The Evening Wrap: Ayodhya temple case an attempt to portray TN govt as ‘anti-Hindu’, DGP tells SC

The Tamil Nadu Director General of Police on January 29 told the Supreme Court that a deliberate attempt was made to portray the State Government as “anti-Hindu”. The top police officer was responding to a petition filed by Chennai resident Vinoj Pannerselvam, represented by senior advocate Dama Seshadiri Naidu and advocate G. Balaji, alleging that an “oral” order was issued by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to ban the live telecast and conduct of religious events in connection with the inauguration of the Ayodhya temple on January 22. In a brief hearing on January 29, a Bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna gave the State of Tamil Nadu 15 days to separately file a counter-affidavit. When Naidu requested permission to file a rejoinder to the State’s counter-affidavit, Justice Khanna said the “event (pran pratishta) is already over... do not push it further”. Tamil Nadu Additional Advocate General Amit Anand Tiwari submitted that the case was already pending in the Madras High Court and the petitioner should approach it. In his separate counter-affidavit, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal informed the Supreme Court that live telecasts of the temple ceremony, bhajans, annadhanams, processions, poojas, etc., were held across the State without any interference from the Police or authorities. Jiwal said a total of 252 events, both indoor and outdoor, were held in connection with the pran pratishta event held in Tamil Nadu. He said the petitioner was under the influence of an “illusion and false interpretation of reality”. The allegations that the Chief Minister had orally instructed not to allow any ceremony or function including the annadhanam, organising bhajans about Prabhu Ram, on the auspicious occasion of January 22, the day of pran pratishta of Ram Janmabhoomi, are totally baseless and false,” the DGP said in his response. His claims about a “non-existent” oral order were products of his imagination. “Of the 12 paragraphs in the petition, nine were utilised to defame the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and criticise the actions of the State Government… The petitioner has portrayed the Tamil Nadu Government as a anti-Hindu government, which is totally false and condemnable,” the DGP submitted. The response said a total of 288 petitions regarding the Ram temple event at Ayodhya for conduct of processions, bhajans, annadhanams, live streaming and other events were received by the government. Initially, four of them were allowed. However, the Madras High Court directed the police to consider the petitions and regulate their conduct in order to ensure there was no hindrance to public movement. Subsequently, the Police permitted a total of 248 events, taking the total to 252, which includes the earlier four allowed prior to the High Court orders. Events, including processions, were held in various parts of the State, including Chennai, Virudhunagar, Pudukottai, Thanjavur and Namakkal. Cases were registered in 13 instances for violations of police regulations. “The Ram Mandir event was telecasted in many temples. Apart from live telecast, activities such as poojas and archanas were conducted in many temples across the State. No police officer interfered with the conduct of poojas or archanas in temples throughout the State,” the response noted. Indian Navy ship INS Sumitra foils hijack attempt on fishing vessel A swift response by an Indian Navy ship, INS Sumitra, deployed in the Gulf of Aden, ensured that a hijack situation was quickly resolved ensuring safe release of the hijacked fishing vessel and its crew. INS Sumitra, on anti-piracy operations along the East coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, responded to a distress message regarding hijacking of an Iranian flagged Fishing Vessel (FV) Iman. The FV had been boarded by pirates and the crew taken as hostages,” the Navy said in a statement on January 29. “INS Sumitra intercepted the vessel, acted in accordance with the established Standard Operating Procedures to coerce the pirates for safe release of crew along with the boat and ensured successful release of all 17 crew members along with the boat.” The FV was subsequently sanitised and released for onward transit, the Navy stated. Piracy which had almost vanished since the peak around 2010, has come back now in the region in the backdrop of Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial shipping. In December, Malta-flagged tanker M.V. Ruen, with 18 crew onboard, was hijacked by Somali pirates approximately 700 miles from the Indian coast and the vessel is currently off the Somali coast. In the second instance in the North Arabian Sea in early January, Indian Navy MARCOS (Marine Commandos) secured and safely evacuated all 21 crew, including 15 Indians, from the merchant vessel Lila Norfolk after it came under a hijacking attempt. In response to these incidents, Indian Navy has substantially enhanced maritime surveillance efforts in Central and North Arabian Sea and augmented force levels. It currently has around 12 warships deployed on anti-piracy and maritime security operations in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden. Task Groups comprising destroyers and frigates have been deployed to undertake maritime security operations and render assistance to merchant vessels in case of any incident and aerial surveillance by long-range maritime patrol aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles has been enhanced to have a complete maritime domain awareness. Navy