THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1.HIJAB NOT AN ESSENTIAL PRACTICE OF ISLAM: KARNATAKA HIGH COURT

THE CONTEXT: A three-judge Bench of the High Court of Karnataka pronounced its verdict on the petitions related to the row over wearing hijab in educational institutions.

THE EXPLANATION:

According to the High Court of Karnataka, wearing of hijab (head scarf) by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practices in Islamic faith and it is not protected under the right to freedom of religion guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution of India.

The court ruled that prescription of school uniform does not violate either the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1) (a) or the right to privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution, and the restriction against wearing of hijab in educational institutions is only a reasonable restriction constitutionally permissible, which the students cannot object to.

What are the issues?

• The main question that arises is whether students can be kept out of educational institutions merely because they are wearing a piece of clothing indicating their religion. Is the denial of entry a violation of their freedom of conscience and freedom to practise their religion under Article 25?
• The question of whether educational institutions can bar religious attire as part of their power to prescribe uniforms for students is also linked to the constitutional question of whether the ban on such attire will come within the power to restrict freedom of religion in the interest of public order, health, and morality.
• Yet another question is whether the denial of entry into schools amounts to a violation of the student’s right to education under Article 21A.
• From the Muslim students’ point of view, they have a fundamental right to wear a hijab as part of their right to practise their religion. Going by precedent on a right asserted in contrast to the general rule, as well as arguments advanced in court on their behalf, the issue may boil down to a finding on whether the wearing of hijab is essential to the practice of their faith.

How is religious freedom protected under the Constitution?

• Article 25(1) of the Constitution guarantees the “freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion”. It is a right that guarantees negative liberty — which means that the state shall ensure that there is no interference or obstacle to exercising this freedom.
• However, like all fundamental rights, the state can restrict the right for grounds of public order, decency, morality, health and other state interests.
• Over the years, the Supreme Court has evolved a practical test of sorts to determine what religious practices can be constitutionally protected and what can be ignored.
• In 1954, the Supreme Court held in the Shirur Mutt case that the term “religion” will cover all rituals and practices “integral” to a religion. The test to determine what is integral is termed the “essential religious practices” test.
• Bijou Emmanuel vs. State of Kerala (1986) pertained to three children belonging to the Jehovah’s Witnesses sect refusing to sing the national anthem during the morning assembly. The Supreme Court ruled in the students’ favour, holding that their expulsion violated their freedom of expression under Article 19(1)(a).

What is the Essential Practice of Religion?

• It was held that practice is considered essential to a religion if it is essential to the community following the religion. Furthermore, Article 25(1) and 26(b) offers protection to religious practices. Affairs that are purely secular may be regulated by statute without infringing the aforesaid articles.
• In order that the practices in question should be treated as a part of the religion they must be regarded by the said religion as its essential and integral part; otherwise, even purely secular practices which are not an essential or an integral part of religion are apt to be clothed with a religious form and may make a claim for being treated as religious practices within the meaning of Article 26.

How do we draw the line between matters of religion and matters other than religion?

• In Sardar Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb vs. Bombay (1962), the Supreme Court struck down a law that prohibited the head of the Dawoodi Bohra community from excommunicating members. The majority ruled that the power of ex-communication exercised by the religious head-on religious grounds was part of the management of affairs on religious matters, and the Act infringed on the community’s rights.
• In the Sabarimala case (2018), the majority ruled that the bar on entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50 was not an essential or integral part of the religion, and denied the status of a separate religious denomination of devotees of Lord Ayyappa. However, in a dissenting judgment, Justice Indu Malhotra, said they constituted a distinct denomination and that the restriction on women of a particular age group is an essential part of their faith and is constitutionally protected.

What is the criticism against the essential practice test?

• Jurists have criticised the continuing emphasis on applying the essential practice test to determine the constitutionality of state action against any religious practice that claims protection despite being either discriminatory or exclusionary.
• The first criticism is that it was never intended to be a test to find out if a particular practice is essential to the practice of the religion but was only made to distinguish a matter of religion from a matter other than religion. However, a long line of judicial decisions seems to endorse the application of this test to dispose of cases.
• The second criticism is that the doctrine of essentiality appears to allow courts to go deeply into the scriptures and tenets of a religion or a religious denomination to find out if the practice or norm that is at the heart of the issue is essential. This is seen as a theological or ecclesiastical exercise, which courts are forced to wade into.

