UPSC Key | Digi Yatra, Precision farming, Standing Committees and more

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Digi Yatra: IT wanted guard rails against data misuse, aviation said app will be new normal

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues

Mains Examination: GS-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story-  There is potential for abuse of facial recognition technology such as Digi Yatra by private entities and more guard rails are needed to prevent the misuse of biometric data. And, the showpiece airport app may soon become the de facto gateway for checking in and boarding at all airports.

Prerequisites: 

— What is Digi Yatra?

— What is the facial recognition technology?

— What is the Right to Information (RTI) Act?

Key takeaways: 

— Since its launch in December 2022, over 55 lakh people have downloaded the Digi Yatra app, and more than 3 crore passengers have used it to travel, according to an official statement earlier this month. The technology is available across 24 airports in the country.

— The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) advocated for a specific regulation or policy to safeguard people from potential “abuse” or misuse of data collected through biometric identification.

— The Ministry of Home Affairs said facial recognition technology could be effectively used only when combined with other “long-accepted biometric technologies such as fingerprints and iris scans” — since there are issues relating to privacy and negative identification. 

— At the same time, it advocated for using facial recognition technology as a “valuable tool” for law enforcement agencies, the RTI records showed.

— It noted that integrating mass biometric collection technologies into law enforcement and policing efforts, without a data protection law, clear criminal and policing procedural guidelines, or clarity under the Indian Evidence Act, could violate Article 21 of the Constitution.

For Your Information: 

— DigiYatra envisages that travellers pass through various checkpoints at the airport through paperless and contactless processing, using facial features to establish their identity, which would be linked to the boarding pass.

— With this technology, the entry of passengers would be automatically processed based on the facial recognition system at all checkpoints – including entry into the airport, security check areas, aircraft boarding, etc.

— The Digi Yatra Foundation, which operates the platform, was set up as a joint venture company in 2019 under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 whose shareholders are the Airports Authority of India (26 per cent), and five other airports (74 per cent) — Hyderabad, Kochi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the pros and cons of the Digi Yatra app?

— What are the challenges of facial recognition technology?

— What are the challenges of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act?

Post Read Question:

(1) Consider the following statements:

1. The DigiYatra application is operated by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY).

2. This technology is available across all the airports in the country.

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Explained: What is DigiYatra, the contactless passenger processing system for airports

Iran lists India as place where Muslims ‘suffer’, Delhi says ‘unacceptable’

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story- Iran’s Supreme Leader Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei on Monday listed India along with Gaza and Myanmar as one of the places where Muslims are suffering. Reacting to this, India “strongly deplored” the comments and called them “misinformed” and “unacceptable”.

Prerequisites: 

— What is the history of bilateral ties between India and Iran?

— Read about the India Middle East Europe Corridor (IMEC).

— Map work: Location of Iran, Chabhar port, Central Asian countries, Shahid Kalantari Port, Shahid Beheshti Port, Gwadar Port, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Delaram, Zaranj, Caspian Sea, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e-Anzali, Astrakhan.

Key takeaways: 

— Hours later, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a sharply worded statement titled, “Statement on Unacceptable Comments made by the Supreme Leader of Iran”. It said, “We strongly deplore the comments made regarding minorities in India by the Supreme Leader of Iran. These are misinformed and unacceptable. Countries commenting on minorities are advised to look at their own record before making any observations about others.”

— While 1992, 2002 and 2020 are moments when Khamenei spoke out on Indian Muslims, he has time and again raised the issue of Kashmir, the last being in August 2019.

For Your Information: 

— India, which considers Iran to be part of its extended neighbourhood, has been watching Iran’s dynamics in the region quite closely and cautiously.

— Despite their strategic partnership, India-Iran relations have had their share of difficulties, including the 2019 reimposition of sanctions against Tehran by the Trump administration, that saw Delhi end a long standing energy relationship with the country, unlike how it is continuing to do business with Russia despite the sanctions on Moscow in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. India’s proximity to the US and Iran’s increasing proximity to China have also been a challenge to ties.

