Today’s Important Articles for Geography (06-11-2023)
Today’s Important Articles for Sociology (06-11-2023)
Today’s Important Articles for Pub Ad (06-11-2023)
WSDP Bulletin (06-11-2023)
(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)
Prelim and Main
- Artificial Intelligence is a powerful tool to fight poverty, deliver goods and services to remote areas, and reskill workforce for the future: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal READ MORE
- Free ration scheme to be extended for five more years: PM READ MORE
- ‘Oligopolies’ control over rare earths is key green transition snag’ READ MORE
- NICED makes quick detection of drug-resistant H. pylori possible READ MORE
- ‘Enemy property’ Butler Palace to turn into a tourist haven READ MORE
- The Zika genome and insights into the era of emerging outbreaks READ MORE
- Saudi Arabia, Russia to continue oil cuts READ MORE
- On AI regulation, how the US steals a march over Europe amid the UK’s showpiece Summit READ MORE
- What is the Advocate-on-Record system in the Supreme Court? READ MORE
- UNESCO declares Gwalior the ‘city of music’: a look at its illustrious musical tradition READ MORE
Main
GS Paper- 1
- Exploring India’s mathematical legacy in ancient civilisations READ MORE
- Giving the urban Indian a better life READ MORE
- The colonial-missionary roots of ‘caste’ and ‘tribe’ READ MORE
- Saving the young is a collective responsibility READ MORE
- Rescuing children from the clutches of mobile phones READ MORE
- El Nino may be drying out the southern hemisphere — here’s how that affects the whole planet READ MORE
GS Paper- 2
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
- Who gets to rewrite the Constitution? READ MORE
- Choked courts: CJI calls lawyers out on ‘adjournment culture’ READ MORE
- Electoral bonds and the menace of money power READ MORE
- Governors cannot have a veto in a democracy READ MORE
SOCIAL ISSUES
- Widening welfare READ MORE
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
- Why did India abstain from the call for truce? | Explained READ MORE
- India works on free trade deal with Gulf countries READ MORE
- Challenges in India’s neighbourhood READ MORE
GS Paper- 3
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
- Revenue rebound: October’s GST collections mark a significant shift from some recent trends READ MORE
- India’s energy security at risk: How geopolitical conflicts could impact oil imports and renewable energy transition READ MORE
- Food as a right READ MORE
ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
- Tiding over: On north India and its annual air quality inflection point in November READ MORE
- Air Pollution: Why Delhi is country’s burning sensation READ MORE
- The duplicity of developed nations READ MORE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
- AI and the issue of human-centricity in copyright law READ MORE
INTERNAL SECURITY
- India to bring in a National Security Strategy: what is it, why is it important? READ MORE
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
- Poor worst-hit in Nepal quake READ MORE
GS Paper- 4
ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY
- To move ahead, Be like hourglass READ MORE
- Humanity, not identity, defines morality READ MORE
- All it takes: 1% god’s grace READ MORE
- Entrepreneurship mirrors essence of dharma READ MORE
Questions for the MAIN exam
- Only virtues and standards of universal morality are applicable to clashing groups of inimical belief systems in times of distrust. And all-encompassing humanity is the sole criterion for drafting such standards of universal morality. Comment.
- It is humanity, not identity, that defines morality. Comment.
- Though Article 200 does not lay down a specific timeframe to give assent to the bill, but a constitutional authority should not circumvent a provision of the Constitution by taking advantage of an omission. Comment on the statement in the light of recent developments.
- Dharma encompasses not only moral and ethical duties but also one’s responsibility towards society and the greater good. Comment.
QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS
- Internal peace depends on external peace. Friends can be changed but not neighbours.
- An important message for India and others is that they should not be deterred from strengthening their relations with Iran, given its importance in the emerging geopolitics of the region, since the US itself is not hesitant about deal-making with Iran.
- As India’s economic clout grows, we can expect more attacks from foreign powers, that specifically target companies engaged in nation building.
- Both India and Israel have hostile neighbors. India can take a cue from Israel in defending its borders and sovereignty.
- Let humanity of the present times collectively consider these important aspects and spend economic resources on national defence more prudently. Wars are destructive overall and economically regressive.
- Human rights discourse is being used for rainbow washing to create a façade of democracy which hides majoritarian bias and apartheid laws which allow for political representatives to publicly dehumanise Palestinians as animals to be set for slaughter.
- A major issue is how social security can be effectively financed. There are three models to finance SS: contributory scheme, non-contributory scheme and a combination of both.
- Governments must urgently push greater awareness about the Good Samaritan Law.
- It is important to know which model of financing is more appropriate. International evidence suggests that SS coverage can be extended to all by increasing contributory coverage and non-contributory schemes by increasing tax revenue.
- Dharma encompasses not only moral and ethical duties but also one’s responsibility towards society and the greater good.
- Despite surging demand and larger carbon emissions, India can reduce its dependence on energy imports.
- A dignified life for the elderly population needs an urgent cultural, political and policy reimagination.
- The stance of the Western Left vis-à-vis Western imperialism is causing a shift of the entire political centre of gravity to the Right.