What is the way forward?

• A more reasonable approach will be to apply the test of constitutional morality and legitimacy to the issue at hand. Applying the principles of equality, dignity and civil rights to a particular practice may be better to decide the constitutionality of a practice than a theological enquiry.
• The action of some pre-university colleges in Karnataka refusing entry to Muslim girl students wearing hijabs, or head-scarves, has now become a national controversy
• From the Muslim students’ point of view, they have a fundamental right to wear a hijab as part of their right to practise their religion.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

2. EXPLAINED: INDIA’S SOLAR CAPACITY: MILESTONES AND CHALLENGES

THE CONTEXT: As on 28 February 2022, India has surpassed 50 GW of cumulative installed solar capacity. This ranks the country fifth in solar power deployment.

THE EXPLANATION:

• India added a record 10 Gigawatt (GW) of solar energy to its cumulative installed capacity in 2021. This has been the highest 12-month capacity addition, recording nearly a 200% year-on-year growth. India has now surpassed 50 GW of cumulative installed solar capacity, as on 28 February 2022. This is a milestone in India’s journey towards generating 500 GW from renewable energy by 2030, of which 300 GW is expected to come from solar power. India’s capacity additions rank the country fifth in solar power deployment, contributing nearly 6.5% to the global cumulative capacity of 709.68 GW.
• Even as India continues down this impressive journey, there are some areas of concern to highlight. First, of the 50 GW installed solar capacity, an overwhelming 42 GW comes from ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, and only 6.48 GW comes from roof top solar (RTS); and 48 GW from off-grid solar PV.

Why is India falling short in roof-top solar installations?

• The large-scale solar PV focus fails to exploit the many benefits of decentralised renewable energy (DRE) options, including reduction in transmission and distribution (T&D) losses.
• One of the primary benefits of solar PV technology is that it can be installed at the point of consumption, significantly reducing the need for large capital-intensive transmission infrastructure.
• However, there is limited financing for residential consumers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who want to install RTS. Coupled with lukewarm responses from electricity distribution companies (DISCOMS) to supporting net metering, RTS continues to see low uptake across the country.

What are the challenges to India’s solar power capacity addition?

• Despite significant growth in the installed solar capacity, the contribution of solar energy to the country’s power generation has not grown at the same pace. In 2019-20, for instance, solar power contributed only 3.6% (50 billion units) of India’s total power generation of 1390 BU.
• The utility-scale solar PV sector continues to face challenges like land costs, high T&D losses and other inefficiencies, and grid integration challenges. There have also been conflicts with local communities and biodiversity protection norms. Also, while India has achieved record low tariffs for solar power generation in the utility-scale segment, this has not translated into cheaper power for end-consumers.

What’s the state of India’s domestic solar module manufacturing capacity?

• Domestic manufacturing capacities in the solar sector do not match up to the present potential demand for solar power in the country.
• Crisil’s report on the subject highlights that as on March 31, 2021, India had 3 GW capacity for solar cell production and 8 GW for solar panel production capacity. Moreover, backward integration in the solar value chain is absent as India has no capacity for manufacturing solar wafers and polysilicon.
• In 2021-22, India imported nearly $76.62 billion worth solar cells and modules from China alone, accounting for 78.6% of India’s total imports that year. Low manufacturing capacities, coupled with cheaper imports from China have rendered Indian products uncompetitive in the domestic market.
• This situation can, however, be corrected if India embraces a circular economy model for solar systems. This would allow solar PV waste to be recycled and reused in the solar PV supply chain. By the end of 2030, India will likely produce nearly 34,600 metric tonnes of solar PV waste.
• The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that the global value of recoverable materials from solar PV waste could exceed $15 billion.
• Currently, only the European Union has taken decisive steps in managing solar PV waste. India could look at developing appropriate guidelines around Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which means holding manufacturers accountable for the entire life cycle of solar PV products and creating standards for waste recycling. This could give domestic manufacturers a competitive edge and go a long way in addressing waste management and supply side constraints.

What are the key takeaways from India’s solar story?

• India has grown from strength to strength in overcoming barriers to achieve the 50 GW milestone in Feb 2022. The destination is clear, and the journey is progressing. As India attempts to deal with some of the shortcomings identified above, India’s solar story will continue to provide important lessons for other developing countries that are looking to transition to clean energy.
• In addition to an impressive domestic track record, through the International Solar Alliance (ISA) established by India and France at COP-21 in 2015, there is a global platform to bring countries together to facilitate collaboration on issues such as mobilising investments, capacity building, program support and advocacy and analytics on solar energy. Technology sharing and finance could also become important aspects of ISA in the future, allowing a meaningful cooperation between countries in the solar energy sector.

