NewsBytes

ISRO all set to launch heaviest communication satellite on Nov 2

CMS-03 will ensure real-time coordination between ships & aircraft

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch CMS-03 or GSAT-7R, a communication satellite, on November 2. The Rs 1,589-crore satellite for the Indian Navy will replace the existing GSAT-7. India’s LVM3 launch vehicle is scheduled to launch the communication satellite in its fifth operational flight.

“CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite that will provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass. CMS-03, weighing about 4,400 kg, will be the heaviest communication satellite to be launched to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from the Indian soil. The previous mission of LVM3 launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission, where India became the first country to land successfully near the lunar south pole,” ISRO said.

CMS-03 will enhance India’s naval communication architecture and secure multi-band communications for the Navy’s blue-water operations by ensuring real-time coordination between ships and aircraft. With GSAT-7 having crossed its 10-year lifespan, CMS-03 will fill the gap.

Till date, ISRO has launched 433 satellites of 34 countries using its own launch vehicles. India currently has 56 satellites serving civilian and strategic purposes.

Justice Surya Kant set to be 53rd CJI

Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Monday recommended Justice Surya Kant — the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court — for appointment as his successor.

“CJI Gavai recommends the name of Justice Surya Kant…as his successor to be the 53rd CJI,” the Supreme Court said in a statement. With barely a month left for the retirement of Justice Gavai, the Centre had last week initiated the process for the appointment of his successor by formally requesting him to name the next CJI.

CJI Gavai is due to retire on November 23 on attaining the age of 65.

Once appointed, Justice Kant will become the 53rd CJI on November 24 and hold the office for nearly 15 months till February 9, 2027.

Born in a middle-class family on February 10, 1962, in Hisar district of Haryana, Justice Surya Kant obtained a bachelor’s degree in law in 1984 from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, and he also has the distinction of standing “first class first” in his master’s degree in law in 2011 from Kurukshetra University.

He earned the distinction of being appointed the youngest Advocate General of Haryana on July 7, 2000, at the age of 38.

He was appointed as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004, and assumed charge of the office of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh on October 5, 2018.

Justice Surya Kant was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.

Rajasthan: Children below 14 barred from working in shops, commercial establishments

The Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma government has approved an ordinance prohibiting employment of children below 14 years of age in commercial establishments, the statement said on Monday. The state also approved amendments to the Rajasthan Factories (Amendment) Rules, 2025, aimed at promoting business activities while ensuring the welfare and safety of workers, according to a statement.

Under the Rajasthan Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, the minimum age for apprentices has been raised from 12 to 14, and adolescents aged 14 to 18 will no longer be permitted to work during night hours -- a change from the earlier limit of 12 to 15 years.

Officials said the amendment would help ensure better access to health, nutrition, and education for children.

The ordinance also increases the maximum daily working hours for workers from nine to ten hours, while the overtime limit has been raised to 144 hours per quarter.

According to the government, the move will improve operational efficiency and productivity in shops and commercial establishments. The amendments to the Rajasthan Factories Rules allow the employment of women in specific types of factories, with special provisions for safety, privacy, and protective equipment. Under the new rules, employers must ensure personal safety gear such as respiratory protection, face shields, masks, gloves, and heat shields, maintain air quality, and provide mandatory safety training to all workers, the statement said.