Washington: Researchers in the US have developed an easy-to-use test that can predict the degree of immune protection people have against COVID-19, either from vaccination, infection, or a combination of the two. Easy access to this kind of test could help people determine what kind of precautions they should take against COVID-19 infection, such as getting an additional booster shot, the researchers said.
Described in the journal Cell Reports Methods, the test measures the level of neutralising antibodies -- responsible for defending cells from the virus -- that target SARS-CoV-2 in a blood sample.
"Among the general population, many people probably want to know how well protected they are," said Hojun Li from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)'s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, US.
"But I think where this test might make the biggest difference is for anybody who is receiving chemotherapy, anybody who's on immunosuppressive drugs for rheumatologic disorders or autoimmune diseases, and for anybody who's elderly or doesn't mount good immune responses in general," Li said.
Such people might need to be boosted sooner or receive more doses to achieve adequate protection, the researchers said.
The test is designed so that different viral spike proteins -- that help the virus to enter and infect the cells -- can be swapped in.
Doing so allows to detect immunity against any existing or future variant of SARS-CoV-2, the researchers said.
The researchers have filed for a patent on the technology and are now hoping to partner with a diagnostic company that could manufacture the devices and seek approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Currently, the gold standard approach to measuring immunity involves mixing a blood sample with live virus and measuring how many cells in the sample are killed by the virus.
That procedure is too hazardous to perform in most labs, so the more commonly used approaches involve noninfectious modified "pseudoviral" particles.
However, these approaches still require trained personnel working in a lab with specialised equipment, so they are not practical for getting immediate results. Li drew inspiration from at-home pregnancy tests, which are based on a type of test called a lateral flow assay.
Lateral flow assays generally consist of paper strips embedded with test lines that bind to a particular target molecule if it is present in a sample.
This technology is also the basis of most at-home rapid tests for COVID-19.
Li and his collaborates developed a device that can detect the presence of antibodies that block the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) from binding to ACE2, the human receptor that the virus uses to infect cells.
The first step in the test is to mix human blood samples with viral RBD protein that has been labelled with tiny gold particles which can be visualised when bound to a paper strip.
After allowing time for antibodies in the sample to interact with the viral protein, a few drops of the sample are placed on a test strip embedded with two test lines.
One of these lines attracts free viral RBD proteins, while the other attracts any RBD that has been captured by neutralising antibodies, the researchers said. A strong signal from the second line indicates a high level of neutralising antibodies in the sample, they said. —PTI

Researchers in the US have developed an easy-to-use test that can predict the degree of immune protection people have against COVID-19, either from vaccination, infection, or a combination of the two.