commandos are also carrying to board and search of suspected vessels on the high seas. Calcutta HC judges’ spat: Supreme Court transfers case to itself, says will not do anything to impinge on dignity of the HC The Supreme Court on January 29 transferred from the Calcutta High Court to itself a case of candidates rampantly gaining medical admissions with the help of fake caste certificates in West Bengal after conflicting orders led to one Calcutta High Court judge slinging mud on another. A five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and four seniormost judges had to take suo motu cognisance of the happenings in the Calcutta High Court and convened on January 27 to stay proceedings in the High Court in the case. The trajectory of the case took an ugly turn when one of the judges, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, sitting as a Single Judge Bench, made personal allegations of political bias against Justice Soumen Sen, who presided over the Division Bench which stayed the former’s order to transfer the medical admissions case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The five-judge Bench led by the Chief Justice Chandrachud on January 29 directed the transferred case to be listed before it after three weeks. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, for the West Bengal government, drew attention to fact that Justice Gangopadhyay had made personal comments in his judicial order against Justice Sen. He had accused Justice Sen of using his office to “act” in favour of the ruling dispensation in West Bengal. “The learned judge continues to take matters of this kind. He will continue to do such things in future also... You have to intervene,” Sibal submitted. The Chief Justice cut short Sibal, saying “you have made your point”. Chief Justice Chandrachud said it did not want to comment on the orders of either the Single Judge or the Division Bench of the High Court. Restraint was necessary as the dignity of the institution of the High Court had to be protected, he said. “Anything we say here should not impinge upon the dignity of the institution,” Chief Justice Chandrachud observed. Sibal said he [Justice Gangopadhyay] was even “attending rallies”. Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi interjected to obliquely draw attention to the fact that the Supreme Court had to similarly intervene in April last year in orders passed by Justice Gangopadhyay in connection with the sensational and politically sensitive West Bengal school job-for-bribe scam case. Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee had moved the top court at the time against a TV interview given by Justice Gangopadhyay in which the latter made comments about the case when it was sub judice before him. The Supreme Court had, after going through the transcript of the interview, ordered the case to be transferred from Justice Gangopadhyay. But, in a rather unusual turn of events, Justice Gangopadhyay subsequently passed an order directing the Secretary General of the Supreme Court to place before him by midnight the records which were placed before the Supreme Court leading to the re-assignment of the case from him. A Special Bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice A.S. Bopanna had quickly convened the same night to stay Justice Gangopadhyay’s order. Singhvi said such conduct would “bring disrepute to the judiciary”. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the Centre, indicated there were “shocking facts to relate on every side”. The Supreme Court declined a plea to intervene in the allocation of cases to Justice Gangopadhyay, saying that was entirely the domain of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Calcutta. “The Chief Justice of the High Court is in charge of assigning cases to judges. We do not want to arrogate that power of the Chief Justice,” Chief Justice Chandrachud responded. Dictatorship in India is inevitable if PM Modi is re-elected, asserts Kharge The forthcoming general election is going to be the last election in India if Prime Minister Narendra Modi is re-elected, said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Bhubaneswar on January 29. Kharge was addressing the Congress workers convention in Bhubaneswar. “Whether you acknowledge it or not, one of our leaders from INDIA departed yesterday. He was taken away from us. The current government’s modus operandi involves serving notices to leaders one after another, instilling terror, and issuing threats. Individuals are abandoning friendships, alliances, and parties out of fear. The question arises: Can the country, democracy, or constitution survive if so many cowards persist?” he asked. “This is the last opportunity before people to cast their votes decisively. Following this, no further voting will be possible as there will be no more elections. Elections will be held akin to election of Russian President Vlaldimir Putin. They will run the government on basis of accumulated authority and keep returning to power. They will get 200 seats, 300 and 400. They will even increase number of seats beyond 600,” said Congress chief. “It is people’s responsibility to safeguard Constitution and democracy and ensure that elections are held recurrently. The survival of democracy is in the hands of the people. If you desire it, the democracy will stay on. However, if you choose to remain subservient, that is a decision is up to you,” he told Congress workers. “Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had sacrificed their lives for people while Modi is taking lives. If a political leader does not listen to him (Modi), he unleashes CBI, Income