CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Q. The Madras High Court has invoked the “parens patriae jurisdiction” to declare which entity as a ‘living being’? Notes: The Madras High Court has invoked the “parens patriae jurisdiction” to declare Mother Nature as a Living Being with all corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person.

Detailed explanation-2: -Parens patriae | Madras High Court retains 224-year-old jurisdiction to hear guardianship, child custody cases - The Hindu.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Madras High Court exercises Original Jurisdiction over the City of Madras and Appellate Jurisdiction over the entire State as well as extra- ordinary Original Jurisdiction, Civil and Criminal, under the Letters Patent and Special Original Jurisdiction for the issue of writs under the Constitution of India.

Detailed explanation-4: -What is Parens patriae jurisdiction? Parens patriae has its origin from Latin, which means “parent of the nation”. In case of minor children or physically/ mentally/ differently abled people whose rights were denied by irresponsible/abusive/careless parents, the state can invoke parens patriae jurisdiction.

Detailed explanation-5: -The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently declared “Mother Nature” as a “living being” with the status of a legal person, with all corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person and urged to preserve and conserve them [A Periyakaruppan v The Principal Secretary].