LEGAL NEWS

Delhi High Court: Second Wife Not Entitled to Family Pension if Marriage Was Void

• The Delhi High Court ruled that a second wife cannot claim family pension if the marriage was void from the beginning, even if the first wife later dies.

• The Court held that pension benefits depend strictly on legal marital status, as per Army Pension Regulations, 1961.

• A marriage performed during the lifetime of the first legally wedded spouse is void under Hindu law and does not become valid later.

• The case involved a woman claiming pension as the widow of an army personnel, stating she was unaware of the first marriage and had lived with him for years.

• It was found that the first marriage was never legally dissolved, and the first wife received the pension until her death.

• The Court relied on Section 5 and Section 11 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, which declare a second marriage void if the first spouse is alive.

• It clarified that the death of the first wife does not retrospectively validate the second marriage or create pension entitlement.

• The petition was dismissed, and the Court upheld the Armed Forces Tribunal decision, though it noted that children from void marriages may still get limited legal benefits.

APPOINTMENTS

K.V. Ramana Murthy Appointed Whole-Time Member of SEBI

• The Government has appointed Kompella Venkata Ramana Murthy as a Whole-Time Member (WTM) of SEBI.

• His tenure will be for three years or until further orders are issued.

• With this appointment, SEBI now has all four Whole-Time Members in place.

• The other WTMs are Amarjeet Singh, Kamlesh Chandra Varshney, and Sandip Pradhan.

• Murthy is a retired officer of the 1991 batch of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS).

• He previously served as Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts under the Ministry of Defence.

• SEBI was initially formed on 12 April 1988 as a non-statutory body through a Government resolution.

• It became a statutory body in 1992, and its current Chairperson is Tuhin Kanta Pandey.

Balendra Shah Becomes Nepal’s Youngest Democratically Elected Prime Minister

• Balendra Shah, leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in Parliament, was sworn in as Nepal’s youngest democratically elected Prime Minister on 27 March.

• The oath of office and secrecy was administered by President Ramchandra Paudel at Sheetal Niwas.

• His appointment followed his election as the parliamentary party leader of the RSP.

• He became Nepal’s 47th Prime Minister under Article 76(1) of the Constitution.

• The RSP secured a near two-thirds majority in the recently held parliamentary elections.

• His rise is being seen as a major political change backed by strong youth support.

• He is the first democratically elected Prime Minister after the fall of the previous government.

• The earlier K P Sharma Oli-led government was removed after public protests over corruption and governance failures.

RANKING AND INDEX

IIT ISM Dhanbad Shines in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026

• IIT ISM Dhanbad secured the 21st global rank in Mineral and Mining Engineering in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.

• The institute has again remained the top-ranked institution in India in this specialised discipline.

• In Petroleum Engineering, it was placed in the 151–175 global band and ranked 4th in India.

• Mechanical Engineering entered the rankings for the first time, with IIT ISM placed in the 501–575 global range.

• The institute also achieved the 110th position in the QS World University Rankings Southern Asia 2026.

• These rankings reflect IIT ISM’s strong focus on quality education, research, and innovation.

• The performance strengthens India’s reputation globally in engineering and mining education.

• Established in 1926, IIT ISM Dhanbad continues to grow as a leading hub of technical excellence.

SPORTS

Khelo India Tribal Games: Karnataka Tops Medal Tally After Day 2

• On the second day, events in swimming, weightlifting, hockey, and football were conducted in Chhattisgarh.

• Karnataka swimmer Manikanta L. won gold in the 200m individual medley, completing a hat-trick of gold medals.

• Odisha’s Anjali Munda secured gold in the women’s 200m individual medley, earning her second gold of the Games.

• In weightlifting, Monikha Sonowal (Assam) and Isak Malsawmtluanga (Mizoram) claimed gold in their respective categories.

• Karnataka is leading the medal tally with 8 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze.

• Odisha is in second position with 5 gold, 1 silver, and 8 bronze medals.

• Over 3,000 athletes from 30 states and union territories are participating in the Games.

• The Games feature multiple sports and are being held across Raipur, Bastar, and Surguja, continuing till 3 April, with Mallakhamb and Kabaddi included as demonstration events.

GOVERNMENT SCHEME

NHB Launches ‘Gruh Sugam’ Portal for Digital Home Loan Access

• The National Housing Bank (NHB) has launched the ‘Gruh Sugam’ portal to make home loan access easier and faster.

• The platform is mainly designed for defence personnel, paramilitary forces, and government employees.

• It allows users to apply for housing loans digitally from their place of posting, without visiting banks.

• The initiative supports digital lending adoption and promotes financial inclusion in the housing finance sector.

• Gruh Sugam works as a single digital marketplace, enabling applicants to compare and choose suitable loan options.

• It provides smooth digital connectivity between NHB and lending institutions for quicker loan processing.

• Applications require minimal details and are sent to registered lenders to receive competitive loan offers.

• Features like faster processing, grievance redressal system, and online chat support are included, while NHB continues to function as India’s apex institution for promoting a cost-effective housing finance system.

ECONOMY NEWS

OECD Forecast: India to Remain Fastest-Growing Major Economy

• The OECD has projected that India will continue as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.

• India’s GDP growth is estimated at 7.6% for 2025–26.

• Growth is expected to slow to 6.1% in 2026–27, before rising slightly to 6.4% in 2027–28.

• The OECD highlighted Middle East tensions as a major risk to global economic stability.

• Disruptions in shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have affected global energy movement and supply.

• Damage to energy infrastructure has increased supply bottlenecks, also impacting commodities like fertilisers.

• These disruptions are contributing to stronger inflationary pressures worldwide.

• Globally, GDP growth is forecast at around 2.9% in 2026 and 3% in 2027, while China’s growth may decline to 4.4% in 2026 and 4.3% in 2027, with technology investments supporting growth despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.