Self Preparation for UPSC IAS

  On selecting Election Commissioners What does The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Office and Terms of Office) Bill, 2023 passed by the Rajya Sabha say? How is the new mechanism different from the one spelled out by the Supreme Court? On December 12 2023, the Rajya Sabha passed The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Office and Terms of Office) Bill, 2023. It is likely to be enacted into a law after being passed by the Lok Sabha in the current winter session. It provides for the procedure for appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the other two Election Commissioners (ECs). What does the Constitution say? Article 324 provides for the composition of the Election Commission of India (ECI). It consists of the CEC and two other ECs. The Constitution provides that the appointment of the CEC and EC shall, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, be

An uphill struggle to grow the Forest Rights Act Historical Background of FRA On December 18, 2006, the Rajya Sabha endorsed the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, enacted by the Lok Sabha. This Act, commonly known as the Forest Rights Act, or FRA, marks a watershed in India’s socio-environmental legislation, as it attempts to put an end to the long-drawn conflict over supposed ‘forest encroachments’. Simultaneously, it seeks to create a much more democratic, bottom-up forest governance. Unfortunately, the implementation of the FRA has been plagued by political opportunism, forester resistance and bureaucratic apathy, and the discourse around it by deliberate canards and misconceptions. Hence, 17 years after it was enacted, the FRA has barely begun to deliver on its promise of freeing forest-dwellers from historic injustices and democratising forest governance. To understand why this is so, we must first delve into what it sought

  The Supreme Court of India expressed concerns about the "selective anonymity/confidentiality" associated with electoral bonds. During a hearing on petitions challenging the electoral bond scheme, the Chief Justice and other Justices questioned why the ruling party tends to receive a substantial portion of donations through these bonds, raising the possibility of expectations linked to these donations. The  Supreme Court  raised concerns on the "selective anonymity/confidentiality" that electoral bonds offer. What is Selective Confidentiality  Selective confidentiality”, which does not prevent the ruling party from unearthing the identities of donors to  Opposition  parties and then hounding them through its investigative agencies. A Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY  Chandrachud  verbally questioned Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta about his assessment as to why the "substantial portion" of donations go to the ruling party.

Geneva Conventions  Why in News: Gaza attacked suddenly on Israel. In this retaliation, Israel (ratified Geneva Conventions in 1951) is bombing on North Gaza where more civilians were killed and this is violation of Geneva Conventions. Important Key Points related to Geneva Conventions: The  Geneva Conventions (1949)  and  their Additional Protocols  are  international treaties  that contain the most important rules  limiting the barbarity of war. They  protect people who do not take part in the fighting  (civilians, medics, aid workers) and those  who can no longer fight  (wounded, sick and shipwrecked troops, prisoners of war). The  first Geneva Convention  protects wounded and sick soldiers on land during war. The  second Geneva Convention  protects wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during war. The  third Geneva Convention  applies to prisoners of war. The  fourth Geneva Convention  affords protection to civilians, including in occupied territory . Article 3,  

Vienna Convention: Why in news: Canada’s inability to provide safety and security to Indian diplomats challenges the “most fundamental aspect” of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Important Key Points related to Vienna Convention: What is the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations? The Convention was adopted on  14 th  April 1961 by the United Nations Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse  and Immunities held in Vienna, Austria. India has ratified the convention. It entered into  force on April 24, 1964, and is nearly universally ratified,  with Palau and South Sudan being the exceptions. It sets out the  special rules – privileges and immunities  – which enable diplomatic missions to act without fear of coercion or harassment through enforcement of local laws and to communicate securely with their sending Governments. It makes  provision for withdrawal of a mission  – which may take place on grounds of economic or physical security – and for breach of diplomatic relatio

Supreme Court recently replied that Same Sex Marriage regulation is not a judicial matter but it is a matter of legislature. SC also argued that right to marry is not a fundamental rights but it is a social right. LGBTQIA+ community especially queer community was being 

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