New Test Can Predict Your Level Of Covid Immunity

Maryland (US): The first inter-species signalling route between an arthropod parasite and host, where substances in the blood of a host animal drive the immunity and development of a parasite, has been discovered by research led by a team from the University of Maryland.
In order to stop the spread of illnesses like Lyme disease, the study, which was released in the journal Science, suggests a potential target for anti-tick vaccinations or medicines. When a tick bearing the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi bites a human, the disease is typically contracted.
The study showed that when ticks feed on the blood of mice infected with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease, a protein from the mouse immune system binds to receptors on tick cell surfaces and signals organs to develop more rapidly, producing an immune response long before the bacteria itself can begin to infect the tick. The findings also provide important new insights into the evolution of biomolecular interdependencies between species, and highlight, for the first time, both the integration of immunity and animal development and the adaptability of an ancient cell signalling system or pathway that all plant and animal cells use for sensing and responding to their environment.
"This adaptive flexibility of a conserved cell signalling pathway was surprising," said Utpal Pal, senior author of the study and a professor at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at College Park.
"It is remarkable that this pathway that is present in everything from sponges to humans is so flexible, it can adapt to accept a ligand [a binding molecule] from another distant species. This tool that everybody has is being used in a way that we didn't imagine," Pal said. The finding suggests that other cell signalling pathways may have been adapted for novel uses in other organisms and points to a new area in immunology and molecular biology ripe for future exploration. Pal and his colleagues made their discovery while investigating tick immunity, which is a poorly understood area of tick biology.
In their initial study, seeking to understand how the tick immune systems recognize the Borrelia bacteria, the researchers fed ticks a blood meal from either a Borrelia-infected mouse or an uninfected mouse.
Comparing the two groups, they found that the infected blood meal activated a protein in ticks that normally produces energy inside cells. The protein is associated with a simple signalling pathway called JAK/STAT, which is present in all multicellular organisms.
As in all cellular signalling pathways, a specific molecule senses something in the environment and then binds to a receptor on the outside of a cell wall. This sets off a cascade of reactions inside the cell that turns a specific gene on or off and produces a response to whatever outside stimuli were sensed, researchers said. Assuming that JAK/STAT was triggered by the Borrelia in the infected mouse blood, the researchers isolated the bacteria and injected it directly into ticks to see what molecules were binding with the JAK/STAT receptor.
Surprisingly, the bacteria did not activate JAK/STAT. To find out what did, the researchers removed the Borrelia bacteria from the blood of infected mice and fed the "clean" blood to ticks. The JAK/STAT pathway kicked into action, they said. The researchers discovered that a protein in tick digestive systems was serving as the JAK/STAT receptor and that it had evolved to bind with the cytokine protein interferon, which is produced by the immune systems of mammals infected with a bacteria like Borrelia.
The researchers also found that the JAK/STAT receptor and pathway are important for normal tick development, even if the pathway is not activated by an infected blood meal. When Pal and his colleagues knocked down the expressed gene that produces the receptor for JAK/STAT, the ticks grew deformed legs, mouthparts, and digestive systems, and were unable to feed and complete the developmental cycle to grow further.
These results suggest that in ticks, the JAK/STAT signalling pathway, and the protein receptor have evolved to integrate immunity with development. Bacteria will compete with ticks for nutrients in the blood of an infected host, so when a tick gets the signal that a blood meal is infected, growing rapidly is a way to use up those nutrients before the bacteria gets them. Laboratory experiments concur that ticks fed on Borrelia-infected mouse blood developed much quicker than those that fed on uninfected mouse blood.
"Understanding that this pathway integrates immunity and development has important implications for potential strategies to prevent tick-borne disease transmission," Pal said.
"Because if you delete the pathway, ticks with malformed mouthparts cannot feed or transmit disease. But what is also really exciting to me is that we see this sort of early-warning system, where the tick's immune system indirectly detects a pathogen using an immune response from its host rather than the pathogen itself, accelerating its own development," he added. —ANI

The first inter-species signalling route between an arthropod parasite and host, where substances in the blood of a host animal drive the immunity and development of a parasite, has been discovered by research led by a team from the University of Maryland.

Researchers Solve Puzzles Surrounding Parasite Immunity And Development

New Delhi: Pumpkin is a nutrient-dense, adaptable food that has many positive effects on a dog's health. Pumpkin is a natural superfood that is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and <span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">fiber that can assist to improve digestion, immunity, and cognitive function.

We shall examine the several advantages of pumpkin for canine health in this context, including its effects on digestion, brain function, the immune system, and the health of the skin and fur. Knowing pumpkin's health advantages can guide your decision-making when it comes to providing your beloved buddy with a nutritious diet.

Boost Immunity: Pumpkin is rich in antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E, as well as beta-carotene. These nutrients can help to boost your dog's immune system and protect against cellular damage caused by free radicals. A healthy immune system is important for overall health and can help to prevent illness and disease.

Brain Function: Pumpkin is a good source of essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are important for brain function and development. These fatty acids can help to improve cognitive function, memory, and learning in dogs.

Skin and Fur Health: Pumpkin is a good source of vitamin A, which is essential for skin and fur health in dogs. Vitamin A helps to promote healthy skin and fur, reduce dryness and itchiness, and prevent skin conditions such as hot spots and dermatitis. Additionally, the high <span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">fiber content in pumpkin can help to regulate the digestive system and reduce the risk of skin allergies.

Digestion: Pumpkin is a rich source of <span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">fiber, including both soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber is important for digestive health, as it can help to regulate bowel movements, prevent constipation and diarrhea, and promote healthy gut bacteria. The high water content in pumpkins can also help to hydrate the digestive system and prevent dehydration.

