This is the current affairs of 22 June 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Who became the Protem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha?
a. Virendra Kumar
b. Om Birla
c. Nitish Kumar
d. Bhartruhari Mahtab
Answer: d. Bhartruhari Mahtab
Who is Bhartruhari Mahtab?
– Bhartruhari Mahtab has been elected to the Lok Sabha for the seventh time.
– He has been elected as a Member of Parliament from the Cuttack Lok Sabha seat in Odisha on a BJP ticket.
– Before the 18th Lok Sabha, he had continuously won the Cuttack seat six times on a BJD ticket since 1998.
– Bhartruhari Mahtab has been honored with the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award and the Sansad Ratna Award in 2017.
– He is the son of Odisha’s first Chief Minister, Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab.
Who have previously served as Protem Speaker?
– In the 16th Lok Sabha election of 2014, Congress’s Kamal Nath, the then most senior Member of Parliament, was made the Protem Speaker.
– After the 17th Lok Sabha election in 2019, BJP’s Virendra Kumar, being the most senior MP, was made the Protem Speaker.
– In the 18th Lok Sabha, there has been controversy over Bhartruhari Mahtab being made the Protem Speaker. Traditionally, the most senior MP is appointed as the Protem Speaker, but this time it did not happen.
– Seniority is determined based on the total tenure as a member of either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.
What is a Protem Speaker?
– After the Lok Sabha elections, when the first session is held, there is no Speaker to conduct the proceedings of the Parliament.
– For this purpose, a temporary position called the Protem Speaker is created.
– The Protem Speaker administers the oath to the new MPs, conducts the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker, and carries out all responsibilities until a new Speaker is elected.
– Typically, the most senior and experienced leader of the house is made the Protem Speaker, even if they are a member of the opposition. However, there is no written rule for this.
– The Protem Speaker is appointed by the President on the advice of the Cabinet. The President also administers the oath. This oath-taking ceremony takes place in a room at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
– In this simple ceremony, the Prime Minister, government ministers, opposition leaders, and senior members of the house are present. This time, Bhartruhari Mahtab has been made the Protem Speaker.
Under which Article is the Protem Speaker appointed?
– The Constitution does not explicitly mention the Protem Speaker, but the official handbook on the workings of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs details the appointment and oath-taking of the Protem Speaker.
– However, the appointment of the Protem Speaker is made under Article 95(1) of the Constitution.
– According to this article, “While the office of Speaker is vacant, the duties of the office shall be performed by the Deputy Speaker, or if the office of the Deputy Speaker is also vacant, by such member of the Lok Sabha as the President may appoint for the purpose.”
– Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju mentioned in a post on X (Twitter) that the President appoints Lok Sabha member Bhartruhari Mahtab as the Protem Speaker under Article 95(1) of the Constitution so that he can perform the duties of the Speaker until a new Speaker is elected.
Why does Congress object even though Bhartruhari Mahtab is such a senior MP?
– The tradition has been to appoint the most senior MP, meaning the one who has been elected the most times, as the Protem Speaker. There is no written constitution for this, but this tradition has been followed since the first Lok Sabha.
– This time, there were two MPs in the running for the Protem Speaker role.
– One was BJP’s Virendra Kumar and the other was Congress’s Kodikunnil Suresh.
– Virendra Kumar is elected from Tikamgarh in Madhya Pradesh, while Kodikunnil Suresh is from the Mavelikkara seat in Kerala. Both have been elected eight times.
– Virendra Kumar was the Protem Speaker last time. This time, he has been made a minister in the central government, so he cannot be made the Protem Speaker.
– According to tradition, Congress’s Kodikunnil Suresh should have been given the opportunity.
– Congress claims that the BJP has broken a long-standing parliamentary tradition. This is why they are upset.
Who was the first Protem Speaker of the country?
– The first Protem Speaker of the country was Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar. He chaired the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly.
– In 1946, when the first assembly was organized, there was a need for a Protem Speaker to elect the Speaker.
– It was discussed that a senior leader should be chosen as the Protem Speaker.
– Everyone unanimously agreed on his name and he was chosen as the Protem Speaker. – This decision had the consent of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Can the Protem Speaker also become the Speaker of the Lok Sabha?
– A Protem Speaker can become the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
– This can happen if the Protem Speaker has the support of the Lok Sabha members.
– If they run for the position of Speaker and have the backing of the MPs, they can be elected as the permanent Speaker. For this, they need to secure the support of the members of the Lok Sabha.
Is there a Protem Speaker only at the beginning of the Lok Sabha?
– No.
– The need for a Protem Speaker can arise in the middle of the Lok Sabha as well.
– If both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker’s positions become vacant due to death or resignation, a new Protem Speaker is chosen.
Can the Protem Speaker conduct a floor test?
– It is not explicitly clear for the Lok Sabha, as there has been no precedent for this so far. However, this has happened in the state assemblies.
When will the election for the Lok Sabha Speaker take place?
– The newly elected members will take their oath on June 24-25.
– The election for the new Lok Sabha Speaker will take place on June 26.
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2. Tesam Pongte was elected the new Speaker of which state’s Legislative Assembly?
a. Assam
b. Tripura
c. Sikkim
d. Arunachal Pradesh
Answer: d. Arunachal Pradesh
– Tesam Pongte was elected as the Speaker of the 8th Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on June 15, 2024.
– The announcement was made by Protem Speaker Ninong Ering.
– Tesam Pongte is a BJP politician in Arunachal Pradesh.
– The 49-year-old Pongte, representing the Changlang North Assembly constituency, was the Deputy Speaker in the previous Assembly.
