PRELIMS
Presidential Reference
Why in News: The Supreme Court will soon begin hearing a Presidential Reference that questions the power of the President and Governors to set timelines for State Bills.
Context: Arises from Tamil Nadu government’s challenge on Governor’s delay in granting assent to bills.
Article 143(1):
- Grants Supreme Court advisory jurisdiction to give opinion on important legal questions upon President’s request.
- Requires a bench of at least five judges.
- Opinion limited to questions posed.
Historical use: Invoked 14+ times since Independence.
Court’s discretion:
- May refuse to answer if issue is political, already litigated, or requires expert evidence (e.g., Ayodhya dispute, Dr. M. Ismail Faruqui case).
Binding nature:
- Advisory opinions are persuasive but not binding like judgments under Article 141.
- Sometimes treated with authoritative value (e.g., R.K. Garg v. Union of India).
Implications:
- Upcoming opinion may influence similar petitions (Kerala, Punjab).
- Article 143 cannot override settled judicial decisions; challenges must follow review/curative process.
Court’s power:
- Can clarify or restate legal principles without overturning settled law (e.g., Natural Resources Allocation Reference, 2012).
Kaziranga Tiger Reserve
Why in News: Kaziranga Tiger Reserve Records Third-Highest Tiger Density in India .
As per a report “Status of Tigers in Kaziranga, 2024″ — released on Global Tiger Day (July 29, 2025) .
Key Highlights:
Kaziranga Tiger Reserve (KTR), Assam has the third-highest tiger density in India, after:
- 1. Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Karnataka
- 2. Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
Tiger Population (2024):
- Total tigers recorded: 148
- Area covered: 1,307.49 sq. km
Increase in Tiger Count:
- 2022: 104 tigers
- 2024: 115 tigers in Eastern Assam Wildlife Division
Biswanath Wildlife Division: First-ever survey recorded 27 tigers
Tiger Density:
- Kaziranga: 18.65 tigers per 100 sq. km
- Bandipur: 19.83 tigers per 100 sq. km (in 1,456 sq. km)
- Corbett: 19.56 tigers per 100 sq. km (in 1,288 sq. km)
Conservation Efforts:
- Assam focuses on both tiger protection and habitat restoration, from Kaziranga to Manas.
Survey Details:
- Period: December 2023 to April 2024
- Methodology: Camera traps and spatially explicit capture-recapture technique
- Guidelines: National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India protocols followed.
Kaziranga National Park – Quick Facts
Location & Geography
- Located in Assam, Northeast India.
- Lies in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain; represents its largest undisturbed and representative ecosystem.
- Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
- Terrain includes tall elephant grass, marshes, shallow pools, forests, and rugged reeds.
Important Rivers
- River Diffalu: A tributary of the Brahmaputra, flows through the park.
- River Moradifalu: Another tributary, flows along the southern boundary.
Flora
- Dominated by dense, tall elephant grasses.
- Interspersed with small swamplands.
- Rich aquatic vegetation: water lilies, water hyacinths, and lotus.
Fauna
- Known for the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses (Rhinoceros unicornis).
Other key species:
- Tiger
- Asian Elephant
- Eastern Swamp Deer
- Wild Buffalo
- Hoolock Gibbon
- Capped Langur
- Gangetic River Dolphin
Hosts many endangered and threatened species, making it a vital conservation site.
State of Food and Nutrition in the World 2025 (SOFI Report)
Why in News: The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2025 report was released by five UN agencies including FAO and WHO.
Key Findings (Global):
- Global hunger declined to 8.2% in 2024 from 2022 levels.
- Hunger continues to rise in most subregions of Africa and Western Asia.
- Moderate/severe food insecurity has declined gradually since 2021.
- Global food prices rose in 2023–24, increasing the cost of a healthy diet.
- People unable to afford healthy diet declined: 2.76 billion (2019) → 2.60 billion (2024).
- Anaemia in women (15–49 yrs) and adult obesity are increasing globally.
India-Specific Findings:
- Excluding India, lower-middle-income countries showed rising unaffordability of healthy diets.
- Kerala case study: Mobile phone use by fishermen and wholesalers reduced price dispersion and food waste.
Key Recommendations:
- Time-bound fiscal support (e.g. temporary tax relief on essentials).
- Align fiscal and monetary policies to stabilize markets.
- Strengthen agricultural market information systems to manage price volatility.
About SOFI Report:
- Published by FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO.
- Tracks SDG 2 targets 2.1 & 2.2 – ending hunger, food insecurity, and all forms of malnutrition.
- Released annually.
Human-Made Dams Shift Earth’s Poles
Why in News: A recent study revealed that construction of large human-made dams has caused Earth’s rotational axis to shift by over 1 meter since 1835, contributing to True Polar Wander (TPW).
What is True Polar Wander (TPW)?
- TPW is the rotation of Earth’s solid crust and mantle around the liquid outer core.
- It maintains rotational balance by redistributing mass across the planet.
Natural Drivers of TPW:
- Glacial melting
- Ice sheet loss
- Tectonic activity
- Oceanic mass movement
How Dams Contribute to TPW:
- Reservoirs trap massive volumes of water, redistributing Earth’s mass from oceans to land.
- This inland mass shift leads to changes in Earth’s rotation.
- The impact varies with dam size and geographic location.
Effects of Shifting Poles:
- Satellite and navigation errors due to altered Earth rotation axis.
- Slightly longer days on Earth, with change accelerating over time.
Study Significance:
- Highlights anthropogenic impact on planetary-scale geophysical processes.
- Demonstrates how climate-altering infrastructure can affect Earth’s dynamics.