Pumpkins should, however, be introduced gradually and in moderation. Fresh pumpkin is preferable to pumpkin pie filling, which may have added sugars and spices, so stick to simple canned pumpkin instead. IANS

Exploring the health benefits of pumpkin for dog

Tokyo: Autoantibodies, or immune system-produced proteins that may function against one's own body, have been linked to reports of schizophrenia. A minority of schizophrenia patients had autoantibodies that targeted neurexin 1, a "synaptic adhesion protein," according to a study published last month in Brain Behaviour and Immunity. The autoantibodies led to numerous schizophrenia-related alterations when administered to animals. What is a synaptic protein, and why can schizophrenia be related to it? Specialised proteins known as synaptic adhesion proteins bind to form actual connections between brain cells. The cells can exchange molecules through these connections, known as synapses, to communicate. The research team from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) opted to look into autoantibodies that target synaptic proteins in patients with schizophrenia because synapses and autoimmunity are both known to be linked to schizophrenia. "In around 2 per cent of our patient population, we identified autoantibodies against the synaptic protein neurexin 1a, which is expressed by one cell in the synapse and binds to proteins known as neuroligins on the other cell in the synapse," says lead author of the study Hiroki Shiwaku. "Once we had identified these autoantibodies, we wanted to see if they were able to cause schizophrenia-related changes." To do this, the researchers isolated autoantibodies from some of the patients with schizophrenia and injected them into the cerebrospinal fluid of mice, so that the autoantibodies would travel into the brain. In these mice, the autoantibodies blocked neurexin 1a and neuroligin binding and altered some related synaptic properties. The administration of these autoantibodies also resulted in fewer synapses in the brains of mice and schizophrenia-related behaviors, such as reduced social behavior toward unfamiliar mice and reduced cognitive function. "Together, our results strongly suggest that autoantibodies against neurexin 1a can cause schizophrenia-related changes, at least in mice," explains Hiroki Shiwaku. "These autoantibodies may therefore represent a therapeutic target for a subset of patients with schizophrenia." Schizophrenia has a wide variety of both symptoms and treatment responses, and many patients have symptoms that are resistant to currently available treatment options. Therefore, the identification of possible disease-causing autoantibodies is important for improving symptom control in patients with schizophrenia. It is hoped that the results of this investigation will allow patients with autoantibodies that target neurexin 1a--all of whom were resistant to antipsychotic treatment in the present study--to better control their symptoms in the future. —ANI

Autoantibodies, or immune system-produced proteins that may function against one's own body

Researchers Give More Insight Into Association Between Autoimmunity, Schizophrenia

New Delhi: A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Monday held that its earlier judgment striking down the immunity given to senior public officials against arrest in corruption cases will have retrospective application.  The unanimous verdict, authored by Justice Vikram Nath, laid down that the struck down provision, which mandated the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to obtain mandatory approval from Centre to arrest officers of the level of Joint Secretary and above who are booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, was a part of the procedure only and did not constitute any new offence.  The Constitution Bench, also comprising Justices S.K. Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, Abhay S. Oka and J.K. Maheshwari, said that Article 20 of the Constitution will have no bearing on its earlier decision reading down section 6A (1) of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.
Article 20(1) of the Constitution provides that a person cannot be convicted of any offence except for violation of the law in force at the time of the commission of the act charged as an offence.  In simple terms, it means that if an act is not an offence at the date of its commission, it cannot be an offence at a later date subsequent to its commission.  In 2014, a five-judge Constitution Bench had struck down this section 6A (1) for offending the right to equality.  The judgment did not explicitly lay down as to whether the decision of the Supreme Court will extend to those cases of corruption which were registered by the CBI against senior officials before the provision granting immunity was struck down.  In 2016, a reference was made to a larger bench by a two-judge bench to examine if the judgment of the Supreme Court taking away the immunity given to officers of the level of Joint Secretary and above against arrest in relation to corruption charges will have retrospective application.  Now, the Constitution Bench laid down that the Section 6A(1) of the Delhi Police Special Establishment Act, 1946 is held to be not in force from the very time it was inserted in the statute back in 2003.
—IANS