— Chabahar is a deep water port in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province. It is the Iranian port that is the closest to India, and is located in the open sea, providing easy and secure access for large cargo ships.

Points to Ponder: 

— What is the strategic significance of Iran for India?

— What are the major issues between Indo-Iranian Ties?

Post Read Question:

(2) What is the importance of developing Chabahar Port by India? (UPSC CSE 2017)

(a) India’s trade with African countries will enormously increase.

(b) India’s relations with oil-producing Arab countries will be strengthened.

(c) India will not depend on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

(d) Pakistan will facilitate and protect the installation of a gas pipeline between Iraq and India.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

The history of Iran’s Chabahar port, and its imperative for India

 

Express Network

Govt plans ₹6,000-cr scheme to boost precision farming

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc

Mains Examination: GS-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story- The Centre is contemplating to earmark Rs 6,000 crore to promote precision farming, a modern approach that uses smart technology such as Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, drones and data analytics to boost production through maximal use of resources while minimising environmental impact.

Prerequisites: 

— What is precision farming?

— What is the purpose of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)?

— What is the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme?

Key takeaways: 

— The Union Ministry of Agriculture is planning a Smart Precision Horticulture Programme under the existing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme, it is learnt.

— It will cover 15,000 acres of land in five years from 2024-25 to 2028-29 and is expected to benefit about 60,000 farmers, sources said. At present, the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), launched during Covid-19, has provisions for financing infrastructure projects for smart and precision agriculture.

— Apart from offering financial support, the Centre is also considering collaborating with the Netherlands and Israel, where tech-based modern farming solutions are being used, through Centres of Excellences (CoEs), the sources said.

— The Centre has also set up 22 Precision Farming Development Centres (PFDCs) across the country to test new technologies and modify them according to local needs.

For Your Information: 

— Under AIF, individual farmers as well as farmers’ communities such as Farmer Producer Organization, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies and SHGs are eligible for loans with interest subvention of 3% for using technological solutions in farm practices. 

— These practices include farm/ harvest automation; purchase of drones, putting up specialised sensors on field; use of blockchain and AI in agriculture; remote sensing and Internet of Things (IoT).

— Smart and precision agriculture maximises use of resources like water, fertilisers and pesticides to increase production quality and quantity, all while insulating farmers from vagaries of climate change and other uncertainties, besides ensuring sustainable farming.

— Ashok Gulati writes: It is this science of precision farming that can give us “more from less”. The innovations and developments in GIS, AIML, which can use enormous data to bring about precision in farming, use of sensors, drones, doves, and LEOs (low earth orbits), space technologies, cloud computing, are all bursting out to provide the basis for a revolutionary epoch.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the benefits of precision agriculture?

— What is the role of AI in precision agriculture?

— What are the challenges in the adoption of precision agriculture in India?

Post Read Question:

(3) With reference to agriculture, which of the following are the uses of drones?

1. Capturing detailed and real-time images of the fields.

2. Application of pesticides and fertilisers.

3. Reduces runoff

4. Minimises pollution

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 4 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(d) 1 and 2 only

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Ashok Gulati writes: Precision farming needs to be promoted to get more output with less exploitation of natural resources

Antibiotics overuse led to 33% of sepsis deaths in India: Study

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II, III: Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

What’s the ongoing story- Overuse or wrongful use of antibiotics is exacting a toll on the health of Indians, with a latest Lancet study showing that 60 per cent of the 29.9 lakh sepsis deaths in the country in 2019 were caused by bacterial infection.

Prerequisites: 

— What is Klebsiella infection?

— What is sepsis death?

— What is the antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?

Key takeaways: 

— Of this, nearly 10.4 lakh sepsis deaths (33.4 per cent) were linked to bacterial AMR that year, with 2.9 lakh sepsis deaths directly attributable to it. Sepsis deaths occur when one’s immune system has a dangerous reaction to a bacterial infection and without treatment, can lead to organ failure.

— “AMR is the result of overuse of antibiotics earlier in the patient’s lifetime or wrongful use. With rising rates of drug-resistant bacteria in India, treatment options are becoming increasingly limited, posing a public health challenge,” said Dr Ghafur.