3. AN EFFORT TO SAVE THE ENIGMATIC OWLS IN INDIA

THE CONTEXT: In February 2022, Traffic and WWF-India launched ID cards for owl species to highlight common threats and assist officials and other organisations working to protect the birds.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Owls are commonly found in the illegal wildlife trade in India due to various superstitions and taboos attached to them. Despite the immense ecological role of owls in our ecosystem, these endangered birds are trapped in large numbers for sacrifice and use in multiple rituals often promoted by local mystic practitioners.
• In light of this, TRAFFIC and WWF-India’s new identification (ID) tools for strengthening owl protection were launched on 3 March 2022 on the occasion of World Wildlife Day.
• The Identification (ID) cards have been issued to enable law enforcement authorities to accurately identify 16 commonly found owl species in illegal trade. The ID cards available in English and Hindi, will be distributed free to wildlife law enforcement agencies across India.

Significance:

• “India is home to about 36 species of owls, all protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. However, very little information is available on the status of species level counts, thus making them vulnerable.
• According to reports, at least 20 seizure incidences related to poaching and trafficking of owls have been reported across India since 2019. But many more go unreported. The new ID tools provide essential information related to the species’ legal status, habitat, and distribution. They provide valuable tips on identifying the owls at species level and highlight common threats.
• Through the identification tool, it highlights the need to protect these enigmatic creatures and assist officials and other organizations working for conservation in identification of owl species”.

Threats& Conservation:

• Hunting, trading, or any other form of utilization of owls is a punishable offense as per the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; all owl species found in India are enlisted in Appendix IIunder the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which restricts their international trade.
• The recently rediscovered Forest Owlet is listed under Schedule I of the Act while all other owl species are covered under Schedule IV.
• IUCN categorized Forest Owlet as

Value Addition:

Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF):

• It is international non-governmental organization working in the field of the wilderness preservation and reduction of human impact on the environment.
• It was formerly named World Wildlife Fund.
• It is world’s largest conservation organization with over five million supporters worldwide, working in more than 100 countries, supporting around 1,300 conservation and environmental projects.
• It was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Gland, Switzerland.
• WWF aims to stop degradation of planet’s natural environment and build future in which humans live in harmony with nature.
• Currently, its work is organized around these six areas: food, climate, freshwater, wildlife, forests, and oceans.
• It publishes Living Planet Report every two years since 1998 and it is based on Living Planet Index and ecological footprint calculation.

TRAFFIC

• TRAFFIC is an NGO (CITES on the other hand is a multilateral treaty) working globally on trade in wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
• TRAFFIC is a joint programme of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and IUCN.
• Traffic is complimentary to CITES.
• The programme was founded in 1976, with headquarters now located in Cambridge, United Kingdom.
• TRAFFIC’s mission is to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature.
• It investigates and analyses wildlife trade trends, patterns, impacts and drivers to provide the leading knowledge base on trade in wild animals and plants.

THE MISCELLANEOUS

4. INTERNATIONAL DAY TO COMBAT ISLAMOPHOBIA

THE CONTEXT: As the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution to proclaim March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia, India expressed concern over phobia against one religion being elevated to the level of an international day, saying there are growing contemporary forms of religiophobia, especially anti–Hindu, anti–Buddhist and anti–Sikh phobias.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The resolution, introduced by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), was co–sponsored by Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mali, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
• Reacting to the adoption of the resolution, India’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador noted in the General Assembly that India hopes the resolution adopted “does not set a precedent” which will lead to multiple resolutions on phobias based on selective religions and divide the United Nations into religious camps.India condemns all acts motivated by anti–semitism, Christianophobia or Islamophobia, such phobias are not restricted to Abrahamic religions only.
• The word ‘Islamophobia’ with meaning of ‘unseasonable and imaginary fear and hatred towards Islam’ entered into common usage in 1997. The 2004 UN conference later entitled ‘Confronting Islamophobia’, forced international recognition of ‘Islamophobia’ as a specific expression.