A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Monday held that its earlier judgment striking down the immunity given to senior public officials

SC Constitution Bench holds its judgment taking immunity against arrest will apply retrospectively

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to revisit its 1998 judgment granting immunity to lawmakers from criminal prosecution for accepting bribes to make a speech or vote in Parliament or state legislatures.
A 5-judge Constitution Bench, headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna, M.M. Sundresh, J.B. Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra said that the objective of the Constitutional provisions guaranteeing free speech to MPs and MLAs, prima facie, does not appear to render immunity from the launch of criminal proceedings for violation of criminal law which may arise independently of the exercise of rights and duties as a member of legislature.
“The purpose of Article 105(2) and Article 194(2) is to ensure that members of Parliament and of state legislatures are able to discharge duties in an atmosphere of freedom without fear of the consequences which may follow for the matter in which they speak or exercise their right to vote on floor of house,” it said.
It added that the object of these provisions is clearly not to set apart the members of the legislature as persons who wield higher privileges in terms of immunity from the application of the general criminal law of the land which citizens of the land do not possess.
In its 1998 judgment in P.V. Narasimha Rao versus CBI case, the top court had ruled that the parliamentarians, against the backdrop of Article 105 of the Constitution, enjoy immunity against criminal prosecution with regards to their speech and votes in the House. Article 105 of the Constitution grants immunity to a member of Parliament “in respect of anything said or any vote given by him in Parliament or any committee thereof”. Similar immunity is conferred by Article 194(2) on Members of the State Legislatures.
In 2014, Sita Soren, a member of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) approached the Supreme Court seeking nullification of criminal charges instituted against her for allegedly accepting a bribe to vote in favour of a particular candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections of 2012.
In 2019, a 3-judge bench headed by then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi referred the matter for consideration to a larger bench “having regard to the wide ramification of the question that has arisen, the doubts raised and the issue being a matter of substantial public importance”.
—IANS

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to revisit its 1998 judgment granting immunity to lawmakers from criminal prosecution

SC to revisit its judgment holding that lawmakers have immunity against criminal prosecution for accepting bribes to vote in House

New Delhi [India]: A seven-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that an MP or MLA cannot claim immunity from prosecution on a charge of bribery in connection with the vote or speech in the Parliament or Legislative Assembly. In an unanimous view, the SC's Constitution Bench overruled the 1998 judgement in the PV Narasimha Rao case.
"We disagree with the judgment in PV Narasimha case which grants immunity to legislator for alleged bribery for making a speech or vote in a particular manner in the House that has wide ramifications," Chief Justice DY Chandrachud observed during the hearing. The top court held that corruption and bribery by legislators destroy the functioning of Indian Parliamentary democracy. The bench headed by the CJI said that the bribery is not rendered immune citing Article 105 or 194. "A member indulging in bribery indulges in a criminal act which is not essential for casting a vote or giving a speech in the legislature," the CJI said. The Supreme Court said that the interpretation of PV Narasimha judgment is contrary to Articles 105 and 194 of the constitution. The court said that interpretation which has been placed on the issue in question and the judgment of the majority in PV Narasimha Rao results in a paradoxical outcome where a legislator is conferred with immunity when they accept a bribe and follow through by voting in the agreed direction. The interpretation of PV Narasimha judgement is contrary to Articles 105 and 194, the CJI added. Chief Justice Chandrachud further observed that the offence of bribe is crystallised on the taking of illegal gratification and it does not depend on whether the vote or speech is given later. Speaking after the verdict, Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay said that the apex court through its judgment made it clear that if any legislator takes bribes to ask questions or cast vote in the legislature will not be immune to prosecution.

