Gyanesh Kumar appointed as new Chief Election Commissioner:
- The current Chief Election Commissioner of India, Rajiv Kumar, is retiring.
- Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the new Chief Election Commissioner.
- The Election Commission of India consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and 2 Election Commissioners.
- The Election Commissioners were appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Central Government.
- The senior-most of the two Election Commissioners was appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner.
- In its judgment on March 2, 2023, the Supreme Court constituted a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court regarding the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and 2 Election Commissioners.
Chief Election Commissioner of India:
- The Chief Election Commissioner of India is the person who ensures that elections in India are conducted fairly, impartially and independently of any party.
- The Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners are appointed by the President of India.
- Their term of office is calculated from the date of their election until they reach the age of 65, whichever is earlier.
- They are considered to be in the hierarchy of the Chief Justices of India and receive a salary commensurate with their rank.
- The Chief Election Commissioner cannot be removed from office in any other way except if a resolution is passed in Parliament against him for violating the code of conduct.
Mudalvar Marunthagam (Chief Minister’s Pharmacy) Scheme:
- The Tamil Nadu government has announced that Chief Minister’s Pharmacies have been established and will be available for public use from February 24.
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, during his Independence Day speech, announced that Chief Minister’s Pharmacies would be established to provide generic medicines at subsidized prices.
- In the first phase, 1000 Chief Minister’s Dispensaries are to be opened to make generic medicines and other medicines available to the public at low prices.
Important Facts:
- The BBC’s ‘Best Indian Sportswoman Award’ for 2024 has been announced for shooter Manu Bhaker.
- Manu Bhaker, who won 2 bronze medals at the Paris Olympics, is the first Indian to win two medals at a single Olympics since independence.
- Indian company Reliance has been ranked as the second best company in the world in the World’s Best Brand Index.
- South Korea’s ‘Samsung’ has topped the list of the World’s Best Brands.
- Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is on a state visit to India.
- Vikas Swami, from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, created a Guinness World Record by lifting 125 kg with his teeth.
- An inscription from the Vijayanagara era was found in Gingee taluk of Villupuram district.
- The European Space Agency has approved British astronaut John McFaul to become the world’s first disabled astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS).
- The ICC Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held from February 19 to March 9 in 2025, after a gap of 7 years.