Value Addition:

About Organization of Islamic Cooperation:

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organisation after the United Nations, with the membership of 57 states, covering four continents. The OIC is the collective voice of the Muslim world to ensure and safeguard their interest on economic socio and political areas. Headquartered at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY 16^TH MARCH  2022

Q. Consider the following statements with respect to International Solar Alliance:

1. The primary objective of the alliance is to work for efficient consumption of solar energy the reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
2. Countries that do not fall within the Tropics can join the alliance and enjoy all benefits as other members, with the exception of voting rights
3. The ISA is headquartered in France.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 3 only

d) 1,2 and 3

ANSWER FOR 15^TH MARCH 2022

ANSWER: A

EXPLANATION:

• Tied grants are referred to projects which are earmarked for national priorities like drinking water supply, rainwater harvesting and sanitation. Hence the statement 1 is correct.
• The total grant-in-aid earmarked for Panchayati Raj institutions, 60 per cent is earmarked for national priorities like drinking water supply, rainwater harvesting and sanitation (referred as tied grants), while 40 per cent is untied and is to be utilised at the discretion of the Panchayati Raj institutions for location-specific felt needs.Hence the statement 2 is incorrect.

1. A Practical Formula for Peace READ MORE
2. The kindness of difficulties READ MORE

1. As oil palm cultivation expands in the North East, human-elephant conflicts are getting worse READ MORE
2. Modi Govt Slashes Wildlife Habitat Funding by 47% in 3 Years: Report READ MORE

1. Fixing Indian higher education is the ideal way to rescue students READ MORE  
2. Yes, India can prevent trafficking; here is how READ MORE

1. The problem with the hijab ruling READ MORE
2. How India Can Conduct a Caste Census READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Hijab not an essential practice of Islam, rules Karnataka High Court READ MORE
2. ‘SOPs under review after accidental missile launch’ READ MORE
3. Everyday Economics: What are WPI and CPI inflation rates? READ MORE
4. Why RBI may intervene to curb rupee volatility but not prevent depreciation, in the long run, READ MORE
5. India’s natural, organic farming strategy for rice and wheat READ MORE
6. K. raised FCRA curbs against Oxfam, Lok Sabha told READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The problem with the hijab ruling READ MORE
2. How India Can Conduct a Caste Census READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Fixing Indian higher education is the ideal way to rescue students READ MORE  
2. Yes, India can prevent trafficking; here is how READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. ‘Bharat Natyam’ in Indian diplomacy: India’s stand in the United Nations on the Ukraine war is an apt moment to reflect on the much needed Dixit principle READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. India’s solar capacity: Milestones and challenges READ MORE
2. Growing price pressures: Policymakers need to tame inflation or risk it undermining the growth they seek to support READ MORE
3. Fiscal consolidation has begun too soon READ MORE
4. Crippling job losses: Tourism, manufacturing sectors need a booster shot READ MORE
5. India’s natural, organic farming strategy for rice and wheat READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY  

1. As oil palm cultivation expands in the North East, human-elephant conflicts are getting worse READ MORE
2. Modi Govt Slashes Wildlife Habitat Funding by 47% in 3 Years: Report READ MORE

SECURITY

1. IAF has a lot to answer on BrahMos firing. It has dented India’s image of being responsible READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. A Practical Formula for Peace READ MORE
2. The kindness of difficulties READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. What do you understand by Xenotransplantation? How has this process benefitted the health sector?
2. “Our actions of today will shape how people adapt and nature responds to increasing climate risks.” In the context of the above statement explain the insights provided by the Sixth Assessment Report of IPCC to mitigate the climate change risks, especially in developing countries.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Victory belongs to those that believe in it the most and believe in it the longest.
• India’s stand in the United Nations on the Ukraine war is an apt moment to reflect on the much needed Dixit principle.
• The hijab ruling privileges discipline and control over liberty and diversity, exposes limits of essential practice doctrine.
• God is great because he is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. He is great because He is all-loving and omni-benevolent.
• Indian students going abroad for education is not a new phenomenon. Enrolling in a foreign university for higher education is a well-accepted path across India.
• Quality education, global exposure, job availability and quality of life after education are key factors that drive Indian students to go abroad.
• The Centre seems to be worried about sovereign ratings. Social sector schemes deserved more funds in the Budget.
• India’s post-Covid economic recovery will remain sluggish unless sustained efforts are made to rev up the tourism and manufacturing sectors.
• The effect of the pandemic, as the employment surveys have demonstrated, is to speed up a problematic dynamic that threatens to derail India’s future.
• Voting in an election is a skill not a random intuition, and like any skill it needs to be systematically taught to the people, letting the citizenry vote without an education is almost similar to putting them in a storm