— AMR is anticipated to worsen in the coming decades with Lancet predicting that more than 39 million people around the world could die from antibiotic-resistant infections over the next 25 years. The report, based on a new study by the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project, is the first global analysis of antimicrobial resistance trends over time.

— The three most common resistant pathogens in India are e.coli, which can cause gut infections; Klebsiella pneumoniae, which can cause pneumonia and urinary tract infections; and Acinetobacter baumannii, which is mainly associated with hospital acquired infections.

— According to Dr Ghafur, AMR happens because of indiscriminate use of antibiotics over the counter. Many do not follow the prescribed dose as advised by the doctor, abandoning them midway, or use them for similar symptoms that may arise later, ignoring the doctor’s advisory.

— The Lancet study shows that lower respiratory infections and related infections in the thorax accounted for most cases of sepsis deaths in India – about 27 per cent of the total.

— Of the five lakh deaths due to sepsis in children under five in 2019, 3.25 lakh children succumbed to bacterial infection. The deadliest bacterial infection among children under five was streptococcus pneumoniae.

— In India, the drug-bug combination with the highest fatal risk was the aminopenicillin-resistant E.coli. At least 6.8 lakh deaths were associated with six leading drug-resistant pathogens.

For Your Information: 

— AMR — and consequently, the creation of “superbugs” — affects healthcare everywhere, but has especially poor outcomes in patients suffering from multiple diseases. 

— A survey by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country’s apex body for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, shows that AMR continues to rise across the country.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the concerns related to AMR?

— What are the causes of AMR?

— What initiatives have been taken by the government to tackle the challenge of increasing AMR?

Post Read Question:

(4) With reference to the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), consider the following statements:

1. It happens when bacteria or viruses no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines.

2. The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials are the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens.

3. It makes infections difficult to treat.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

What is anti-microbial resistance (AMR) and why is it a grave threat?

Anti-microbial resistant bacteria kills 5 million people every year, says Lancet study: How to prevent this?

 

Govt & Politics

Congress to chair three LS standing committees, 1 RS

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity

Mains Examination: GS-II: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

What’s the ongoing story- The negotiations for the Parliamentary Standing Committees between the government and the Opposition are over, with the Congress having managed to get chairs for three committees in the Lok Sabha and one in the Rajya Sabha.

Prerequisites: 

— Read about the Parliamentary Standing Committees.

— What are the constitutional provisions regarding the Parliamentary Committees?

— What are the various Parliamentary Committees?

Key takeaways: 

— Highly placed sources told The Indian Express that in the Lok Sabha, the Congress will get chairs for the External Affairs Standing Committee, Standing Committee on Agriculture and the Standing Committee on Rural Development. In the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition party will get the Standing Committee for Education.

For Your Information: 

— The origin of the parliamentary committee system in India can be traced back to the British colonial era. The first committee established in the Indian legislature was the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in 1921 under the Government of India Act, 1919 also called Montford Reforms. 

— Significance of parliamentary committees: The increasing complexities of modern administration proved that traditional methods of legislative control over the executive was insufficient. It is difficult for MPs to scrutinise all government activities in the House in a limited time. In that context, the committee system is helpful in keeping pace with the increasing workload and demand for specialisation. 

— Parliamentary committees help MPs devote more time to each item under scrutiny and examine matters in great detail. These committees can also seek inputs from experts from respective fields and ensure the participation of stakeholders in deliberations. These measures help members from various political parties to reach a consensus on insurmountable issues. 

— In addition, parliamentary committees provide the opportunity for cross-pollination between two chambers of Parliament which is otherwise unlikely. These committees also accommodate the MPs who could not find a place in the Cabinet of coalition governments. 

Points to Ponder: 

— What is the difference between standing committees and ad hoc committees?

— How are the Committees constituted, and how are their chairpersons chosen?

— What are the different methods of control over the executive in the Indian Parliamentary system?

— What are the limitations of parliamentary committees?

