Prelims Oriented
President and Governors Assent on Bills
Background
- Supreme Court (April 2025) fixed a 3-month timeline for Governor to act on Bills.
- President also given 3-month deadline to decide on Bills reserved by Governor.
- Delays beyond these limits are now subject to judicial review.
- Union Government questioned judiciary’s power to prescribe timelines absent in Constitution.
- Case arose after alleged systematic delays by Governors in Opposition-ruled States.
Constitutional Provisions
- Article 200: Governor may assent, withhold, return for reconsideration, or reserve for President.
- Mandates action “as soon as possible”, interpreted as compulsory, not discretionary.
- Article 163(1): Governor generally bound by Council of Ministers’ advice, except rare discretionary areas.
- Article 201: President decides on reserved Bills; no explicit timeframe provided.
- Scheme reinforces responsible government where elected executive drives decisions.
Discretionary Powers of Governor
- Limited only to exceptional situations, e.g., Bills violating Constitution.
- Can reserve Bills affecting High Court powers or constitutional scheme.
- Does not include routine withholding or indefinite delay.
- Majority of powers under Article 200 are ministerial, not discretionary.
- Must normally act per Cabinet advice, not personal preference.
Judicial Precedent
- Shamsher Singh (1974): Governor acts on ministerial advice; cannot withhold assent arbitrarily.
- Courts have upheld supremacy of Cabinet advice except in narrow discretionary fields.
- Nabam Rebia (2006): Governor must follow elected government’s decisions.
- April 2025 ruling stressed that “Governor shall” imposes a mandatory obligation.
- Judiciary clarified that prolonged delay violates constitutional morality.
Commission Recommendations
- Sarkaria Commission: Reservation of Bills for President only in rare situations; President to act within 6 months.
- Emphasised Governor must not become an obstruction to State governance.
- Punchhi Commission: Governor should dispose of Bills within 6 months.
- Both commissions stressed reducing politicised delays.
- Advocated a clearer framework to maintain federal balance.
Arguments
- Union Government
- Cited Article 163(1) claiming Governor retains discretion in certain matters.
- Judicial timelines not explicitly provided in Constitution; Court may be overstepping.
- Issues between Governor, State Cabinet, and President should be resolved politically, not judicially.
- Imposing timelines on President under Article 201 may undermine separation of powers.
- Feared potential erosion of federal structure through judicial intervention.
- States (Opposition-ruled)
- Governors allegedly stall Bills selectively, undermining democratic mandate.
- Delays cited as politically motivated, not constitutionally justified.
- Withholding assent without timeline violates responsible government doctrine.
- Delay cannot be equated with legitimate discretion.
- Legislative paralysis affects governance, welfare delivery and policy implementation.
- Supreme Court’s Stand (April 2025)
- “Governor shall” under Article 200 is mandatory, not optional.
- Prescribed 3-month limit for both Governor and President to prevent misuse.
- Relied on Nabam Rebia, Shamsher Singh and commission reports for interpretation.
- Clarified that constitutional silence cannot justify indefinite inaction.
- Left open the broader question for future adjudication in Presidential Reference.
Challenges
- Balancing federalism and judicial oversight remains complex.
- Growing perception of politicisation of Governors in Opposition-ruled States.
- Delays affect State legislative autonomy and policy continuity.
- Absence of clear constitutional timelines creates administrative uncertainty.
- Excessive judicial intervention also risks altering the executive-judiciary balance.
Way Forward
- Short-Term
- Governments and Governors must follow the 3-month timeline to maintain constitutional propriety.
- Await Supreme Court’s opinion in pending Presidential Reference for clarity.
- Improve communication protocols between Raj Bhavan and State Cabinets.
- Ensure that Bills requiring reconsideration are returned promptly.
- Long-Term
- Reduce politicisation of gubernatorial appointments through transparent processes.
- Reinforce constitutional culture where Governor functions as nominal head.
- Build political consensus to avoid recurrent Centre–State legislative friction.
- Consider codifying timelines through constitutional amendment or law.
CE20 Cryogenic Engine
Context
- ISRO successfully demonstrated bootstrap mode start on the CE20 cryogenic engine used in LVM3 upper stage.