 50-WORD TALK

• Political criticism of EPFO lowering interest rate to 8.1% from 8.5% is just that, politics. Real rates have crashed and even 8.1% is high across categories. EPFO interest payments depend on its earnings and 8.5% would’ve caused a deficit. Social security is critical, but it should also make economic sense.
• The plight of Indian students in a pandemic or war-like situation has underlined the need to relook at our higher education system. It is not merely an issue of a large gap between demand and supply. A good-quality education can lead to the creation of better human resources and will be an asset for the country over the long term.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

[WpProQuiz 181]

THE CONTEXT: The Ukraine crisis has crossed a critical point, with Russia following up its recognition of rebel regions in eastern Ukraine (Donbas region)- Donetsk and Luhansk with a full-fledged invasion to “demilitarise” and “denazify” Ukraine. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), on 27 February 2022, voted to convene an emergency special session of the General Assembly to consider a resolution on the situation in Ukraine, vetoed by Russia.

ABOUT UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL (UNSC)

United Nations Security Council was established by 51 countries in 1945.

• It has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• The Security Council is made up of fifteen member states, consisting of five permanent members (P5)—China, France, Russia, UK, and the USA—and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly on a regional basis.
• Election of non-permanent members: Non-permanent members are elected by a two-thirds vote of the UN General Assembly. The main criterion for eligibility is contribution “to the maintenance of international peace and security,” often defined by financial or troop contributions to peacekeeping operations. Present non-permanent members are mentioned in the table.
• Subsidiary organs supporting the council’s mission include Counter-Terrorism Committee, Sanctions Committee, Peace Keeping Operations, International Courts, and Tribunals.

UNSC and UNGA

• The Council also makes recommendations to the General Assembly to appoint a new Secretary-General and to admit new members to the UN. Security Council decisions are formal expressions of the will of the Council.
• The Security Council, the United Nations’ principal crisis-management body, is empowered to impose binding obligations on the 193 UN member states to maintain peace.
• The council’s presidency rotates every month, ensuring some agenda-setting influence for its ten non-permanent members, which are elected by a two-thirds vote of the UN General Assembly.
• The unconditional veto possessed by the five permanent members has been seen as the most undemocratic character of the UN.
• “Veto power” refers to the power of the permanent member to veto (Reject) any resolution of the Security Council.
• Critics claim that veto power is the main cause for international inaction on war crimes and crimes against humanity.
• Supporters of the veto power regard it as a promoter of international stability, a check against military interventions, and a critical safeguard against U.S. domination.

FOUR CASES IN RECENT PAST WHERE THE UN SYSTEM APPEARS TO HAVE FAILED QUITE VISIBLY

FIGHT AGAINST COVID:

• UNSC failed to hold China accountable; in fact WHO teams so far have not been able to conclude on the origins of the virus, particularly because they have not yet been able to get access to Chinese laboratories.
• The biggest international threat of the century, UNSC in particular is widely criticized for ‘Missing In Action in the fight against the Coronavirus.
• UN Systems failed to ensure the equitable distribution of the vaccines: many African nations (so-called third world nations) are waiting for their access to the first shot of vaccine whereas the developed countries /first world countries have already started with booster doses and are stockpiling the vaccines. It is not that they are not sharing but still they are not sharing on a scale where the entire world has access.
• As an outcome of this we see a situation where 4 million are dead and no one yet is held responsible for the origins of the virus, fear of new variants or another virus still keeps the world on toes.

COUP IN MYANMAR:

• Myanmar Military (Junta) last year February took over the democratically elected government, putting the elected leaders in prison, slapping them with national security cases, and even declaring a full emergency.
• UNSC has held at least 3 rounds of discussions on the issue but has taken no action yet against the Junta for the coup.
• All this comes against the already persisting and unresolved situation of the Rohingya Refugees and humanitarian crises.

TALIBAN TAKEOVER OF AFGHANISTAN:

• So far there have been three discussions in UNSC over the issue and one resolution but have not been able to deliver any binding or punitive statement rather at present the resolution shows the Taliban as the default force ruling the country.
• The UN has also failed to instill the idea of UN-led Transitional Council unlike in the case of East Timor where it ran the transitional council until it handed over after the independence of the country.