Post Read Question:

(5) With reference to the origin of the parliamentary committee system in India, consider the following statements:

1. The first committee established in the Indian legislature was the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in 1921 under the Government of India Act, 1919.

2. The Committee on Public Undertakings was created during the 2nd Lok Sabha.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Parliament Committees, their leaders, and their role in law-making

 

Explained

Kejriwal wants early elections to Delhi Assembly. What does the law say?

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Main Examination: GS-II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, and Elections.

What’s the ongoing story- Arvind Kejriwal has asked for Assembly elections to be held in Delhi along with Maharashtra, where a new House must be elected before November 26. However, the term of the Delhi Assembly ends only on February 23, 2025.

Prerequisites: 

— What are the special governance provisions for Delhi?

— Who decides when Assembly elections will be held in Delhi?

— Read about the Election Commission of India and Representation of the People Act, 1951. 

Key takeaways: 

— Under Article 324 of the Constitution, the powers of superintendence, direction, and control of elections are vested in the Election Commission of India (ECI). The ECI works backwards from the date on which the five-year term of the existing House ends, ensuring that the election process is completed before then.

— However, Section 15(2) of The Representation of the People Act, 1951, says the election cannot be notified less than six months before the end of the term of the Assembly — unless the Assembly is dissolved before it completes its term.

— Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution says the Governor “may from time to time” dissolve the Legislative Assembly. The Council of Ministers can recommend dissolution of the House to the Governor before the end of its term, forcing a decision. Once the Assembly has been dissolved, the ECI has to conduct fresh elections within six months.

— But Delhi is not a “full” state. In Delhi, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, applies. While Section 6(2)(b) of the Act says the Lieutenant Governor may from time to time dissolve the Assembly, even if a Chief Minister of Delhi recommends the dissolution of the Assembly, the final say is the Centre’s (through the LG).

Things the ECI looks at before deciding the election schedule

— The new Assembly (or Lok Sabha) has to be in place before the end of the current Assembly’s term, which means the election process, including giving certificates of election to the winners and the completion of all formalities, has to be completed before that date.

— The ECI works backwards from that date, planning the schedule based on the weather, availability of security forces, festivals, training of officers, procurement of EVMs, etc.

Before finalising the schedule, the ECI visits the state to take inputs from the administrative and police machinery. It also tries to club together voting in all states where polls are due around the same time.

For Your Information: 

— Inserted into the Constitution by the 69th Amendment Act, 1991, Article 239AA conferred special status on Delhi following the recommendations of the S Balakrishnan Committee that was set up in 1987 to look into Delhi’s demands for statehood.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the powers and responsibilities of the Chief Minister of Delhi and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi? 

— How has the conflict between Delhi’s elected government and the Lieutenant Governor impacted the polity of Delhi? 

— What is the significance of the 2023 Supreme Court judgment on the powers of the Delhi government?

Post Read Question:

(6) With reference to the Article 239AA, consider the following statements:

1. It conferred special status on Delhi following the recommendations of the S Balakrishnan Committee.

2. It was inserted into the Constitution by the 69th Amendment Act, 1991.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Express View on Delhi government-L-G tussle: Power where it’s due

Good rains, full reservoirs

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation

Mains Examination: GS-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

What’s the ongoing story- Since the southwest monsoon covered the entire country on July 2, the majority of geographical regions have received steady or continuous rainfall. As on September 12, the country had received 836.7 mm of rain, an 8% surplus for this time of the season.

Prerequisites: 

— What is the role of the Central Water Commission?

— What is the role of the water reservoirs?

Key takeaways: 

— The latest weekly reservoir and river basin data from Central Water Commission (CWC) show the overall storage position is better than that of last year, as well as the normal storage position during the corresponding period.

(The latest weekly reservoir and river basin data from Central Water Commission (CWC) show the overall storage position is better than that of last year, as well as the normal storage position during the corresponding period.)

— The storage situation is better than last year in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Nagaland, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

— The situation is unchanged in Goa and Telangana; it is worse than in 2023 in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttarakhand.

