he said. Gandhi will also interact with students in the evening. On Tuesday, he will meet party leaders and address a press conference in Aizawl, Renthlei said. 8. Rains continue to lash Kerala; orange alert in four districts, trains delayed After a brief lull in the morning, rains continued to lash Kerala on Monday, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert in four districts of the state. The IMD issued an orange alert in the districts of Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki for the day. It also issued a yellow alert in eight districts of the state. An orange alert means that very heavy rainfall of 11 cm to 20 cm is likely, and a yellow alert means there could be heavy rainfall of between 6 and 11 cm. The IMD also predicted that thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds are likely to occur at one or two places in Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts of the state. Earlier in the day, the IMD said there were cyclonic circulations over coastal Tamil Nadu and its neighbourhoods as well as over the Lakshadweep area, adjoining the Southeast Arabian sea and the Kerala coast. 9. Leaders from emerging economies visiting China for ‘Belt and Road’ forum Leaders of emerging market countries are arriving in Beijing for a meeting organised by the Chinese government that will mark the 10th anniversary of its Belt and Road Initiative. More than a dozen leaders from Africa, Asia and the Mideast were flying into Beijing on Monday, following the arrivals of Chilean President Gabriel Boric and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Sunday. Others are coming on Tuesday. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, a signature policy of President Xi Jinping, Chinese companies have built ports, roads, railways, power plants and other infrastructure around the world in a bid to boost trade and economic growth. 10. Contemplating making AAP an accused in Delhi excise policy cases: CBI, ED tell SC The CBI and ED told the Supreme Court on Monday they are contemplating making the city’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) an accused in the Delhi excise policy cases. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the two probe agencies, told a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti he has instructions to state that the agencies are considering making AAP an accused, invoking legal provisions on “vicarious liability” and section 70 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). However, the bench asked Raju to clarify his stand on Tuesday on whether there will be separate charge against the AAP in cases being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. 11. ICC World Cup | No more under radar, South Africa look too strong for Netherlands South Africa are making quite a statement at the World Cup, playing entertaining cricket and plundering tons of runs as they steamroll rival teams. As the Proteas take on the Netherlands in this hilly paradise on Tuesday, the perennial under-performers and ‘chokers’ have shown in the last two games their determination to go the distance in the tournament. Their 102-run win against Sri Lanka in the opener in New Delhi after putting a record 428/5 on the board, followed by 134-run victory against five-time champions Australia in Lucknow, have made South Africa the team to beat in the competition. From staying under the radar in the lead-up to the ODI showpiece to becoming high-flyers, the Proteas have started playing to potential and will be firm favourites against the Dutch. Unlike the Australian and England cricket teams, whose patchy performance so far has left a lot to be desired, the South Africans have come out with full combat capabilities -with the likes of wicket-keeping stalwart Quinton de Kock, top-order batter Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram making a massive impact here. [logo] The Morning Filter 17 October 2023 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Morning Filter newsletter, your guide from The Hindu on the major news stories and events to follow today. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Here are the latest updates and the big news stories to follow today 1. SC to deliver on Tuesday verdict on pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage The Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver its much anticipated judgement on Tuesday on pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage. A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had on May 11 reserved its verdict on the pleas after a marathon hearing of 10 days. The other members of the bench are Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli and P S Narasimha. The judgement will be delivered on Tuesday and accordingly, the information will be updated on the apex court website, sources said. During the arguments, the Centre had told the apex court that any constitutional declaration made by it on pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage may not be a “correct course of action” as the court will not be able to foresee, envisage, comprehend and deal with its fallout. 2. Israel-Hamas conflict The UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said he would be heading to the Middle East on Tuesday to try to help negotiate aid access to the Gaza Strip. Griffiths said he was hoping to hear some “good news” later Monday on aid access into the blockaded and besieged Palestinian enclave via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Israel said Monday there was no temporary truce to allow aid in or foreigners out of the Gaza Strip, as fears grew over the dire humanitarian situation faced by millions of Palestinians trapped in the heavily bombarded territory. 3. Congress to release manifesto for MP assembly polls on Tuesday The opposition Congress will release its “Vachan Patra” (manifesto) for the next month’s assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. The document will be unveiled by MP Congress president Kamal Nath and AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala in Bhopal, a party spokesman said on Monday. Among other things, conducting a caste census in MP is one of the prominent promises made by Congress. Party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have announced a string of “guarantees”, including the implementation of the old pension scheme (OPS), free electricity up to 100 units, Rs 1,500 month aid for women and a farm loan waiver, providing an LPG cylinder at Rs 500, if Congress wins the elections in the state. 4. India to skip China’s Belt and Road Forum for a third time For the third consecutive time, India is set to boycott a summit of China’s Belt and Road Initiative here on Tuesday to highlight its stand on the sovereignty issues in the controversial CPEC, which is being laid through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and the financial viability of Beijing’s projects in smaller countries, official sources here said. The two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRFIC) is being held by China amid criticism that the loans amounting to billions of dollars for unsustainable projects turned out to be debt traps for smaller countries like Sri Lanka, driving them into a deep economic crisis. This year marks the completion of 10 years of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the pet project of President Xi Jinping. China held two international forums for its mega global infrastructure initiative in 2017 and 2019. India had stayed away from both the meetings. Official sources here said like in the previous two BRI conferences, India will not take part in this year’s meeting either. India is steadfast in its criticism of the BRI, especially its flagship the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) overriding New Delhi’s sovereignty concerns. 