Tax and ED on him. He is running government by this terror mechanism,” the veteran leader said. Kharge remarked, “We administered the government with love, embracing each other. Progress in education, health, industry, and the establishment of various visible institutions today can be credited to the contributions of the Congress. The present government seems to derive pleasure from causing discord and conflict among the people.” On Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar leaving INDIA alliance, he said, “some individuals commented that the alliance suffered a setback with the departure of one person. Does the country weaken when one person exits? No. Likewise, the alliance would not weaken by the departure of one or two individuals. We will emerge even stronger.” The Congress president came down heavily on the BJD Government saying, “Former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik was close to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He was following ideology of Nehruji. He was Patnaik of past. But, today’s Patnaik (Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik) is adhering to ideology of BJP.” He alleged BJP and BJD had long been in undeclared alliance aimed at looting money by selling mineral resources. Should surgeries be broadcast live? NMC sets up committee to provide recommendation Following the ongoing public debate on whether medical surgeries should be broadcast live, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has now set-up a committee of experts to provide recommendations on the issue. The apex medical regulator is also seeking comments from stakeholders and the public on the matter of live broadcast of surgical procedures on patients by private hospitals. Suggestions are to be posted by early this February. This latest order, issued on January 23, comes in response to the petition filed before the Supreme Court of India seeking a direction for laying down guidelines to regulate live broadcast of surgeries done without the informed consent of the patients. The NMC in its latest public notice referred to a writ petition before the Supreme Court in which the petitioner held that many private hospitals are commercially exploiting the patients and using them as models to fulfil their ulterior motives through live surgery broadcasts in conferences. “Various companies are promoting themselves and making a fortune out of the miseries of the exploited patients. Advertising sponsorship and professional showmanship overshadow the true purpose of these broadcasts. Healthcare facilities showcase their capabilities, surgeons flaunt their skills and companies promote their products all at the expense of patient safety. Pre-recorded surgical videos, edited to meet educational needs can achieve the same objectives with far less risk,” the petition claimed. The Commission added that in pursuance of the Petitioner’s prayer it has been decided to constitute a Committee of experts to give recommendations on the issue of live surgeries broadcast by private hospitals in the country, with the approval of the NMC chairman. “In this regard all stakeholders and members of the public are invited to provide comments on the said issue of live surgery broadcast within the next 10 days, facilitating the committee in their pursuit of a balanced and informed decision-making process,” the notice further read. Meanwhile, a recent study titled - ‘Safety and effectiveness of live broadcast of surgical procedures: systematic review’ noted that Live Broadcast of Surgical Procedures (LBSP) has gained popularity in conferences and educational meetings in the past few decades. The study found that LBSP can be of educational value but patient safety may be compromised. “A standardised framework of reporting on LBSP and its outcomes is required from an ethical and patient safety perspective,” the study concluded. The medical community itself is divided on the issue with a section of the doctors stating that there can be no compromise over patient safety and that medical education can be obtained even with recorded surgeries, while others consider this an important tool to train young doctors. In briefElections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats to be held on February 27: ECI The Election Commission of India has announced that elections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats in 15 States will be held on February 27. The term of office of 56 members of the Council of States elected from 15 States is due to expire on their retirement in April 2024, the ECI said in a statement. Land-for-Job scam case | RJD chief Lalu Prasad appears before ED for questioning The ED is questioning Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in the land-for-job scam case on January 29. He reached the ED office earlier in the morning, as hundreds of RJD workers along with a few leaders had assembled at the location in his support. “Whenever ED sends summon to any of our family members, we come and cooperate but our family is being harassed unnecessarily,” said Misa Bharti, RJD Rajya Sabha member and the elder daughter of Mr. Yadav. Centre extends ban imposed on Students Islamic Movement of India for 5 years The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extended the ban against the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) for another five years. The organisation was declared an “unlawful association,” under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for the first time in 2001. