3 JANUARY 2014

Ø  Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen's first visit to New Delhi:  Maldives was gifted a second twin-engine helicopter. His visit comes after Maldivian Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim met Defence Minister A.K. Antony and National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon in New Delhi.  The Maldives has special concerns relating to disasters arising out of climate change, apart from routine security issues such as aviation security and border control. It will be in the interest of both countries to amicably settle the issue relating to throwing out GMR, the Indian operator of the Ibrahim Nasir airport in Male.

Ø  New Delhi’s decision to cancel its contract for the purchase of AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters has sent out a much-needed message. The AW101 deal involves some of the most serious allegations of corruption  against former Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi and his relatives. In a First Information Report filed last year, the Central Bureau of Investigation had alleged that middleman Guido Haschke used a Tunisian front company to route kickbacks to Air Chief Marshal Tyagi’s relatives to help tweak technical specifications that allowed the AW101 into the race. India has now blacklisted at least 15 firms on corruption-related charges. In 2012, the Naresh Chandra Committee on defence reforms had suggested alternative measures to punish firms indicted for corruption, including harsh financial penalties.

Ø  The Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its nod for making a Presidential Reference to the Supreme Court for removal of Justice A.K. Ganguly as Chairperson of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. The process will be set in motion once the Reference under Article 143 is sent to the court for its advisory opinion. Under Article 143, the President may refer a dispute of any kind to the Supreme Court for its opinion and it may, after a hearing as it thinks fit, report to the President.

Ø  The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs on Thursday approved the ambitious proposal for installing CCTV cameras and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in public transport vehicles to ensure women’s safety. The unified system will be set up at the national level (National Vehicle Security and Tracking System) and the State level (City Command and Control Centre). The Rs. 1,405 crore project is part of the Nirbhaya Fund, set up after the gang rape of a student in Delhi in December, 2012.

Ø  The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Thursday proved its majority on the floor of the House with the backing of the Congress, JD(U) and an independent legislator. The pro-tem speaker Mateen Ahmed conducted the trust vote