— Major river basins have normal or above storage. These include Barak and others (98.72%), Krishna (94.53%), Cauvery (93.54%), Narmada (92.19%), Godavari (91.85%), Tapi (85.96%), Ganga (83.29%), Mahanadi (83.48%), Mahi (83.91%) and Brahmaputra (66.93%).

For Your Information: 

— Global rating firm Moody’s has warned that India’s growing water shortage and frequent climate change-driven natural disasters can negatively affect the country’s sovereign credit strength.

— India’s water shortage can disrupt farm and industry sectors, Moody’s said, adding that it’s detrimental to the credit health of the sovereign as rising food inflation and decline in income may spark social unrest.

— India’s average annual water availability per capita is likely to drop to 1,367 cubic meters by 2031 from an already-low 1,486 cubic meters in 2021. A level below 1,700 cubic meters indicates water stress, with 1,000 cubic meters being the threshold for water scarcity, according to the ministry, Moody’s said quoting Ministry of Water Resources data.

Points to Ponder: 

— What is the status of water scarcity in the country?

— How water reservoirs can help in mitigating the water scarcity issues across the country?

— What steps need to be taken to overcome water scarcity in the country?

Post Read Question:

How can the recurring water crises prompt a re-evaluation of sustainable practices in managing rapidly depleting aquifers, and what strategies can be adopted to ensure long-term water security?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Drying up: What Urban India needs to fix its water problem

Growing water shortage can affect India’s credit strength: Moody’s

 

Editorial

Pay the bearer

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-I, II: Role of women and women’s organisation, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation, their problems and their remedies, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story- Sneha Banerjee writes: Since the enforcement of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act and the Assisted Reproductive Technologies (Regulation) Act, 2021, several concerns have been flagged. Some provisions are being challenged in the Supreme Court for their constitutional validity.

Prerequisites: 

— What is the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act?

— What is commercial surrogacy?

— What is Altruistic surrogacy?

Key takeaways: 

— Jayashree Wad vs Union Of India (2016) argued for a prohibition on commercial surrogacy, which was brought about by the Surrogacy Act. However, there hasn’t been a close examination of the question of payments to the women who act as surrogates which would follow from considering the nature of their labour.

— The Surrogacy Act prescribes a prohibition on “buying or trading the services of surrogate motherhood by way of giving payment, reward, benefit, fees, remuneration or monetary incentive in cash or kind, to the surrogate mother or her dependents or her representative”.

— Any “willing woman” between the ages of 25 to 35 years can act as a surrogate, once in her lifetime, altruistically, which includes coverage of medical expenses and a provision for insurance.

—  Important argument against a payment model has been that it amounts to the sale of children. The draft ART Bills addressed this by proposing schedules of payment at different points in the pregnancy, so that it is amply clear that the payment is for the “service” of gestation.

— Transitioning from a primarily commercial arrangement that clinics and other intermediaries facilitated, to one where intending parents are to seek “help” from a “willing woman” to act as a surrogate, has not been smooth. On the one hand, there have been instances of arrangements going underground with reports of rackets being busted. 

— On the other, several of those who desire parenthood via surrogacy have struggled to find someone who would agree. Both these extremes show the need for regulating fair compensation.

For Your Information: 

— The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 prohibits commercial surrogacy. Only altruistic arrangements where women acting as surrogates do not receive any monetary remuneration or compensation are allowed. Further, it allows only gestational surrogacy where Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) such as In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) are used to induce the surrogate pregnancy. 

— Only married couples and ever-married single women (widowed or divorced) can seek a surrogacy. 

— The intending parents additionally have to produce a “certificate of essentiality” that attests to medical indications that justify use of gestational surrogacy. The Rules necessitated the use of their own gametes by intending parents.

Points to Ponder: 

— How surrogacy is regulated in India?

— What are the challenges of commercial surrogacy in India?

—  What are some criticisms of the Surrogacy law in India?

