SC fixes issues for adjudication on pleas challenging govt's 10% EWS quota

Business Standard

The Supreme Court on Thursday fixed three broad issues for adjudication arising from the pleas challenging the Centre's decision to grant 10 per cent reservation to EWS in admissions and jobs. It will also decide whether the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act breached the doctrine of the basic structure of the Constitution by allowing the state to make such special provisions. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit said the three issues suggested by Attorney General K K Venugopal for the decision "broadly" covered all the aspects relating to the petitions on the constitutional validity of the decision to grant the reservation. "Whether the 103rd Constitution amendment Act can be said to breach the basic structure of the Constitution by permitting the State to make special provisions, including reservation, based on economic criteria," read the first issue framed. The second legal question was whether the constitutional amendment cou

Import of Russian oil at discounted price part of inflation management: FM

Business Standard

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said India has ramped up the import of crude oil from Russia at discounted prices amid sanctions on Moscow as part of the country's inflation management. "In a situation where global prices were going beyond anyone's affordability, at that stage to take a very strong political decision, I respect the Prime Minister for his courage on this to get it from Russia because they are ready to give it to you at discount. And how speedily did we manage to do it," she said. India ramped up its import from Russia from about 2 per cent of the total shipment of petroleum products to 12-13 per cent in a couple of months as part of inflation management, she said at a seminar organised by economic think-tank Icrier. Amid sanctions imposed on Moscow due to the Russia-Ukraine war, some countries, including India, entered into bilateral deals for the purchase of oil and gas at discounted prices. "I give credit to the statesmanship of the Prime Minister