RUSSIA’S MILITARY ACTION ON UKRAINE:

• Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution, that would have demanded that Moscow immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops.
• This significantly clears the doubt surrounding the abuse of veto powers being used by P5 countries.

ISSUES AND PROBLEMS WITH UNSC

GROUP OF ELITES:

• The winners of WW2, P5 members (France, Russia, United Kingdom, China, and United States) hold the veto powers and all the members are nuclear powers, only addressing the strategic interests and political motives of the permanent members.

ANACHRONISM OF PRESENT TIMES: 

• The veto powers that the UNSC’s five permanent members enjoy are an anachronism in this age. The UNSC in its current form has become a constraint in understanding the international changes and dynamics in the area of human security and peace.

POWER PLAY IN UNSC:

• Divisions among the P5 i.e. there is a deep polarization within the UN’s membership, so decisions are either not taken, or vetoed.
• Frequent divisions within the UNSC P5 end up blocking key decisions.
• Example: With the coronavirus pandemic emergence, the UN, the UNSC, and WHO failed to play an effective role in helping nations deal with the spread.

ABSENCE OF RECORDS AND TEXTS OF MEETINGS:

• The usual UN rules don’t apply to the UNSC deliberations, and no records are kept of its meetings.
• Additionally, there is no “text” of the meeting to discuss, amend or object.

IRONIC CONDITION:

• The main purpose of the UN in maintain peace and stability in the world. Five permanent members of the UN Security Council are the top five largest arms dealing countries in the world.

EFFECTIVENESS AND RELEVANCE:

• Unable to respond effectively to the emerging international conflicts and other humanitarian crises.

AN UNDER-REPRESENTED ORGANISATION:

• The existing gaps in terms of the under-representation of regions especially from Africa, Asia, and Latin America are crippling the UNSC as a global institution governing international peace and security.
• The absence in the UNSC of the globally important countries – India, Germany, Brazil, and South Africa – is a matter of concern.

REFORMS IN UNSC

WHAT SHOULD BE THE APPROACH:

• Reforms must reflect contemporary global realities and for this purpose, the reform of the UN including the expansion of the UNSC in both permanent and non-permanent categories is essential.

REGIONAL REPRESENTATION CHANGING GEOPOLITICS:

• European bias in P-5 due to the presence of the UK, France, and Russia while regions like Latin America, Caribbean group, Arabs and Africa do not have a single permanent member.
• There is a need to overcome the European and Western hegemony and have equitable geographical representation.
• The victors of World War II shaped the United Nations Charter in their national interests, dividing the permanent seats, and associated veto power, among themselves.
• It has been 76 years since the foundation of UNSC and the geopolitical realities have changed drastically and the structure of UNSC should also reflect the same.

QUESTION OF VETO:

• Veto power is grossly misused by the permanent members in their own interests. This also badly affects the conduct of the business of UNSC as many important proposals involving substantive issues get blocked. The Veto shall be rarely and cautiously used by world leaders.

TRANSPARENCY AND WORKING METHODS:

• While the expansion of the Security Council has been hotly debated across the world, debate on the working methods of the Council is an equally important aspect of reform to many member states.
• Participative, consultative, and democratic approaches to the functioning of the UN in general and UNSC, in particular, should be adhered to.

KOFI ANNAN MODEL FOR REFORMS – 2005:

• In 2005, the Former UN secretary-general presented two models for a total of 24 seats in the council.
• Model A: Six new permanent seats, with no veto being created, and three new two-year term non-permanent seats, to have representation from all regions.
• Model B: No new permanent seats but create a new category of eight 4-year renewable-term seats and one 2-year non-permanent and non-renewable seat.

CHALLENGES FOR REFORMS

AMENDMENT TO UN CHARTER:

This amendment involves a two-stage process:

• Stage I: General Assembly must approve the reform by a two‑thirds majority (i.e. at least 128 states).
• Stage II: amended Charter must then be ratified by at least two‑thirds of the member states, including the five permanent Council members.
• This process includes all Security Council’s permanent members, and they may not take a step to curb their own powers.

