Current Affairs - Bills and Acts

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, enacted in 2013, aims to create a safe and respectful work environment for women. To enhance its implementation, the Ministry of Women and Child Development launched the SHe-Box portal, which ensures confidentiality and provides a streamlined process for filing and tracking complaints. The portal allows nodal officers to monitor it, ensuring transparency and accountability in addressing workplace harassment. By reinforcing the provisions of the 2013 Act, the initiative highlights the government’s commitment to safeguarding women’s rights at work.

Article 142 of the Indian Constitution grants the Supreme Court the power to pass orders necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it. Invoking this Article, the Supreme Court issued guidelines to ensure due process in property demolitions, mandating procedures such as 15-day notice periods, personal hearings, and videotaped proceedings. This directive aims to prevent arbitrary demolitions and promote fairness in administrative actions, particularly in cases where demolitions are linked to accusations against individuals or their family members.

The Supreme Court, in a 4:1 decision, upheld Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, which was introduced through the Assam Accord of 1985. This section deals with citizenship provisions for migrants entering Assam from Bangladesh between 1950 and 1971, aiming to address concerns over illegal migration while balancing humanitarian and economic aspects. Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud led the majority in support of the section, but Justice J.B. Pardiwala dissented, expressing that Section 6A may have become unconstitutional with time.

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was enacted in 2002 to prevent and control money laundering in India. Recently, the Supreme Court of India issued a ruling against the misuse of PMLA, emphasizing fairness and protection of legal rights in anti-money laundering measures. The court stated that PMLA should not be used for unjust prolonged detention and reinforced that bail is the rule, while jail is the exception. This ruling aims to balance harsh bail provisions under special laws with constitutional rights, ensuring speedy trials and protecting personal liberty under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, is a landmark law in India aimed at protecting women from domestic abuse within all domestic relationships, regardless of their religion or social status. The Act serves as a civil code designed to safeguard the constitutional rights of women by providing protection and legal recourse against any form of domestic violence. The Supreme Court recently reaffirmed that this law applies universally to all women in India, ensuring their protection from abuse.