India’s first commercial dispute resolution centre and commercial court was inaugurated on 2 July 2016 at Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
•    The centre and court were inaugurated by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr. Raman and Justice Madan B. Lokur of the Supreme Court of India.
•    The court also consists of arbitration centre and a mediation centre.
•    Some facilities available for litigants through the new system includes video-conferencing, E-Court, E-Library, E-Filing and E-Summons.
•    These ultra-modern facilities available at the court will facilitate the investors in their commercial dealings.
•    The Court will help in improving the judicial system.
•    Chhattisgarh is a state in central India. It is the 10th largest state in India, with an area of 135,194 km (52,199 sq mi). 
•    With a population of 25.5 million, Chhattisgarh is the 17th most-populated state of the nation. 
•    It is a source of electricity and steel for India, accounting for 15% of the total steel produced in the country.
•    Chhattisgarh is one of the fastest-developing states in India.

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has considered the Model Shops and Establishment (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2016. 
•    The Bill will now be sent to States/UTs to enable them to modify their individual Acts, if they so desire either by adopting the said Bill as it is or after modifying its provisions as per their requirements. 
•    This Bill was finalized after detailed deliberations and discussions with public through internet and with employees/labor representatives, employers’ associations/federations and State Governments through tripartite consultative process. 
•    It will cover only establishments employing ten or more workers except manufacturing units. 
•    The Bill provides for freedom to operate 365 days in a year and opening/closing time of establishment. 
•    Women to be permitted during night shift, if the provision of shelter, rest room ladies toilet, adequate protection of their dignity and transportation etc. exists. 
•    No discrimination against women in the matter of recruitment, training, transfer or promotions. 
•    Online one common Registration through a simplified procedure. 
•    Powers of Government to make rules regarding adequate measures to be taken by the employer for the safety and health of workers. 
•    Clean and safe drinking water. 
•    Lavatory, creche, first aid and canteen by group of establishments, in case, it is not possible due to constraint in space or otherwise by individual establishment. 
•    Five paid festival holidays in addition to national holidays etc. 
•    Exemption of highly skilled workers (for example workers employed in IT, Biotechnology and R&D division) from daily working hours of 9 hours and weekly working hours of 48 hours subject to maximum 125 over-time hours in a quarter. 
•    The Model Bill would bring about uniformity in the legislative provisions, making it easier for all the States to adopt it and thereby ensuring uniform working conditions across the country and facilitate the ease of doing business and generate employment opportunities.

Anand Desai led Expert committee set up to examine the Specific Relief Act, 1963 on 20 June 2016 submitted its report to Union Law & Justice Minister DV Sadananda Gowda.
•    In its report the committee has recommended modifications in the Specific Relief Act, 1963, which will help in ensuring the ease of doing business.
•    To change the approach, from damages being the rule and specific performance being the exception, to specific performance being the rule, and damages being the alternate remedy.
•    To provide guidelines for reducing the discretion granted to Courts and tribunals while granting performance and injunctive reliefs so that public works projects is not be impeded or stalled.
•    To introduce provisions for rights of third parties (other than for Government contracts).
•    To consider addressing unconscionable contracts, unfair contracts, reciprocity in contracts etc., and implied terms.
•    Need to classify diverse Public utility Contracts as a distinct class recognising the inherent public interest/importance to be addressed in the Act.
•    The Act was enacted by the Parliament to replace the earlier Act of 1877 with an aim to assure that whenever there is a wrong there must be a remedy.
•    The Act does not confer any Rights on itself. Specific relief is only provided for the violation of a legal right.

The Maharashtra Cabinet on 21 June 2016 approved the minority status to Jew community. This decision will benefit the students from these communities to avail scholarships from the state government.
•    After getting the minority status, the Jews in the state will be entitled to use benefits of government schemes meant for minorities and can also apply in educational institutions under the minority status.
•    The people of this community will now be able to easily get their marriage registrations done in Maharashtra.
•    The Jewish people living in the state would now also be able to set up their own educational institutions and practice and promote their culture.
•    According to 2001 Census, the number of Jews living in India was 4650 with 2466 of them living in Maharashtra. 
•    The Jews have been a part of the Indian society for over 2300 years now.
•    The Jews of Manipur and Mizoram identify themselves as Beni Menashe. 
•    There are also some in Andhra Pradesh who call themselves Bene Ephraim Jews.
•    India is one of the few countries in the world where Jews have never faced any harassment or persecution. 
•    At present, there are six notified minority communities in India - Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Parsis and Jains.

