Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for February 19, 2025. If you missed the February 18, 2025 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here FRONT PAGE India and Qatar elevate ties in trade, energy and investment Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. What’s the ongoing story: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held talks in New Delhi Tuesday, India and Qatar decided to elevate their ties to a “strategic partnership”, double the target of bilateral trade to USD 28 billion in the next five years, and bring Qatari investment of USD 10 billion to India. Key Points to Ponder: • India and Qatar bilateral meeting-Know the key highlights • Analyse the strategic significance of India-Qatar relations in the broader context of India's engagement with the Gulf region. • How does India's partnership with Qatar impact its overall foreign policy objectives in West Asia? • Discuss the role of India-Qatar investment partnerships in strengthening bilateral ties. • How can India attract more Qatari investments in infrastructure and technology? • What are the major challenges in India-Qatar relations? Suggest measures to enhance bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and energy. Key Takeaways: • Modi, in a post on X, said, “Had a very productive meeting with my brother, Amir of Qatar H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, earlier today. Under his leadership, Qatar has scaled new heights of progress. He is also committed to a strong India-Qatar friendship. This visit is even more special because we have elevated our ties to a Strategic Partnership.” • They also discussed exploring a Free Trade Agreement between India and Qatar, elevating ties while focusing on trade, investment and energy. Trade between the two countries is $14 billion annually, and they set a target to double it to $28 billion by 2030. • Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund has $1.5 billion FDI in India, and the joint statement said that the Qatar side announced a commitment to invest USD 10 billion in India. • On Sheikh Al Thani’s second visit to India, both countries signed two agreements and five MoUs, covering areas like economic cooperation, youth affairs and a double taxation avoidance agreement. • Within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), India has signed strategic partnerships with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait; Qatar is the latest to join that club. Do You Know: • The documents were exchanged between Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and the Amir. • There has been regular exchange of high-level bilateral visits. Before the current Amir’s last state visit in March 2015, the then Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, also visited India in 1999, 2005 and 2012. Modi also paid a state visit to Doha from June 4-5, 2016. • India’s bilateral trade with Qatar in 2022-23 was US$ 18.77 billion, with India’s exports adding up to US$ 1.96 billion and imports at US$ 16.8 billion. • Qatar’s key exports to India include LNG, LPG, chemicals and petrochemicals, plastics and aluminium articles. India’s key exports to Qatar include cereals, copper articles, iron and steel articles, vegetables, fruits, spices, processed food products, electrical and other machinery, plastic products, construction material, textiles and garments, chemicals, precious stones and rubber. • Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India (10.74 MMT for US$ 8.32 billion in FY 2022-23), accounting for over 48% of India’s global LNG imports. Qatar is also India’s largest supplier of LPG (5.33 MMT for US$ 4.04 billion in FY 2022-23) accounting for 29% of India’s total LPG imports. • Defence cooperation forms an important pillar of the bilateral agenda. India offers training slots in its defence institutions to a number of partner countries, including Qatar. India also regularly participates in the biennial Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) in Qatar. Indian Naval and Coast Guard ships regularly visit Qatar as part of bilateral cooperation and interaction. • As of 2024, Indian population in Qatar forms approximately 25% of Qatar’s populace, primarily as migrant workers Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍PM Modi, Amir of Qatar hold talks, decide to elevate India-Qatar ties to ‘strategic partnership’ UPSC Previous Year Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 1. Which of the following is not a member of ‘Gulf Cooperation Council’? (2016) (a) Iran (c) Oman (b) Saudi Arabia (d) Kuwait EXPRESS NETWORK Appointed under TN caste reform, 2 priests allege temple discrimination Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Social Development Main Examination: • General Studies I: Social empowerment • General Studies II: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. What’s the ongoing story: Two non-Brahmin priests at a Tamil Nadu temple, appointed under a landmark caste-inclusive reform by the state government, have accused hereditary priests there of barring them from entering the sanctum sanctorum. With a major religious ceremony approaching, they have now sought the intervention of the state authorities. Key Points to Ponder: • Which constitutional provision allows states to make