Arunachal Pradesh
Chief Minister: Pema Khandu
Governor: Lieutenant General Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik
Capital: Itanagar
Languages: Hindi and Assamese
Population: 1,383,727 (2022)
State Bird: Hornbill
Neighboring States: Assam and Nagaland
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3. Surama Padhi became the new Speaker of which state’s Legislative Assembly?
a. Andhra Pradesh
b. Odisha
c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Bihar
Answer: b. Odisha
– She has become the second woman to hold this prestigious position.
– She assumed office unopposed during a special session of the Legislative Assembly.
– She is an MLA from the Ranpur constituency in Nayagarh district.
– She is a BJP leader.
Odisha
– Chief Minister: Mohan Charan Majhi
– Capital: Bhubaneswar
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4. The Union Cabinet approved Rs 2870 crore for developing an international airport in which district of Uttar Pradesh?
a. Sultanpur
b. Ghazipur
c. Meerut
d. Varanasi
Answer: d. Varanasi
– Approval has been given in the meeting of the Central Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi.
– Narendra Modi’s electoral constituency Varanasi will see an expansion of this airport at a cost of Rs. 2870 crores.
– This expansion includes the construction of a new terminal and the extension of the runway.
– The airport will be entirely eco-friendly.
With this expansion, the passenger capacity of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport will increase nearly threefold.
– Currently, the airport has the capacity to handle 3.9 million passengers annually, which will increase to approximately ten million after the expansion.
Uttar Pradesh
– Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
– Capital: Lucknow
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5. When is International Olympic Day celebrated?
a. 21 June
b. 22 June
c. 23 June
d. 24 June
Answer: c. 23 June
Theme 2024
– Let’s Move and Celebrate
– On this day, the International Olympic Committee was established in Sorbonne, Paris.
– Pierre de Coubertin, a historian, rallied for the revival of the ancient Olympic Games on June 23, 1894. In commemoration of this event, International Olympic Day is celebrated every year on this date.
– This day is a celebration of sports, health, and unity.
Note: The Paris Summer Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
– Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
– Established: June 23, 1894, Paris, France
– President: Thomas Bach
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6. When is the United Nations Public Service Day celebrated?
a. 21 June
b. 22 June
c. 23 June
d. 24 June
Answer: c. 23 June
– This day has been declared by the United Nations.
– It is a special day to appreciate the significance of public services and the people working in them.
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7. Which country has become the first country in South East Asia to legalise gay marriage?
a. Thailand
b. Nepal
c. Taiwan
d. Estonia
Answer: a. Thailand
– On June 18, 2024, the Thai Parliament voted on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.
– While 130 members of parliament voted in favor of the bill, 4 voted against it.
– Thailand would become the first country in Southeast Asia and the third in Asia to do so.
– Prior to this, Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage in 2019, followed by Nepal in 2023.
– The demand to legalize same-sex marriage in Thailand has been raised for 20 years.
– With the passage of this law, any individual aged 18 or older can now enter into a same-sex marriage.
Situation of LGBTQ+ individuals in India
– After researching the LGBTQ+ community, the PEW Research Center revealed that in Canada, the highest 85% and in the US, 72% of people accept LGBTQ+.
– Same-sex marriage is legal in the constitutions of 31 countries worldwide, including France, Germany, Belgium, and the United States.
– According to the Mood of the Nation survey, 62% of people in India are not ready to accept same-sex marriage.
– In 13 countries worldwide, including Yemen, Iran, Brunei, Nigeria, and Qatar, couples in same-sex relationships are sentenced to death.
– Until 2018, same-sex marriage was a crime in India, but after the Supreme Court’s decision, physical relations between LGBTQ+ individuals were removed from the category of crime under Section 377 of the IPC.
Supreme Court Denied in India
– The Supreme Court of India denied legalizing same-sex marriage on October 17, 2023.
– The Constitution Bench of five judges had stated that the court cannot amend the Special Marriage Act. The court can only interpret the law and enforce it.
– Chief Justice Devi Chandrachud had mentioned that whether there is a need for amendments in the provisions of the Special Marriage Act is a matter for Parliament to decide.
Thailand
– Capital: Bangkok
– Emperor: Vajiralongkorn
– Prime Minister: Shrestha Thawisin
– Currency: Thai Baht
– Language: Thai
– Population: 71.7 million (2022)
Neighboring Countries: Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia
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8. Who is the first Indian filmmaker to be awarded the prestigious ‘Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award’ from South Africa?
a. Vinod Ganatra
b. Shekhar Kapoor
c. Hrishikesh Mukherjee
d. Satyajit Ray
Answer: a. Vinod Ganatra
– Vinod Ganatra was awarded during the 7th Nelson Mandela Children’s Film Festival on June 18, 2024.
– He became the only Indian to receive this award.
– Renowned filmmaker and editor from Gujarat, Vinod Ganatra, received this award for his outstanding contribution to children’s cinema.
– Vinod Ganatra has won 36 national and international awards.
Nelson Mandela
– Nelson Mandela was the first non-white president of South Africa.
– He actively participated in the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and spent 27 years in prison.
– In 1993, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Frederik Willem de Klerk.
– In 1990, he was awarded the highest civilian award of India, the Bharat Ratna.
– His birthday on July 18 is celebrated as Nelson Mandela International Day.
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9. Which actor has been appointed by UNHCR as its new Goodwill Ambassador?
a. Shahrukh Khan
b. Theo James
c. Akshay Kumar
d. None of these
Answer: b. Theo James
– He is a British actor.
– Theo James has been actively involved with UNHCR since 2016.
– Currently, around 120 million people are displaced worldwide.
– Theo James will work as a Goodwill Ambassador to raise awareness about refugee issues.
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