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 29 January 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Ayodhya temple live telecast case is an attempt to portray Tamil Nadu Govt as ‘anti-Hindu’: DGP’s response in Supreme Court [The Tamil Nadu Director General of Police on January 29 told the Supreme Court that a deliberate attempt was made to portray the State Government as “anti-Hindu”.]( The top police officer was responding to a petition filed by Chennai resident Vinoj Pannerselvam, represented by senior advocate Dama Seshadiri Naidu and advocate G. Balaji, alleging that an “oral” order was issued by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to ban the live telecast and conduct of religious events in connection with the inauguration of the Ayodhya temple on January 22. In a brief hearing on January 29, a Bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna gave the State of Tamil Nadu 15 days to separately file a counter-affidavit. When Naidu requested permission to file a rejoinder to the State’s counter-affidavit, Justice Khanna said the “event (pran pratishta) is already over... do not push it further”. Tamil Nadu Additional Advocate General Amit Anand Tiwari submitted that the case was already pending in the Madras High Court and the petitioner should approach it. In his separate counter-affidavit, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal informed the Supreme Court that live telecasts of the temple ceremony, bhajans, annadhanams, processions, poojas, etc., were held across the State without any interference from the Police or authorities. Jiwal said a total of 252 events, both indoor and outdoor, were held in connection with the pran pratishta event held in Tamil Nadu. He said the petitioner was under the influence of an “illusion and false interpretation of reality”. The allegations that the Chief Minister had orally instructed not to allow any ceremony or function including the annadhanam, organising bhajans about Prabhu Ram, on the auspicious occasion of January 22, the day of pran pratishta of Ram Janmabhoomi, are totally baseless and false,” the DGP said in his response. His claims about a “non-existent” oral order were products of his imagination. “Of the 12 paragraphs in the petition, nine were utilised to defame the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and criticise the actions of the State Government… The petitioner has portrayed the Tamil Nadu Government as a anti-Hindu government, which is totally false and condemnable,” the DGP submitted. The response said a total of 288 petitions regarding the Ram temple event at Ayodhya for conduct of processions, bhajans, annadhanams, live streaming and other events were received by the government. Initially, four of them were allowed. However, the Madras High Court directed the police to consider the petitions and regulate their conduct in order to ensure there was no hindrance to public movement. Subsequently, the Police permitted a total of 248 events, taking the total to 252, which includes the earlier four allowed prior to the High Court orders. Events, including processions, were held in various parts of the State, including Chennai, Virudhunagar, Pudukottai, Thanjavur and Namakkal. Cases were registered in 13 instances for violations of police regulations. “The Ram Mandir event was telecasted in many temples. Apart from live telecast, activities such as poojas and archanas were conducted in many temples across the State. No police officer interfered with the conduct of poojas or archanas in temples throughout the State,” the response noted. Indian Navy ship INS Sumitra foils hijack attempt on fishing vessel [A swift response by an Indian Navy ship, INS Sumitra, deployed in the Gulf of Aden, ensured that a hijack situation was quickly resolved ensuring safe release of the hijacked fishing vessel and its crew.]( INS Sumitra, on anti-piracy operations along the East coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, responded to a distress message regarding hijacking of an Iranian flagged Fishing Vessel (FV) Iman. The FV had been boarded by pirates and the crew taken as hostages,” the Navy said in a statement on January 29. “INS Sumitra intercepted the vessel, acted in accordance with the established Standard Operating Procedures to coerce the pirates for safe release of crew along with the boat and ensured successful release of all 17 crew members along with the boat.” The FV was subsequently sanitised and released for onward transit, the Navy stated. Piracy which had almost vanished since the peak around 2010, has come back now in the region in the backdrop of Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial shipping. In December, Malta-flagged tanker M.V. Ruen, with 18 crew onboard, was hijacked by Somali pirates approximately 700 miles from the Indian coast and the vessel is currently off the Somali coast. In the second instance in the North Arabian Sea in early January, Indian Navy MARCOS (Marine Commandos) secured and safely evacuated all 21 crew, including 15 Indians, from the merchant vessel Lila Norfolk after it came under a hijacking attempt. In response to these incidents, Indian Navy has substantially enhanced maritime surveillance efforts in Central and North Arabian Sea and augmented force levels. It currently has around 12 warships deployed on anti-piracy and maritime security operations in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden. Task Groups comprising destroyers and frigates have been deployed to undertake maritime security operations and render assistance to merchant vessels in case of any incident and aerial surveillance by long-range maritime patrol aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles has been enhanced to have a complete maritime domain awareness. Navy commandos are also carrying to board and search of suspected vessels on the high seas. Calcutta HC judges’ spat: Supreme Court transfers case to itself, says will not do anything to impinge on dignity of the HC [The Supreme Court on January 29 transferred from the Calcutta High Court to itself a case of candidates rampantly gaining medical admissions with the help of fake caste certificates in West Bengal after conflicting orders led to one Calcutta High Court judge slinging mud on another.]