laws regarding temple administration and religious endowments? • Discuss the constitutional provisions and judicial interpretations that allow the Tamil Nadu government to appoint non-Brahmin priests in temples. • How does the appointment of non-Brahmin priests align with the principles of social justice and affirmative action in India? • Analyse the role of Article 25 and Article 26 in the context of temple entry reforms in India. • What has been the historical role of the Dravidian movement in temple reforms in Tamil Nadu? How has it shaped state policies on religious institutions? Key Takeaways: • The priests, S Prabhu and Jayapal, appointed in 2021 under the Tamil Nadu government’s initiative to open priesthood to all castes, alleged that they have been restricted to performing rituals only in secondary shrines at the Kumaravayalur Subramania Swamy Temple in Tiruchirappalli. • They said they have never been allowed to enter the inner sanctum of the temple’s main deity, Lord Murugan, despite serving for over three years. • In a formal petition addressed to Chief Minister M K Stalin and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Department, Prabhu and Jayapal detailed their plight, complaining that their exclusion has persisted despite legal and administrative backing for their role. • Tamil Nadu’s decision to appoint non-Brahmin priests in 2021 was a significant shift from a centuries-old tradition where temple priesthood remained largely hereditary and Brahmin-dominated. The policy, an extension of the Dravidian movement’s long-standing push for social justice, aimed to break caste barriers in religious spaces. However, its implementation has faced persistent resistance. Do You Know: • The debate over the appointment of temple priests in Tamil Nadu stems from various government and judicial actions. —In 1971, the DMK government of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi amended the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment (HR & CE) Act to abolish the hereditary appointment of priests, and to allow individuals from all castes to be priests. —In 2006, the government declared all qualified persons eligible to be priests. The Supreme Court struck this down in 2015 — it underlined the adherence to Agama Sastras, while ensuring that constitutional rights were not violated. • In 2009, Madras High Court ruled in favour of a woman priest from Usilampatti, Madurai, who was facing opposition from male priests regarding her inherited right to conduct puja at the Arulmigu Durgai Amman temple. • In the Guruvayoor Devaswom case (2004), the SC upheld the appointment of non-believers to the temple trust board. In the N Adithayan (2002) case, the SC ruled that no custom pre-existing the Constitution could exclude non-Brahmins from performing puja in temples if they were otherwise trained and qualified. • Despite Constitutional provisions and the abolition of hereditary priest appointments in Tamil Nadu, the Agama tradition persists in temple administrations. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍In Supreme Court case on Agama, the contested history of temple priesthood and govt role UPSC Previous Year Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 📍“Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence caste system cannot be eradicated in India.” Comment. (2018) THE WORLD US, Russia pledge to find way to end Ukraine war Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests What’s the ongoing story: The United States and Russia moved toward a head-spinning reset of their relationship on Tuesday, agreeing to work together on ending the Ukraine war, financial investment and re-establishing normal relations. Key Points to Ponder: • Analyse the recent shift in U.S.-Russia relations marked by high-level talks in Riyadh. • Discuss the potential implications of excluding Ukrainian and European representatives from these discussions. • What is the role of intermediaries, such as Kirill Dmitriev in U.S.-Russia diplomatic engagements? How do such figures influence international negotiations? • Assess the potential impact of the recent U.S.-Russia diplomatic initiatives on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the broader geopolitical landscape. • Examine the role of NATO in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. How has NATO’s stance influenced global geopolitics? • Examine the long-term prospects of a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine. Key Takeaways: • The meeting between senior officials from both countries was a striking display of bonhomie after three years of American efforts to isolate Moscow for its 2022 invasion. • After more than four hours of talks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both sides had agreed to work on a peace settlement for Ukraine as well as to explore “the incredible opportunities that exist to partner with the Russians,” both geopolitically and economically. • “We weren’t just listening to each other, but we heard each other,” Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said. “I have reason to believe that the American side started to better understand our positions.” • The meeting, the most extensive negotiations in more than three years between the two global powers, was the latest swerve by the