<div style="text-align:left;"><img src="https://thehawk.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/Advocate%20Ashwini%20Upadhyay.webp" alt="Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay" style="height: auto;width: auto"/></div>


He said that the accused legislator will not be treated with any special protocols but will be charged with corruption. "The Supreme Court ruled that the asking questions or casting votes by taking bribes will be equivalent to destroying India's parliamentary democracy," the lawyer said. A bench of seven-judges headed by the Chief Justice of India in October reserved order after hearing the submissions. Other judges on the bench are Justices AS Bopanna, MM Sundresh, PS Narasimha, JB Pardiwala, Sanjay Kumar, and Manoj Misra. Earlier, a five-judge bench referred the matter to a larger bench of seven-judge to deal with the issues, observing that it was an important issue having a significant bearing on the morality of polity. The court said that the purpose of Article 105(2) and Article 194(2) is to ensure that members of parliament and state legislatures are able to discharge duties in an atmosphere of freedom without fear of the consequences.
—ANI

India's Supreme Court declares MPs and MLAs can't claim immunity from bribery charges, ensuring accountability and strengthening democratic integrity.

No immunity for MP or MLAs for taking bribes: Supreme Court

New Delhi [India]: The Supreme Court on Monday held that "corruption and bribery by members of the legislatures erode probity in public life" while overturning a previous ruling that offered immunity to lawmakers from charges of accepting bribes for casting votes or making speeches in Parliament or state legislatures. The Supreme Court's seven-judge Constitution Bench overruled the 1998 PV Narasimha Rao judgment case, which granted immunity to members of Parliament and members of the legislative assembly from prosecution for taking bribes for voting in Parliament or state assemblies.
"Corruption and bribery by members of the legislatures erode probity in public life," the bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said. The other judges on the bench included Justices AS Bopanna, MM Sundresh, PS Narasimha, JB Pardiwala, Sanjay Kumar, and Manoj Misra. The bench strongly opined that "the offence of bribery is agnostic to the performance of the agreed action and crystallises on the exchange of illegal gratification." "It does not matter whether the vote is cast in the agreed direction or if the vote is cast at all. The offence of bribery is complete at the point in time when the legislator accepts the bribe," the court viewed.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/no-immunity-for-mp-or-mlas-for-taking-bribes:-supreme-court" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/no-immunity-for-mp-or-mlas-for-taking-bribes:-supreme-court</a>&nbsp;
 Overruling the judgement given in the PV Narasimha Rao case, the court said that the interpretation given in that judgement is contrary to the text and purpose of Articles 105 and 194. The interpretation placed in the judgment of the majority in the PV Narasimha Rao case (supra) results in a paradoxical outcome where a legislator is conferred with immunity when they accept a bribe and follow through by voting in the agreed direction, the court said, adding further that on the other hand, a legislator who agrees to accept a bribe, but eventually decides to vote independently will be prosecuted. "Such an interpretation is contrary to the text and purpose of Articles 105 and 194," the court ruled. "In the course of this judgment, while analysing the reasoning of the majority and minority in PV Narasimha Rao (supra) we have independently adjudicated on all the aspects of the controversy, namely, whether, by virtue of Articles 105 and 194 of the Constitution, a Member of Parliament or the Legislative Assembly, as the case may be, can claim immunity from prosecution on a charge of bribery in a criminal court. We disagree with and overrule the judgment of the majority on this aspect," the top court ordered. "The judgment of the majority in PV Narasimha Rao (supra), which grants immunity from prosecution to a member of the legislature who has allegedly engaged in bribery for casting a vote or speaking has wide ramifications on public interest, probity in public life and parliamentary democracy. There is a grave danger of this Court allowing an error to be perpetuated if the decision is not reconsidered," the court observed. "Unlike the House of Commons in the UK, India does not have 'ancient and undoubted' privileges which were vested after a struggle between Parliament and the King. Privileges in pre-independence India were governed by statute in the face of a reluctant colonial government. The statutory privilege transitioned to a constitutional privilege after the commencement of the Constitution," the court said. "An individual member of the legislature cannot assert a claim of privilege to seek immunity under Articles 105 and 194 from prosecution on a charge of bribery in connection with a vote or speech in the legislature. Such a claim to immunity fails to fulfil the two-fold test that the claim is tethered to the collective functioning of the House and that it is necessary to the discharge of the essential duties of a legislator," it added. Articles 105 and 194 of the Constitution seek to sustain an environment in which debate and deliberation can take place within the legislature. This purpose is destroyed when a member is induced to vote or speak in a certain manner because of an act of bribery, the top court said. The jurisdiction which is exercised by a competent court to prosecute a criminal offence and the authority of the House to take action for a breach of discipline in relation to the acceptance of a bribe by a member of the legislature exist in distinct spheres. The scope, purpose and consequences of the court exercising jurisdiction in relation to a criminal offence and the authority of the House to discipline its members are different, the top court said "The potential of misuse against individual members of the legislature is neither enhanced nor diminished by recognizing the jurisdiction of the court to prosecute a member of the legislature who is alleged to have indulged in an act of bribery," the court said.&nbsp;
—ANI