The Union Cabinet has approved a bill seeking to amend the debt recovery laws with an overall objective of improving the ease of doing business.
•    Cabinet approves ex facto 'The Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, 2016.
•    The bill aims to improve ease of doing business, facilitate investment leading to higher economic growth and development, it added.
•    Introduced in Lok Sabha last month, the bill seeks to amend four legislations — Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (Sarfaesi) Act, 2002, the Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993, the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 and the Depositories Act, 1996.
•    A parliamentary joint committee has invited views and suggestions from various stakeholders and public on the provisions of the bill by June 22.
•    Around 70,000 cases are pending in debt recovery tribunals (DRT) and the proposed amendments would facilitate expeditious disposal of recovery applications

Justice Rakesh Ranjan Prasad, the senior-most Judge of the Manipur High Court on 13 June 2016 assumed charge of the Chief Justice of the High Court.
He succeeded Justice Laxmi Kanta Mohapatra who relinquished the office on 9 June 2016.
•    Earlier on 9 February 2016, Justice Prasad was transferred from Jharkhand High Court to Manipur High Court. He was transferred by President of India in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of article 222 of the Constitution of India.
•    Clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution empowers the President to transfer a judge from one high court to other high court, which can be done after consultation with the Chief Justice of India.
•    Born on 1 July 1955, Prasad did his schooling and graduation from Bihar.
•    He is a Science graduate and obtained his LL.B. Degree from Patna Law College, Patna.
•    He was enrolled as an Advocate in Bihar State Bar Council, Patna on 17 September 1980 and practiced in the area of Civil, Criminal and Writ matter at Patna High Court, Patna.
•    He joined into Superior Judicial Service as Additional District Judge on 6 May 1991 and was promoted to the post of District Judge on 8 June 2001.•    He was joined as Registrar General, High Court of Jharkhand on 8 June 2001.

The Union Information and Broadcasting ministry has framed a New Print Media Advertisement Policy for Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP). 
•    It has been done to promote transparency and accountability in issuing of advertisements in print media. 
•    It focuses on streamlining release of Government advertisements and to also promote equity and fairness among various categories of newspapers and periodicals. 
•    It has introduced a New Marking System for newspapers to incentivize Newspapers. 
•    The system is based on 6 objective criteria with different marks each of them.
•    The newspapers will be able get benefit from new system who have better professional standing and get their circulation verified Audit Bureau of Circulations or Registrar of Newspapers for India. 
•    DAVP will release advertisements to newspapers based on marks obtained by each newspaper. 
•    This will also ensure transparency and accountability in the release of advertisements by DAVP. 
•    For payment and adjustment of Bills, it mandates that DAVP will release payment of advertisement bills in the name of newspaper or company account directly through ECS or NEFT. 

Assam Assembly has passed the Assam Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2016. 
•    The bill has the provision for speedy processing of applications and issue of clearances for setting up of industries. 
•    Commerce and Industries minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said that the state government proposed to enact the legislation to facilitate the enterprises with a view to attract fresh investment in the state through an easy computerized clearance system.
•    The basic aim of the bill is to create an investment-friendly environment for economic development of the state.
•    With the BJP coming to power, industry leaders in Assam hoped that the new government will usher in a positive change and facilitate ease of doing business.
•    The bill provides for establishing a bureau under the name and style of Assam Bureau of Investment Promotion for the purpose of overall supervision and administration of the speedy processing of applications and issue of various clearances.

The Supreme Court today asked the Centre to frame a uniform national policy to financially compensate rape victims, while terming the Nirbhaya Fund a mere “lip service”.

•    A Vacation Bench led by Justice P.C. Pant said there was too much dichotomy and contradiction among States regarding compensation schemes for rape survivors. 
•    The Bench issued notice to the Centre, States and UTs on the question of effective implementation of Section 357 A of the Cr.PC. 
•    This provision mandates States to co-ordinate with the Centre to prepare a scheme for providing funds to compensate and rehabilitate victims or dependents. 
•    “Setting up of Nirbhaya Fund is not enough… The Union of India must ensure that adequate relief is being provided to the victims of sexual offences,” the Bench observed orally.

Minister for women and children, Maneka Gandhi unveiled a draft of the country's first-ever comprehensive anti-human trafficking law , which would treat survivors as victims in need of assistance and protection rather than as criminals. 

•    South Asia, with India at its centre, is the fastest-growing and second-largest region for human trafficking in the world , after East Asia, says the U.N. Office for Drugs and Crime. 
•    There are no accurate figures on the number of people trafficked within South Asia, but activists say thousands of mostly women and children are trafficked within India as well as from its poorer neighbours Nepal and Bangladesh. 
•    Many are sold into forced marriage or bonded labour to work in middle class homes as domestic servants, in small shops and hotels or confined to brothels where they are repeatedly raped. 
•    Women's Minister Maneka Gandhi said the draft bill aims to unify existing anti-trafficking laws, prioritize survivors' needs, and prevent victims such as those found in brothel raids from being arrested and jailed like traffickers. 
•    The draft legislation provides for special courts to expedite trafficking cases, more shelters and a rehabilitation fund to help victims rebuild their lives. 
•    It also provides for anti-trafficking committees - at district, state and central levels - that will oversee prevention, protection and victim rehabilitation.