Trump administration in abandoning Western efforts to punish Russia for starting Europe’s most destructive war in generations. • The meeting came nearly a decade after Russia interfered in the 2016 election to Mr. Trump’s benefit, but then saw Mr. Trump adopt few Russia-friendly policies during his first presidency. Do You Know: • Despite the absence of Ukraine, the US-Russia talks in Riyadh yielded agreements on three main points: restoring embassy staffing levels, supporting Ukraine peace talks, and exploring opportunities for deeper economic cooperation between Washington and Moscow. • While the Riyadh talks focused on diplomatic and economic cooperation, President Trump stirred controversy by suggesting that Ukraine was to blame for allowing the war to start. Speaking from his Florida residence, Trump criticized Kyiv’s leadership for failing to prevent the conflict, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. • Ukraine’s exclusion from the talks has raised alarms not only in Kyiv but also in Europe, where concerns have grown that the US and Russia could proceed with peace talks that marginalize key stakeholders in the conflict. European Union leaders, alongside NATO members, convened an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the implications of the Riyadh talks. • The Riyadh talks also underscored Saudi Arabia’s emerging role as a key diplomatic player on the world stage. The kingdom’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has positioned himself as a mediator in the Ukraine conflict, hosting negotiations and facilitating prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍US and Russia signal shift in Ukraine conflict talks, sideline Kyiv UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme: What has been the primary cause of conflict between Russia and Ukraine since 2014? a) Control over the Black Sea b) Annexation of Crimea by Russia c) Disputes over natural gas supply d) NATO expansion into Ukraine Four candidates want to be Germany’s next Chancellor Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries. What’s the ongoing story: Four candidates are bidding to be Germany’s next leader in Sunday’s election. The would-be chancellors are the incumbent, the opposition leader, the current vice chancellor and — for the first time — a leader of a far-right party. Key Points to Ponder: • Is chancellor of Germany same as prime minister? • Why they are called as chancellor and not Prime Minister? • How chancellor of Germany is elected? • India and Germany Bilateral relations-Know the historical relations • Map Work-Germany • What Indian constitution has taken from Germany? • What type of constitutional system exists in Germany? Key Takeaways: • The 66-year-old has been Germany’s chancellor since December 2021. The center-left Social Democrat has a wealth of government experience, having previously served as Hamburg’s mayor and as German labor and finance minister. • As chancellor, he quickly found himself dealing with unexpected crises. He launched an effort to modernize Germany’s military after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and made Germany Ukraine’s second-biggest weapons supplier. • His government prevented an energy crunch and tried to counter high inflation. But his three-party coalition became notorious for infighting and collapsed in November as it argued over how to revitalize the economy — Europe’s biggest, which has shrunk for the past two years. Do You Know: • The office of Chancellor title was, at times, used in several states of German-speaking Central Europe. The modern office of chancellor was established with the beginning of the North German Confederation in 1867, after the Prussian Army's decisive military victory in the brief Austro-Prussian War of 1866 over the rival Austrian Empire. • The procedure for electing the Federal Chancellor is outlined in Article 63 of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz). According to this provision, the Bundestag elects the Chancellor without debate based on a nomination by the Federal President. To win the election, the candidate must obtain an absolute majority of Bundestag members, meaning more than half of the total members. This requirement is often referred to as the “chancellor majority.” Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍What to know about Germany’s far-right, far-left parties that could upend the upcoming election ECONOMY ‘Lifestyle purchases, online gaming, and dining out top discretionary spending Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development Main Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. What’s the ongoing story: Indian consumers allocated 29 per cent of their expenditure to discretionary spending in 2023, with online gaming commanding a slightly higher share than dining out and ordering in, a new study has found. Key Points to Ponder: • What is discretionary spending? • Discuss the recent trends in discretionary spending in India and its impact on the economy. • How do factors such as digitalization, increasing disposable income, and changing consumer behavior influence discretionary spending patterns in India? Illustrate with examples. • Analyse the role of online gaming and dining out in shaping modern consumer spending habits. What are the socio-economic