ESSAY TOPIC
- The wise win before the fight, while the ignorant fight to win.
50-WORD TALK
- CJI Chandrachud’s ‘tareekh pe tareekh’ anguish over adjournment requests in the Supreme Court is valid. But as masters of their own court, judges should put an end to the growing trend and impose costs if such appeals are made on flimsy grounds. Lawyers must contribute to vitality of the judiciary.
- Xi Jinping wants Chinese women to focus on marriage and having babies. This desperate move to address a shrinking population is nothing but regressive. When India is making efforts to bring more women into the workforce, China’s slide back toward the middle ages is a knockout punch to gender equality.
- Governments of Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Kerala having to move Supreme Court to get governors to clear bills is another sign of politicisation of Raj Bhawans. Governors in many non-BJP-ruled states are making a mockery of democracy by obstructing elected governments’ functioning. SC must step in to check gubernatorial hyperdrive.
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 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.
S Y QURAISHI WRITES: ON ELECTORAL BONDS, SUPREME COURT MUST UPHOLD RIGHT TO INFORMATION
THE CONTEXT: A Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice on November 2, reserved its judgment on petitions challenging the validity of the electoral bonds scheme.
ELECTORAL BONDS:
- An electoral bond is like a promissory note that can be bought by any Indian citizen or company incorporated in India from select branches of State Bank of India.
- The electoral bonds were introduced with the Finance Bill (2017). On January 29, 2018, the government notified the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018.
- The electoral bonds are available for purchase for 10 days in the beginning of every quarter.
- Any party that is registered under section 29A of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951 (43 of 1951) and has secured at least one per cent of the votes polled in the most recent General elections or Assembly elections is eligible to receive electoral bonds.
- The electoral bonds will not bear the name of the donor.
- electoral bonds permitted donations of ₹20 crore or even ₹200 crore to be made anonymously.
- Any transaction exceeding ₹20,000 related to elections was required to be reported to the Election Commission without which no IT rebate could be extended.
- The Finance Act of 2017 introduced amendments to several laws, including the Reserve Bank of India Act, Companies Act, Income Tax Act 1961, Representation of the People Act, and Foreign Contribution Regulations Act, all to pave the way for electoral bonds.
WHY IT WAS IMPLEMENTED:
- According to the government, electoral bonds were being introduced to ensure that all the donations made to a party would be accounted for in the balance sheets without exposing the donor details to the public.
- Electoral bonds would keep a tab on the use of black money for funding elections.
- In the absence of electoral bonds, donors would have no option but to donate by cash after siphoning off money from their businesses.
CRITICISMS:
- Violates Right to Information: Electoral Bond scheme violates the citizen’s fundamental right to information under Article 19 (1) a, about political parties. In the 2003 ruling in People’s Union for Civil Liberties v Union of India and the 2002 judgment in Union of India v Association for Democratic Reforms, the Supreme Court mandated the ECI to obtain and disclose to the public background information relating to candidates running for office, including information on their assets, criminal records, and educational background.
- Opens doors to shell companies: It has been argued that since the government removed the limit of 7.5 per cent of the annual profit for companies to make donations to political parties and allowed Indian subsidiaries of foreign companies to make donations, shell companies can now also be used to make donations.
- Section 29B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, prohibits political parties from accepting contributions from foreign sources, and Section 3 of the 2010 Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act restricts foreign contributions to candidates, legislative members, political parties and party office holders.
- In 2014, the Delhi High Court found that Congress and the BJP had accepted foreign funds in violation of the FCRA 1976, then the BJP government passed a retroactive amendment via a 2016 finance bill, replacing the 1976 Act with the modified 2010 statute.
- Opaque instrument that is not entirely anonymous: It has been argued that Electoral Bonds are opaque instruments that are not entirely anonymous. As nobody can come to know other than the government who contributed to whom.
- Black Money: The ECI, in a letter to the Ministry of Law and Justice, warned that electoral bonds, coupled with preceding legislative changes, could lead to the proliferation of shell companies to channel black money into the political system via these bearer bonds.
- Promotes corruption: It has also been argued that reducing the disclosure threshold from Rs 20,000 to Rs 2,000 might not reduce the use of cash in politics and promote intended transparency.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Eliminate private funding and introduce public funding for political parties.
- Need for secrecy would be to establish a National Election Fund to which all donors could contribute.
- Implement measures to enhance transparency.
- Identify and plug loopholes in the Electoral Bond Scheme to prevent potential misuse, violations of donation limits, and risks such as crony capitalism and black money laundering.
- Ensure continuous monitoring of the Electoral Bond Scheme through judicial oversight.
THE CONCLUSION:
Free and fair elections are not possible, without transparency of political funding. Free and fair elections and the integrity of our electoral process have been repeatedly declared by the apex court as a part of the basic structure of the constitution.
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS:
Q) “There is a need for simplification of procedure for disqualification of persons found guilty of corrupt practices under the Representation of peoples Act” Comment (2020)
Q) “Recent amendments to the Right to information Act will have profound impact on the autonomy and independence of the Information Commission”. Discuss (2020)
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q) Discuss the various issues related to electoral bonds and suggest some reforms to make electoral funding fair and transparent.