POLITICAL WILL AND INTEREST OF P5:

• Every country’s actions are based on its national interests and no one likes to get its power diluted.
• There has been no consensus reached among the UN members including the P5, on how to adjust the Security Council’s structure and in particular how to increase the number of new permanent members.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS:

• There is no coherence in the approach of supporters of UN reforms, The G4 bid has been opposed by a few countries, whereas other groups like Coffee Club opposed adding countries as permanent members.
• 13-member group that includes Pakistan and is known as United for Consensus (UfC) has been in opposition to adding more permanent members to the council.

INDIA AND UNSC

Why India should be admitted as a permanent member?

• The expansion of the Security Council, in the category of both permanent and non-permanent members, and the inclusion of countries like India as permanent members, would be a first step in the process of making the United Nations a truly representative body.
• At the core of India’s call for reformed multilateralism, lies the reform of the UN Security Council, reflective of the contemporary realities of today. When power structures continue to reflect the status quo of a bygone era, they also start reflecting a lack of appreciation of contemporary geopolitical realities.
• The Charter of the United Nations, alongside the call for a geographically balanced distribution of seats, also expressly states that countries that make considerable contributions to the UN should be members of the Security Council.
• India’s performance as a non-permanent member of the Security Council during 2011- 2012 has also significantly strengthened India’s claim to permanent membership
• By any objective criteria such as population, territorial size, GDP, economic potential, civilizational legacy, cultural diversity, political system, India is eminently suited for permanent membership of an expanded UNSC.

Why should India bid for a permanent seat in UNSC?

• Largest democracy in the world.
• 3^rd largest economy.
• Home to 1/6^th of the total world population.
• One of the largest peacekeeping contributors to the UN.

INDIA IN UNSC AS A NON-PERMANENT MEMBER FOR THE EIGHTH TERM (2021-2022)

INDIA’S 5-S APPROACH:

• SAMMAN – Respect
• SAMVAD – Dialogue
• SAHYOG – Cooperation
• SHANTI – Peace
• SAMRIDDHI – Prosperity

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRESS:

• As a rule-abiding democracy and a positive contributor to the security of the global commons, India should work constructively with partners to bring innovative and inclusive solutions to foster development.
• India calls for greater involvement of women and youth to shape the new paradigm.

EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM:

• Addressing the abuse of ICT by terrorists.
• Disrupting their nexus with sponsors and transnational organized criminal entities.
• Stemming the flow of terror finance.
• Strengthening normative and operative frameworks for greater coordination with other multilateral forums

COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO PEACE AND SECURITY:

India’s vision for international peace and security is guided by:

• Dialogue and cooperation.
• Mutual respect.
• Commitment to international law.

INDIA ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE ISSUE:

• India strongly emphasized the need for all sides to exercise the utmost restraint and intensify diplomatic efforts to ensure a mutually amicable solution.
• India abstained from voting on the UNSC resolution condemning the Russia’s aggression on Ukraine.

WHAT SHOULD BE THE WAY FORWARD FOR INDIA?

• India should leverage its past experiences as a non-permanent member.
• India also needs to revitalise its engagement with its traditional partners in the “global south” by voicing their peace and security concerns in the UNSC. In this context, two sub-groups of the global south should be of particular interest: the Small Island States and Africa.
• The G4 nations of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan have reaffirmed that it is “indispensable” to reform the Security Council through an expansion in permanent and non-permanent seats to enable the UN organ to better deal with the “ever-complex and evolving challenges” to the maintenance of international peace and security.
• It’s been clear for some time now that the global multilateral order is not fit for its purpose. The Covid pandemic, Afghan issue, Nagorno-Karabakh issue and now Russia’s military action on Ukraine have only made the world more aware of the real-time consequences of this gradual decay. The United Nations Security Council has faced a lot of flak for not representing today’s international power realities and for not being able to shape the global discourse on the changing nature of security. Reforms in the UNSC and other multilateral institutions are the need of the hour.

THE CONCLUSION: The reform of the UNSC is a crucial issue on the current international agenda. Its progress will determine the effectiveness of the work of the whole UN system for the foreseeable future. The efforts in this area should be aimed, first of all, at enhancing the Council’s ability to promptly and effectively react to emerging challenges. This becomes even more relevant today as we witness multiple crises and conflicting situations.

Mains Ques:

1. Discuss the role and functions of UNSC in present times.
2. There have been many criticisms of Veto power held by the P5 nations in UNSC. Is it undermining the mandate of UNSC? Analyse.
3. Today’s peace and security challenges require a comprehensive and integrated approach, harmonizing national choices and international priorities. Analyse in context of Russia-Ukraine crises.