implications of such trends? • How can government policies regulate and balance discretionary spending to ensure financial stability while encouraging economic growth? • Discuss the role of digital payment systems and e-commerce in fueling discretionary spending in India. What are the potential risks associated with this trend? Key Takeaways: • Discretionary spending trailed obligatory expenses (39 per cent) on loan EMIs and necessity spending (32 per cent) on utilities and everyday essentials like groceries, according to the study by Perfios and PwC India, released Wednesday, on consumer spending behaviour. • The study analyzed bank statements of over 30 lakh “tech-savvy borrowers” who sought loans via fintechs and NBFCs. The analysis excludes credit card and cash transactions. A majority of consumers (73 per cent) had a monthly income of up to Rs 40,000. • Lifestyle purchases, including fashion and electronics, dominated discretionary spending, accounting for an average share of 63 per cent. • This was followed by online gaming (13.7 per cent), dining out and ordering in (13.1 per cent), and entertainment (3.1 per cent). Share of spending on liquor and spirits (2.7 per cent) and travel (1.2 per cent) was notably lower. • The study found that 22 per cent of entry-level earners (up to Rs 20,000 per month) and 18 per cent of emerging professionals (earning between Rs 20,001 and Rs 40,000) incurred online gaming-related expenses in 2023. For high-income earners (above Rs 1 lakh), the figure was lower at 12 per cent. Do You Know: • Urban elite households in metro cities spent nearly 50 per cent of their monthly food budget on packaged goods, dining out, and food delivery in 2022-23, up from 41.2 per cent a decade ago, the study said, citing data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). • According to Investopedia, a discretionary expense is a non-essential expense. Discretionary expenses are costs without which businesses or households can survive. As such, they are defined as being wants rather than expenses that are needed. This means a business or household is still able to maintain itself even if all discretionary consumer spending stops. Meals at restaurants and entertainment costs are examples of discretionary expenses. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Spending on sugar and salt declines; rises for beverages, processed food: What Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023-24 shows UPSC Previous Year Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 3. As per the NSSO 70th Round “Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households”, consider the following statements: (2018) 1. Rajasthan has the highest percentage share of agricultural households among its rural households. 2. Out of the total agricultural households in the country, a little over 60 percent belong to OBCs. 3. In Kerala, a little over 60 percent of agricultural households reported to have received maximum income from sources other than agricultural activities. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 2 and 3 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Why Argentina’s President is in hot soup over a crypto promotion Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests What’s the ongoing story: Argentina’s President Javier Milei last week promoted a crypto meme coin — Libra — on his social media platform, only for the currency to implode in a few hours, which saw Milei backtracking, retail investors losing out, but promoters of the coin cashing tens of millions of dollars. Key Points to Ponder: • What is $LIBRA? • What are the ethical and economic implications of government officials endorsing cryptocurrencies. Use the case of Argentina as an example. • Discuss the challenges faced by Argentina in managing its financial and monetary policies. • What are the advantages and risks associated with meme coins in the global financial ecosystem? Should governments regulate them? • How can cryptocurrency affect inflation and currency stability in emerging economies? • The rise of cryptocurrency has presented new governance and regulatory challenges worldwide. Suggest measures to ensure ethical adoption while preventing misuse by public officials. Key Takeaways: • In a now-deleted post on social media platform X, Milei wrote: “This is a private project dedicated to encouraging the growth of the Argentine economy,” along with a Solana contract address linked to the Libra token. • The coin, developed by KIP Protocol and Hayden Davis, could be obtained by accessing a link that directed users to a website called vivalalibertadproject.com, referring to the well-known phrase with which Milei closes speeches and messages on his social media. • Milei, who claims to have no connection with the coin or its promoters, joins the list of world leaders like Donald Trump to get associated with promoting meme coins. • Lawyers in Argentina have filed fraud complaints against Milei for his involvement in promoting the Libra meme coin, the Associated Press reported. Jonatan Baldiviezo, a lawyer and one of the plaintiffs, told the AP that they saw an illicit association to commit “an indeterminate number of frauds” in the episode. “Within this illicit association, the crime of fraud was committed, in which the