- The test was conducted in vacuum conditions at the High-Altitude Test (HAT) facility, Mahendragiri.
- The test lasted 10 seconds on November 7, marking a major development for future multi-orbit missions.
About CE20 Cryogenic Engine
- CE20 powers the upper stage of LVM3, India’s heaviest operational launch vehicle.
- It is already qualified for 19–22 tonne thrust levels during flight.
- The engine supports single-start operations for routine missions and for Gaganyaan human spaceflight.
- Normal ignition uses tank head pressure followed by turbo pump activation through a stored-gas start-up system.
Need for Bootstrap Mode Start
- Future missions will require multiple in-flight restarts to enable flexible multi-orbit placements.
- Current configuration needs a separate start-up gas bottle and related hardware for each restart.
- Bootstrap mode allows the engine to self-initiate and reach stable operation without external assistance.
- This reduces system complexity and enhances mission flexibility and payload efficiency.
Significance
- Improves restart capability of LVM3 for advanced orbital manoeuvres.
- Enables multi-burn profiles crucial for deep space missions and commercial launches.
- Enhances India’s capacity for complex, multi-orbit deployment missions.
- Strengthens LVM3’s role in future ISRO explorations and heavy-lift flights.
NATO
What is NATO?
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a military alliance formed in April 1949 through the Washington Treaty.
- Created by the U.S., Canada, and Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.
- NATO currently has 30 member states across North America and Europe.
- Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium; Allied Command Operations: Mons, Belgium.
Membership Evolution
- Original members: 12 nations including U.S., U.K., France, Italy and Canada.
- Later additions include Greece, Turkey (1952), Germany (1955), Spain (1982), and East European states post–Cold War.
- Recent members include Montenegro (2017) and North Macedonia (2020).
- Finland and Sweden have shown interest in joining.
Objectives of NATO
- Political
- Promotes democratic values, consultation, cooperation, and conflict prevention.
- Encourages trust-building among members.
- Military
- Seeks peaceful dispute resolution, but can undertake crisis-management operations.
- Actions based on Article 5 (collective defence) or UN mandate.
- Article 5 invoked only once after the 9/11 attacks (2001).
How NATO Functions
- Has an integrated military command, but forces remain under national control.
- Decisions must be unanimous and consensual among all members.
- NATO protection excludes civil wars or internal coups.
- Funded by members; U.S. contributes about 75% of the budget.
Why NATO Originated
- Post-WWII Europe was economically weak and militarily exhausted.
- The Marshall Plan (1948) promoted coordinated recovery in Europe.
- The Brussels Treaty (1948) created early collective defence (Western European Union).
- Communist expansion in Eastern Europe and the Czechoslovakia coup (1948) accelerated need for stronger alliance.
- Resulted in the formation of NATO in 1949 as a counterweight to the Soviet Union.
Counter-Alliances
- The Warsaw Pact (1955) was the Soviet-led response, including Eastern European socialist states.
- Pact dissolved in 1991 after the breakup of the USSR.
NATO Partnership Frameworks
- Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC)
- A 50-nation forum for political and security dialogue.
- Provides framework for cooperation with Partnership for Peace (PfP) countries.
- Mediterranean Dialogue
- Engages seven non-NATO states (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, etc.) to promote regional stability.
- Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI)
- Enables security cooperation with Middle Eastern states, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE.
National Industrial Classification (NIC) 2025
Context
- The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation released NIC 2025 during the 75th anniversary of NSSO in Udaipur.
- It represents a major update to India’s economic activity coding system.
What is NIC 2025?
- A six-digit standardised system categorising all economic activities in India.
- Replaces the earlier five-digit NIC 2008 classification.
- Initially introduced in 1962, with periodic revisions in 1970, 1987, 1998, 2004 and 2008.
- Aims to reflect India’s changing economic landscape and provide more detailed activity classification.
- Harmonised with the UN ISIC Revision 5, ensuring global comparability.
Key Features
- Incorporates expanding sectors such as cloud services, blockchain, platform-based services, renewable energy, and AYUSH.
- Adds new categories for intermediation services including logistics, real estate and food services.
- Covers waste management and environmental remediation under separate classes.