Post Read Question:

What are the challenges of surrogate motherhood in India? What are the laws governing surrogacy in India? What are the Supreme Court rulings regarding surrogacy?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Law, motherhood and the single woman: Discrimination and surrogacy in India

On surrogacy, Indian law goes a step further — but not far enough

 

The Ideas Page

The EVM Distraction

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination:  Indian Polity and Governance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Polity– Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act; Powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

What’s the ongoing story- Yogendra Yadav writes— “The debate surrounding the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) is easily among the most weird passions of our public life. Just as every Indian must prescribe you medicine for every known and unknown disease, every Indian who can barely type an SMS must have an opinion on EVM software.”

Prerequisites: 

— What is an electronic voting machine (EVM)? How does it work?

— When were EVMs first used in elections?

— What are VVPATs?

— Read Article 324 of the Indian Constitution.

Key takeaways: 

— “The EVM debate is the final point in the descent of our democratic imagination. In the 1960s and ’70s, we had debates on transforming the way democracy works by rethinking the party system, ensuring de-centring of political power or shifting to proportional representation.”

— “By the 1990s, the debate had narrowed to electoral reforms, on conducting free and fair elections through an independent Election Commission that enforces the Model Code of Conduct. Of late, the debate has been circumscribed further to electoral integrity, on how to prevent electoral fraud during polling and counting process. The EVM is a small subset of this already pared-down agenda.”

— “In this context, the Lok Sabha elections provided an unusual opening. The surprising outcome put to rest the suspicion that a massive electoral fraud, an invisible rigging of EVM, has taken place..”

— “This is not to say that the overall electoral contest was free and fair or there was anything like a level playing ground. It just indicates the unlikelihood of any large-scale fraud in the mechanism through which voters’ choice was recorded. The final election outcome appears to reflect the way people voted.”

— “The real problem in this case lies with the Election Commission whose conduct lends credibility to every wild conspiracy theory about the stealing of elections.”

— “One of these theories has to do with the EC’s inordinate delay in declaring final turnout figures for each phase. Many leader, activists and observers (including the present author) had raised questions after the first phase. The EC is yet to offer a serious let alone a satisfactory response.”

— “Then there is the odd case of mismatch between votes polled and votes counted. The Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) raised this red flag in 2019, following an investigative report by Poonam Aggrawal.”

— “All this focus on the limited question of polling and counting mechanism has drawn our attention away from some of the bigger and deeper questions of electoral and democratic reforms. A third report, “Electoral Integrity in India, An Agenda for Change: Learnings from the 2024 General Election”, by an Independent Panel for Monitoring of Indian Elections…highlights various issues related to the structures, processes and actors that resulted in the massive and unfair advantage to the ruling party over the opposition.”

— “Unequal access to state power, money and media are the biggest challenges to the idea of level playing ground in elections. These are the kind of questions we need to ask and debate.

— “In order to do so, we must begin by developing a national consensus on the EVM dispute. First, we must not think of going back to ballot papers, as it invites more problems than it solves. Second, we must find a way for voters to verify and authenticate that the machine has correctly recorded their choice…. And finally, the paper slips in the VVPAT (and not the EVM display) must count as the official record of the elections.”

For Your Information: 

— Article 324 vests “in an Election Commission” the “superintendence, direction and control of elections”. Parliament enacted The Representation of the People Act, 1950 and The Representation of the People Act, 1951 to define and enlarge the powers of the Commission.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the benefits of EVM in the Elections?

— What are the concerns associated with the use of EVMs?

— What are the challenges on the path of free and fair elections in India?

— What are the limitations of ECI? 

Post Read Question:

Prelims

(7) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.

2. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.

3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only 

(b) 2 only 

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

Mains

In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India? (UPSC CSE 2018)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

An Expert Explains: Article 324 and role of Election Commission

UPSC Essay and Ethics Snippets

‘Wordly Wise’ from The Editorial Page

“The fundamental imbalance that is behind all of the other social diseases is patriarchy.”

– Ani DiFranco

 

(Thought Process: What is patriarchy? How is it visible in various social, political, and economic institutions? In what ways does patriarchy intersect with caste, class, and religion in India? How does it contribute to the ‘fundamental imbalance’ in society?)