president’s actions were essential,” he said. Do You Know: • $LIBRA is a token issued by entrepreneur Hayden Davis, who is also the CEO of a crypto investment firm called Kelsier Ventures, according to a report by Bloomberg. KIP Protocol, a Web3 company building a decentralised AI framework, reportedly played a role in the launch of $LIBRA as well. • Memecoins are a bizarre blend of internet humour and cryptocurrencies. They are often inspired by online memes and do not hold any intrinsic value. Despite their value being purely based on hype and public perception, memecoins can be used to build a large following and attract significant investment. • Meme coins are highly volatile cryptocurrency inspired by popular internet or cultural trends. They carry no intrinsic value but can soar, or plummet, in price. They are generally seen as indicators of retail investors’ interest in cryptocurrency. It is usually a marker of investors’ risk appetite at any given point in time. • As per industry analysis, the Libra meme coin hit a peak market cap of $4.5 billion, but within three hours of launch, insiders who may have promoted the coin are believed to have cashed out more than $87 million. A few hours later, Libra erased more than $4.4 billion in value, effectively pulling the rug from under unsuspecting retail investors. • Since the victory of Trump in the United States Presidential elections, the crypto market has picked up, responding to signals that Trump could go easy on the virtual currency. • It was also anticipated that Trump having Elon Musk — who has long been an advocate for cryptocurrency — as a key adviser could further bolster investors’ belief in bitcoin and other digital virtual assets, even if concerns around conflict of interest remain. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍What is $LIBRA, the cryptocurrency at the heart of Argentina’s presidential scandal? UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme: 4. Argentina has faced economic challenges in recent years due to: 1. High inflation 2. Currency devaluation 3. Excessive foreign debt 4. Declining cryptocurrency adoption Select the correct answer: a) 1, 2, and 3 only b) 2 and 4 only c) 1 and 3 only d) All of the above EXPLAINED What is deposit insurance cover, and how will raising it help you? Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development Main Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. What’s the ongoing story: The government is considering increasing the insurance cover for bank deposits from the current limit of Rs 5 lakh, Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju said on Monday (February 17). Key Points to Ponder: • Explain the concept of deposit insurance in India. • How deposit insurance in India function? • What role does the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) play? • Discuss the significance of increasing the deposit insurance limit in India. How will it impact financial stability and depositor confidence? • Compare India’s deposit insurance system with that of developed economies like the United States. • What are the potential challenges in implementing higher deposit insurance coverage in India? • How deposit insurance contributes to financial inclusion and banking sector reforms in India. Key Takeaways: • The deposit insurance cover is offered by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), a specialised division of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). • Asked what the government was doing in the matter of the New India Co-operative Bank against which the RBI took action last week, Nagaraju said that a proposal on “increasing (deposit) insurance” was “under active consideration”, and “as and when the government approves, we will notify it”. • RBI has imposed several restrictions on the Mumbai-based bank, including superseding its Board of Directors for 12 months, citing supervisory concerns and “poor governance standards”. • The RBI directed the loss-making bank to not grant or renew any loans and advances; make any investment; incur any liability including borrowing funds and accepting fresh deposits; or disburse or agree to disburse any payment without prior written approval. The restrictions came into effect after the close of business on February 13, and will be in force for six months. • New India Co-operative Bank has 30 branches in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Pune, and in Surat in Gujarat. At the end of March 2024, the bank had a deposit base of Rs 2,436 crore, and it had posted losses of Rs 22.78 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 30.74 crore in 2022-23. Do You Know: • The objective of the DICGC is to protect “small depositors” from the risk of losing their savings in case of a bank failure. The insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per depositor is for all accounts held by the depositor in all branches of the insured bank. • DICGC insures all commercial banks, including branches of foreign banks functioning in India, local area banks, regional rural banks, and cooperative banks. However, primary co-operative societies are not insured by the DICGC. • Savings, fixed, current, and recurring deposits are insured. The DICGC does not provide insurance for deposits by foreign, central, and state