( A five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and four seniormost judges had to take suo motu cognisance of the happenings in the Calcutta High Court and convened on January 27 to stay proceedings in the High Court in the case. The trajectory of the case took an ugly turn when one of the judges, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, sitting as a Single Judge Bench, made personal allegations of political bias against Justice Soumen Sen, who presided over the Division Bench which stayed the former’s order to transfer the medical admissions case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The five-judge Bench led by the Chief Justice Chandrachud on January 29 directed the transferred case to be listed before it after three weeks. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, for the West Bengal government, drew attention to fact that Justice Gangopadhyay had made personal comments in his judicial order against Justice Sen. He had accused Justice Sen of using his office to “act” in favour of the ruling dispensation in West Bengal. “The learned judge continues to take matters of this kind. He will continue to do such things in future also... You have to intervene,” Sibal submitted. The Chief Justice cut short Sibal, saying “you have made your point”. Chief Justice Chandrachud said it did not want to comment on the orders of either the Single Judge or the Division Bench of the High Court. Restraint was necessary as the dignity of the institution of the High Court had to be protected, he said. “Anything we say here should not impinge upon the dignity of the institution,” Chief Justice Chandrachud observed. Sibal said he [Justice Gangopadhyay] was even “attending rallies”. Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi interjected to obliquely draw attention to the fact that the Supreme Court had to similarly intervene in April last year in orders passed by Justice Gangopadhyay in connection with the sensational and politically sensitive West Bengal school job-for-bribe scam case. Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee had moved the top court at the time against a TV interview given by Justice Gangopadhyay in which the latter made comments about the case when it was sub judice before him. The Supreme Court had, after going through the transcript of the interview, ordered the case to be transferred from Justice Gangopadhyay. But, in a rather unusual turn of events, Justice Gangopadhyay subsequently passed an order directing the Secretary General of the Supreme Court to place before him by midnight the records which were placed before the Supreme Court leading to the re-assignment of the case from him. A Special Bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice A.S. Bopanna had quickly convened the same night to stay Justice Gangopadhyay’s order. Singhvi said such conduct would “bring disrepute to the judiciary”. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the Centre, indicated there were “shocking facts to relate on every side”. The Supreme Court declined a plea to intervene in the allocation of cases to Justice Gangopadhyay, saying that was entirely the domain of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Calcutta. “The Chief Justice of the High Court is in charge of assigning cases to judges. We do not want to arrogate that power of the Chief Justice,” Chief Justice Chandrachud responded. Dictatorship in India is inevitable if PM Modi is re-elected, asserts Kharge [The forthcoming general election is going to be the last election in India if Prime Minister Narendra Modi is re-elected, said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Bhubaneswar on January 29.]( Kharge was addressing the Congress workers convention in Bhubaneswar. “Whether you acknowledge it or not, one of our leaders from INDIA departed yesterday. He was taken away from us. The current government’s modus operandi involves serving notices to leaders one after another, instilling terror, and issuing threats. Individuals are abandoning friendships, alliances, and parties out of fear. The question arises: Can the country, democracy, or constitution survive if so many cowards persist?” he asked. “This is the last opportunity before people to cast their votes decisively. Following this, no further voting will be possible as there will be no more elections. Elections will be held akin to election of Russian President Vlaldimir Putin. They will run the government on basis of accumulated authority and keep returning to power. They will get 200 seats, 300 and 400. They will even increase number of seats beyond 600,” said Congress chief. “It is people’s responsibility to safeguard Constitution and democracy and ensure that elections are held recurrently. The survival of democracy is in the hands of the people. If you desire it, the democracy will stay on. However, if you choose to remain subservient, that is a decision is up to you,” he told Congress workers. “Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had sacrificed their lives for people while Modi is taking lives. If a political leader does not listen to him (Modi), he