# Supreme Court

• The supreme Court on Friday transferred to itself petitions pending in various high courts seeking legal recognition of same sex marriage.
• A three judge bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said their was broad consensus among the petitioners to shift the cases to the Supreme Court for an authoritative ruling on the issue, especially on the question whether same sex marriage should be brought within the ambit of the special marriage Act of 1954.
• Batches of petitions were pending before the Delhi, Kerala and Gujarat High courts.
• The Court listed the case for directions on March 13.

# GDP

• India’s real GDP is expected to grow 7% in 2022-23, slowing from 8.7% in FY 22, as per the first advance estimates of National income for the year released by the National statistical office on Friday.
• With GDP estimated to have clocked a 9.7% uptick in the first six months, the advanced estimates implies that growth will moderate to 4.5% in the second half.
• The NSO’s estimates is based on limited data, with almost three months to go in the financial year.

# Bihar

• The Bihar government is set to start the first phase of a caste based survey on Saturday.
• The Nitish Kumar government had for long urged the centre government to conduct a nation wide survey along these lines failing which it would go ahead and carry out the exercise in the state.
• The survey which aims to cover an estimated population of 12.7 crore, will end on May 31.
• All households in the state will be counted and recorded in the first phase, which will culminate on January 21.
• In the second phase of the survey, to be held from April 1 to 30, information regarding people living in these households, their castes, sub caste, socio economic condition, etc will be conducted.

# Pakistan

• Pakistan’s central bank forex reserves have plunged to an eight year low of $5.6 billion.
• Coupled with another $5.8 billion held by commercial banks, the nation has $11.4 billion in reserves.