governments, and for inter-bank deposits. • The premium for deposit insurance is borne by the insured bank. DICGC collects premiums from member financial institutions at a flat or differentiated rate based on the bank’s risk profile. • DICGC has said it will make payments to eligible depositors of the bank as per Section 18A of the DICGC Act, 1961, subject to the submission of a claim list by the bank within the statutory timeline of 45 days. • In 2021, a new Section 18A was inserted in the DICGC Act, 1961, which enabled depositors to get interim payment and time-bound access to their deposits to the extent of the deposit insurance cover through interim payments by DICGC, in case of imposition of restrictions on banks by the RBI. • At present, the DICGC offers insurance cover on bank deposits up to Rs 5 lakh within 90 days of imposition of such restrictions. Since the DICGC insures both the principal and interest amount held by a depositor in a bank, this is how the cover works: Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Distressed banks: Deposit insurance payout within 90 days gets approval UPSC Previous Year Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 5. If the RBI decides to adopt an expansionist monetary policy, which of the following would it not do? (2020) 1. Cut and optimize the Statutory Liquidity Ratio 2. Increase the Marginal Standing Facility Rate 3. Cut the Bank Rate and Repo Rate Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 New CEC, under new law Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies II: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies. What’s the ongoing story: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met Monday evening (February 17) to appoint former IAS officer Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner of India. Kumar succeeded Rajiv Kumar, who retired on Tuesday. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the new selection process for the Chief Election Commissioner? • How does the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, elaborate the selection of the Chief Election Commissioner? • How were the Election Commissioners appointed earlier? • Discuss the evolution of the appointment process of the Chief Election Commissioner in India. • How has the recent change impacted the independence of the Election Commission? • The independence of the Election Commission is crucial for upholding democratic values in India. Evaluate the impact of the recent legislative changes on the autonomy of the Election Commission. Key Takeaways: • The 30-minute meeting saw Gandhi give a dissent note, asking the Government to defer the appointment until the Supreme Court decides on the petitions challenging the new appointment process. • The panel’s appointment marked the first time a selection panel has been set up to appoint the head of the country’s election watchdog. • The current Selection Committee comprises Prime Minister Narendra Modi, LoP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Home Minister Amit Shah. This committee met Monday evening at the Prime Minister’s Office in South Block to select Rajiv Kumar’s successor. Section 8 of the Act gives this Committee the power to also consider names beyond the shortlisted five. Notably, Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were appointed to the Commission in March 2024 under the same process. • Sources say shortlists of five names each for the posts of CEC and EC were placed before the committee members. During the 30-minute meeting, Rahul Gandhi submitted a dissent note asking the Government to defer the appointment until the Supreme Court decides on petitions challenging the new appointment process. While his dissent was recorded in the meeting proceedings, a decision was reportedly made on final selections for both the CEC and EC positions. Do You Know: • The Election Commission (EC) is a three-member body comprising one Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners. Although all three election commissioners are equal, the CEC, like the Chief Justice of India, is the first among equals. • Earlier, there was no law passed by Parliament for the appointment of the CEC and ECs. The President made the appointment on the advice of the Prime Minister. Traditionally, the successor to the incumbent CEC has been the next senior-most Election Commissioner. Seniority was usually defined by who was appointed earlier to the Commission. • For instance, when Rajiv Kumar was the CEC, Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu served as Election Commissioners. Kumar and Sandhu were appointed to the Commission on the same day, March 14, 2024, and are both IAS officers of the 1988 batch. So who is the senior appointee? Sources within the government and Commission state that it is Gyanesh Kumar since his name appeared first in the appointment notification issued by the Union Law and Justice Ministry. Hence, under the old system, the President would have appointed Gyanesh Kumar as CEC upon Rajiv Kumar’s retirement. But it’s not so simple this time. • The new CEC was appointed under a new law — Chief Election Commissioner And Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service And Term of Office) Act, 2023. This law lays down procedures for the appointment of both the CEC and