unleashes CBI, Income Tax and ED on him. He is running government by this terror mechanism,” the veteran leader said. Kharge remarked, “We administered the government with love, embracing each other. Progress in education, health, industry, and the establishment of various visible institutions today can be credited to the contributions of the Congress. The present government seems to derive pleasure from causing discord and conflict among the people.” On Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar leaving INDIA alliance, he said, “some individuals commented that the alliance suffered a setback with the departure of one person. Does the country weaken when one person exits? No. Likewise, the alliance would not weaken by the departure of one or two individuals. We will emerge even stronger.” The Congress president came down heavily on the BJD Government saying, “Former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik was close to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He was following ideology of Nehruji. He was Patnaik of past. But, today’s Patnaik (Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik) is adhering to ideology of BJP.” He alleged BJP and BJD had long been in undeclared alliance aimed at looting money by selling mineral resources. Should surgeries be broadcast live? NMC sets up committee to provide recommendation [Following the ongoing public debate on whether medical surgeries should be broadcast live, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has now set-up a committee of experts to provide recommendations on the issue](. The apex medical regulator is also seeking comments from stakeholders and the public on the matter of live broadcast of surgical procedures on patients by private hospitals. Suggestions are to be posted by early this February. This latest order, issued on January 23, comes in response to the petition filed before the Supreme Court of India seeking a direction for laying down guidelines to regulate live broadcast of surgeries done without the informed consent of the patients. The NMC in its latest public notice referred to a writ petition before the Supreme Court in which the petitioner held that many private hospitals are commercially exploiting the patients and using them as models to fulfil their ulterior motives through live surgery broadcasts in conferences. “Various companies are promoting themselves and making a fortune out of the miseries of the exploited patients. Advertising sponsorship and professional showmanship overshadow the true purpose of these broadcasts. Healthcare facilities showcase their capabilities, surgeons flaunt their skills and companies promote their products all at the expense of patient safety. Pre-recorded surgical videos, edited to meet educational needs can achieve the same objectives with far less risk,” the petition claimed. The Commission added that in pursuance of the Petitioner’s prayer it has been decided to constitute a Committee of experts to give recommendations on the issue of live surgeries broadcast by private hospitals in the country, with the approval of the NMC chairman. “In this regard all stakeholders and members of the public are invited to provide comments on the said issue of live surgery broadcast within the next 10 days, facilitating the committee in their pursuit of a balanced and informed decision-making process,” the notice further read. Meanwhile, a recent study titled - ‘Safety and effectiveness of live broadcast of surgical procedures: systematic review’ noted that Live Broadcast of Surgical Procedures (LBSP) has gained popularity in conferences and educational meetings in the past few decades. The study found that LBSP can be of educational value but patient safety may be compromised. “A standardised framework of reporting on LBSP and its outcomes is required from an ethical and patient safety perspective,” the study concluded. The medical community itself is divided on the issue with a section of the doctors stating that there can be no compromise over patient safety and that medical education can be obtained even with recorded surgeries, while others consider this an important tool to train young doctors. In brief Elections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats to be held on February 27: ECI The [Election Commission of India has announced that elections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats in 15 States will be held on February 27](. The term of office of 56 members of the Council of States elected from 15 States is due to expire on their retirement in April 2024, the ECI said in a statement. Land-for-Job scam case | RJD chief Lalu Prasad appears before ED for questioning The [ED is questioning Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in the land-for-job scam case on January 29](. He reached the ED office earlier in the morning, as hundreds of RJD workers along with a few leaders had assembled at the location in his support. “Whenever ED sends summon to any of our family members, we come and cooperate but our family is being harassed unnecessarily,” said Misa Bharti, RJD Rajya Sabha member and the elder daughter of Mr. Yadav. Centre extends ban imposed on Students Islamic Movement of India for 5 years The [Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extended the ban against the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) for another five years](. The organisation was declared an “unlawful association,” under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for the first time in 2001. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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