5. Cannot keep former deputy CM Manish Sisodia in jail in excise policy cases indefinitely: SC to CBI, ED The Supreme Court told the CBI and ED on Monday they cannot keep former deputy chief minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia in jail for an “indefinite period” in the Delhi excise policy cases. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti asked Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the two probe agencies, when will the arguments on charges against Sisodia commence in the trial court. “You cannot keep him behind (bars) for an indefinite period. You cannot keep him behind like this. Once a chargesheet is filed in a case, arguments on charge should commence immediately,” the bench told Raju. Raju told the bench the cases against Sisodia are at the stage of section 207 of CrPC (supply of documents to the accused) and after that the arguments on charge will commence. “Why have the arguments on charge not yet commenced and when will they commence? Tell us by tomorrow (Tuesday),” Justice Khanna told Raju. 6. PM Modi to inaugurate 3rd edition of Global Maritime India Summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the third edition of the three-day Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS), which will be held in Mumbai, via video-conferencing on Tuesday and unveil “Amrit Kaal Vision 2047”, a long-term blueprint for the Indian maritime economy His office said the blueprint outlines strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing port facilities, promoting sustainable practices, and facilitating international collaboration. In line with this futuristic plan, the prime minister will inaugurate, dedicate to nation and lay the foundation stone of projects worth more than Rs 23,000 crore, that are aligned with this vision for the Indian maritime blue economy, the statement said. Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Tuna Tekra all-weather deep draft terminal, to be built at a cost of more than Rs 4,500 crore at the Deendayal Port Authority in Gujarat. This state-of-the-art greenfield terminal will be developed in PPP mode. 7. Rahul Gandhi arrives in poll-bound Mizoram on two-day visit to campaign for Congress candidates Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in Aizawl on Monday on a two-day visit to poll-bound Mizoram to campaign for party candidates for the November 7 assembly elections in the northeastern state, party officials said. Gandhi arrived in Aizawl aboard a helicopter from Tripura’s capital Agartala, Mizoram Congress media cell chairman Lalremruata Renthlei said. He will undertake a padayatra (march) from Chanmari junction to Raj Bhavan, a distance of around 4-5 km, and address a rally near the governor’s house, he said. Gandhi will also interact with students in the evening. On Tuesday, he will meet party leaders and address a press conference in Aizawl, Renthlei said. 8. Rains continue to lash Kerala; orange alert in four districts, trains delayed After a brief lull in the morning, rains continued to lash Kerala on Monday, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert in four districts of the state. The IMD issued an orange alert in the districts of Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki for the day. It also issued a yellow alert in eight districts of the state. An orange alert means that very heavy rainfall of 11 cm to 20 cm is likely, and a yellow alert means there could be heavy rainfall of between 6 and 11 cm. The IMD also predicted that thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds are likely to occur at one or two places in Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts of the state. Earlier in the day, the IMD said there were cyclonic circulations over coastal Tamil Nadu and its neighbourhoods as well as over the Lakshadweep area, adjoining the Southeast Arabian sea and the Kerala coast. 9. Leaders from emerging economies visiting China for ‘Belt and Road’ forum Leaders of emerging market countries are arriving in Beijing for a meeting organised by the Chinese government that will mark the 10th anniversary of its Belt and Road Initiative. More than a dozen leaders from Africa, Asia and the Mideast were flying into Beijing on Monday, following the arrivals of Chilean President Gabriel Boric and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Sunday. Others are coming on Tuesday. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, a signature policy of President Xi Jinping, Chinese companies have built ports, roads, railways, power plants and other infrastructure around the world in a bid to boost trade and economic growth. 10. Contemplating making AAP an accused in Delhi excise policy cases: CBI, ED tell SC The CBI and ED told the Supreme Court on Monday they are contemplating making the city’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) an accused in the Delhi excise policy cases. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the two probe agencies, told a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti he has instructions to state that the agencies are considering making AAP an accused, invoking legal provisions on “vicarious liability” and section 70 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). However, the bench asked Raju to clarify his stand on Tuesday on whether there will be separate charge against the AAP in cases being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. 11. ICC World Cup | No more under radar, South Africa look too strong for Netherlands South Africa are making quite a statement at the World Cup, playing entertaining cricket and plundering tons of runs as they steamroll rival teams. As the Proteas take on the Netherlands in this hilly paradise on Tuesday, the perennial under-performers and ‘chokers’ have shown in the last two games their determination to go the distance in the tournament. Their 102-run win against Sri Lanka in the opener in New Delhi after putting a record 428/5 on the board, followed by 134-run victory against five-time champions Australia in Lucknow, have made South Africa the team to beat in the competition. From staying under the radar in the lead-up to the ODI showpiece to becoming high-flyers, the Proteas have started playing to potential and will be firm favourites against the Dutch. Unlike the Australian and England cricket teams, whose patchy performance so far has left a lot to be desired, the South Africans have come out with full combat capabilities -with the likes of wicket-keeping stalwart Quinton de Kock, top-order batter Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram making a massive impact here. [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[The Indian Himalayan Region needs its own EIA] The Indian Himalayan Region needs its own EIA]( [[Why is Bengaluru expanding its waste-management capacity? | Explained] Why is Bengaluru expanding its waste-management capacity? | Explained]( [[Jasprit Bumrah — one of a kind among the pantheon of Indian speed merchants] Jasprit Bumrah — one of a kind among the pantheon of Indian speed merchants]( [[For more Dalit-Adivasi presence in INDIA] For more Dalit-Adivasi presence in INDIA]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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