ECs. • Under the Act, a search committee headed by the Law Minister (currently Arjun Ram Meghwal) and having two senior bureaucrats serving as secretaries to the Government of India must first draw up a shortlist of five candidates. This shortlist is then sent to a Selection Committee made up of the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition, and a Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Express View on new CEC: He is taking office in a challenging hour, must engage with all stakeholders Allahbadia bail condition: SC’s gag order and the question of free speech Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Main Examination: General Studies II: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary What’s the ongoing story: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest in the FIRs registered against podcaster-influencer Ranveer Allahbadia for his comments on a YouTube show. However, a Bench of Justices Surya Kant and N K Singh imposed crucial conditions, including that Allahbadia or his associates cannot air any content on social media until further orders. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the gag order in India? • What is Article 32 of the Constitution • What are the constitutional and legal provisions governing freedom of speech in India? Discuss the reasonable restrictions imposed on this right. • Analyse the significance of judicial interventions in regulating free speech. In this context, assess the implications of the Supreme Court’s gag order in the Ranveer Allahbadia case. • What is the role of social media in influencing Free Speech debates in India. Should there be stricter regulations to prevent misinformation and hate speech while protecting fundamental rights? Discuss with examples. • ‘Freedom of Speech is a cornerstone of democracy, yet it comes with responsibilities’— Discuss with reference to recent legal cases and controversies in India. Key Takeaways: • The SC also sought the assistance of the Attorney General for India in the next hearing to tackle the “vacuum” in the regulation of online content. • While Allahbadia was granted relief, the gag order raises some questions of free speech. The order also flies in the face of an SC judgment that said such a condition could have a “chilling effect on the freedom of speech”. • The petitioner had moved the SC seeking clubbing of FIRs against him, and an interim order preventing his arrest. • Essentially, the relief would be akin to granting anticipatory bail. Such pleas are routinely entertained under Article 32 of the Constitution for the enforcement of fundamental rights as a safeguard against arbitrary police action. • The pattern of filing multiple FIRs in different jurisdictions for the same cause of action or alleged offence has been noted in several cases as restricting liberty. Courts club the FIRs or allow investigation in one FIR, while the others are stayed so the petitioner does not have to appear in multiple courts. Ultimately, even if convicted, the accused would serve a common sentence, and not consecutive sentences. • But the SC imposed two conditions: that Allahbadia deposit his passport so he does not leave the country, and that he “or his associates shall not air any show on Youtube or any other audio/video visual mode of communication till further orders”. Do You Know: • Section 438(2) of the CrPC stipulates that the High Court or the Court of Sessions can direct a person to be released on conditional bail. The court shall impose conditions in the context of the facts of a particular case. For example, the condition of depositing a passport is to address situations where the accused could be a flight risk. Bail could be set for a high monetary value to ensure the accused joins the investigation. Another common condition is that the accused should periodically present himself before a police officer. • In other cases, courts have imposed onerous bail conditions like sharing a Google map PIN or residing in a particular locality. In a 2023 case in which the accused was asked to deposit a huge amount with the court for grant of bail, the SC had observed that setting such onerous bail conditions amounted to “selling bail”. • However, a gag order, while granting protection from arrest, is an unusual condition because it is in the nature of a prior restraint — when speech or any other expression is prohibited before it can take place. A body of jurisprudence in India bars the state from making prior restraint laws. In hate speech cases, the court could observe that the accused cannot make similar statements, essentially tailoring the gag order narrowly to not interfere with speech entirely. • In 2022, while granting bail to Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, a three-judge Bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud rejected the Uttar Pradesh government’s plea that the accused must be barred from tweeting while on bail. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Pervert mind, no shows till order: Supreme Court on Ranveer Allahbadia as it grants interim relief PRELIMS ANSWER KEY 1. (a) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4.(a) 5.(b) For any queries and feedback, contact priya.shukla@indianexpress.com Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