The Supreme Court decisively overrules a prior judgment granting lawmakers immunity from bribery charges, asserting the vital importance of integrity in legislative functions.

Corruption, bribery by legislators erode probity in public life: Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict in the JMM bribery case, saying that it was desirable to set right the law and should have been done earlier.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said this has been a long pending issue for many years to correct a purely legal issue, which cannot be the law on the text of the Constitution. "It is a salutary, desirable, welcome judgement. It is something which sets right the law and it should have been done earlier," Singhvi said, adding that there is no need to go into the facts of the case, because this is not a judgement about the merits of whether anybody did receive a bribe or not. "It is a legal issue decided on the assumption that some people did not so vote and some people did vote on the allegation of bribery and whether they can at all be prosecuted, not whether they are convictable or not, on the merits," the Congress leader said.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/corruption-bribery-by-legislators-erode-probity-in-public-life:-supreme-court" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/corruption-bribery-by-legislators-erode-probity-in-public-life:-supreme-court</a> MPs and MLAs taking bribes to vote or make a speech in the House are not immune from prosecution, the Supreme Court said in a landmark, unanimous verdict that overrules its 1998 judgment protecting such lawmakers. Singhvi said the judgement which was overturned is a judgement delivered many years ago, which held that if a person receives a bribe to vote in a particular manner and then does so vote, he would get the immunity of the Constitutional articles which protect persons regarding their speech in Parliament. Conversely, he said, the same judgement many years ago also held that if a person in fact took a bribe and did not so vote, then he would be exempt.
"The simple point decided today, which I think was overdue and is rightly decided, is that the two propositions summarised in the earlier judgement are on the face of it against common sense and sound perverse." "These provisions of protection to Members of Parliament or an MLA are made for the discharge of their duties and only for those things without which they cannot discharge their duties, and not to give them additional benefits like, for example, receiving bribe," the Congress leader said in a video message. Observing that corruption and bribery of members of the legislature erode the foundation of Indian parliamentary democracy, a seven-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud overruled the apex court's five-judge bench's 1998 verdict in the JMM bribery case -- involving five party leaders accepting bribes to vote against the no-confidence motion threatening the P V Narasimha Rao government in 1993. "Bribery is not protected by parliamentary privileges," the bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna, M M Sundresh, P S Narasimha, J B Pardiwala, Sanjay Kumar and Manoj Misra, said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the verdict in a post on X. 'SWAGATAM! A great judgment by the Hon’ble Supreme Court which will ensure clean politics and deepen people’s faith in the system,' he said.
<a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1764541405140009405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1764541405140009405%7Ctwgr%5Ec0931281d4b99222e849f4dc448617b05a2c59c9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.deccanherald.com%2Findia%2Fdesirable-to-set-right-the-law-congress-welcomes-supreme-court-verdict-in-jmm-bribery-case-2920996" target="_self">https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1764541405140009405?</a>
Stating that "corruption and bribery by members of the legislatures erode probity in public life", the apex court held that a five-judge bench's interpretation in the 1998 verdict in the JMM bribery case was contrary to Articles 105 and 194 of the Constitution. Articles 105 and 194 deal with the powers and privileges of MPs and MLAs in the Parliament and the legislative assemblies.
—PTI

A landmark Supreme Court decision revokes immunity for MPs and MLAs in bribery cases, strengthening Indian democracy and aligning legal precedents with constitutional integrity in 160 characters.

The Hawk

Tag : Immunity

New Test Can Predict Your Level Of Covid Immunity

Inam Ansari

Tag : Immunity

New Test Can Predict Your Level Of Covid Immunity

Inam Ansari

More about Immunity