- Acts as the uniform statistical framework for surveys, datasets, and economic policymaking in India.
National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)
- Overview
- India’s leading institution for large-scale socio-economic surveys, founded in 1950 by P.C. Mahalanobis.
- Functions under the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.
- Major Outputs
- Conducts Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), PLFS, and other national datasets crucial for policymaking.
Sentinel-6B Satellite
Context
- The Sentinel-6B ocean-monitoring satellite was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base to strengthen global sea-level measurement efforts.
What is Sentinel-6B?
- Sentinel-6B is a high-precision ocean altimetry satellite built to measure sea-surface height, wave patterns, winds, and climate-linked ocean changes.
- It was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket.
- Implemented jointly by NASA, NOAA, ESA, Eumetsat, the European Commission, with support from CNES.
Aim
- Provides uninterrupted, highly accurate sea-level rise measurements.
- Tracks ocean temperature variations and sea-state conditions to refine climate models.
- Strengthens capabilities for storm prediction and coastal risk assessment.
Key Features
- Radar Altimeter: Measures sea-surface height with millimetre-level precision.
- Microwave Radiometer: Adjusts for atmospheric moisture to enhance accuracy.
- Carries six scientific instruments offering ~1-inch precision across 90% of global oceans.
- Completes an orbit every 112 minutes, travelling at 2 km/s.
- Extends the long-term ocean-altimetry record of Topex-Poseidon → Jason-1/2/3 → Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich.
Significance
- Serves as the global benchmark dataset for sea-level monitoring.
- Improves forecasts of cyclones, storm surges, floods, and ocean waves.
- Aids maritime navigation, underwater infrastructure safety, and climate adaptation planning.
Blackbuck
Context
- Thirty-one blackbucks died due to a bacterial outbreak at Karnataka’s Kittur Rani Chennamma Zoo (Belagavi), prompting a government investigation.
What is the Blackbuck?
- The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is a diurnal antelope native to the Indian subcontinent.
- Occupies open grasslands, semi-arid zones and agricultural edges; avoids dense forests.
- Classified as Least Concern (IUCN) globally but protected under Schedule I of India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Key Characteristics
- Males possess long, spiralled horns (50–71 cm) forming a distinctive V-shaped structure.
- Shows strong sexual dimorphism: dark-coloured males and light-brown females/juveniles.
- Among India’s fastest mammals, capable of chasing at 80 km/h.
- Exhibits three herd types: female groups, bachelor groups, and territorial males.
- Males mark territories using preorbital gland secretions and dung piles.
Cause of Death in Belagavi Case
- A bacterial infection caused rapid fatalities inside the zoo; exact pathogen awaits confirmation.
Kittur Rani Chennamma Zoo
- Also known as Bhutaramanahatti Zoo, located 12 km from Belagavi on NH-4.
- Established in 1989, extending over 68 hectares.
- Hosts diverse species in naturalistic habitats and promotes regional biodiversity conservation.
- Functions as an educational and recreational space for visitors.
Codex Executive Committee
Context
- India has been unanimously chosen again as the Asian regional representative on the Codex Executive Committee (CCEXEC), extending its role until 2027.
What it is
- India’s re-election secures its position on the CCEXEC, which supports the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) between its annual sessions.
- Tenure continues until completion of the 50th Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC50) in 2027.
Functions in this Role
- Represents Asia’s technical and trade concerns in global food standard-setting.
- Participates in discussions on efficiency improvements, future challenges, and integration of emerging technologies.
- Oversees drafting and advancement of international food safety standards between full commission meetings.
Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)
- What it is
- A global intergovernmental body preparing science-based food standards, codes and guidelines.
- Established in May 1963 jointly by FAO and WHO.
- Structure
- Executive Committee (CCEXEC): Handles standard development during inter-session periods.
- General Subject & Commodity Committees: Frame standards on pesticides, contaminants, and analytical methods.
- Coordinating Committees: Ensure regional alignment.
- Aim & Features
- Protects consumer health and supports fair global food trade.
- CAC standards are recognised under the WTO SPS Agreement.
- Comprises 189 members (188 countries + EU).
- India has been a member since 1964, contributing to harmonised global food norms.
