UPSC Prelims
Daily Pinpointer
July 22, 2026
Prelims Pinpointer — July 22, 2026
3 high-yield topics: Judges (Inquiry) Act 1968, the White-Bellied Heron, and the SVAMITVA Scheme
Justice Varma Resigned
April 9, 2026
White-Bellied Heron
Critically Endangered, Schedule I
SVAMITVA in Delhi
48 Villages, 30 Surveys Complete
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Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968
Justice Yashwant Varma (former judge of Delhi and Allahabad High Courts) resigned on April 9, 2026, amid allegations arising from the discovery of partially burnt currency notes at his official residence in March 2025. A committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, appointed by the Speaker of Lok Sabha, investigated charges of misbehaviour against him; the committee’s report is set to be placed before Parliament in the Monsoon Session.
Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968: Key Facts
- The Act provides the procedure for investigation and proof of misbehaviour or incapacity of Supreme Court and High Court judges.
- The removal process is initiated by a motion signed by 100 Lok Sabha members or 50 Rajya Sabha members.
- The Speaker or Chairman (as applicable) constitutes a three-member Inquiry Committee consisting of a Supreme Court judge, a High Court Chief Justice, and a distinguished jurist.
- If the committee finds the judge guilty, Parliament passes the removal motion in both Houses by a special majority, after which the President removes the judge.
- Special majority required: majority of total membership of each House AND two-thirds of members present and voting.
Judges’ Power to Resign: Constitutional Framework
Article 217(1)(a)
A High Court judge may resign by writing under their hand addressed to the President.
Article 124(2)(a)
A Supreme Court judge may also resign by writing addressed to the President.
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These resignations are not subject to Presidential acceptance and take effect immediately (ex proprio vigore). The Supreme Court in Union of India v. Gopal Chandra Misra (1978) unanimously held that judicial resignations require no acceptance and act automatically.
13 Constitutional Functionaries with Power to Resign at Will
- President (Article 56), Vice-President (Article 67), Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
- Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha; Speaker and Deputy Speaker of State Assembly.
- Supreme Court judges and High Court judges; Governors.
- Chairman and Deputy Chairman of State Legislative Council; Members of Public Service Commissions.
- In contrast: resignations of Members of Parliament (Article 101(3)(b)) and State Legislature members (Article 190(3)(b)) are subject to acceptance by the Speaker or Chairman.
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White-Bellied Heron
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) under the Union Environment Ministry granted in-principle clearance to a 1,200 MW hydroelectric project on the Lohit River, Arunachal Pradesh, that will fell over 33,000 trees. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project omitted white-bellied herons despite the Lohit River basin harbouring 70% of India’s white-bellied heron population.
White-Bellied Heron: Key Facts for Prelims
Critically Endangered
IUCN status since 2007; Schedule I, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
~4 Feet Tall
One of the world’s largest herons; scientific name Ardea insignis
- Diet: exclusively fish, hunting in shallow water by waiting for fish to approach before striking.
- Habitat: fast-flowing rivers lined with old-growth riparian forests, at elevations up to 1,500 metres in Himalayan river systems.
- Range: historically found in Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar; now restricted to pockets of Arunachal Pradesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
- Key threats: dam construction, changes in river turbidity and flow, removal of large river boulders, sand extraction, unregulated tourism, fish poisoning, and pollution.
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SVAMITVA Scheme
The Delhi government is conducting a comprehensive survey of all Lal Dora Abadi villages to issue Smart Property Cards under the SVAMITVA scheme. 48 villages will be covered through an agreement with Survey of India; surveys have been completed in 30 villages, with final property cards prepared.
SVAMITVA: Key Facts for Prelims
- SVAMITVA stands for Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas.
- It is a Central Sector Scheme under the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
- Objective: to provide property owners in village Abadi areas with a “Record of Rights,” enabling them to use property as a financial asset for loans and financial benefits.
Key Achievements
3.20 Lakh Villages
Drone surveys completed over 68,122 sq km
2.42 Crore Cards
Property cards issued across 1.61 lakh villages
- Full coverage achieved in Lakshadweep, Ladakh, NCT of Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
Six Components of SVAMITVA
CORS Network
Continuous Operating Reference Stations for accurate geo-referencing and mapping.
Drone Surveys
High-resolution mapping of abadi areas using drone technology.
IEC Activities
Information, Education and Communication for awareness generation among the rural population.
Gram Manchitra App
A spatial planning tool for the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).
Monitoring System
Real-time progress tracking dashboards for implementation.
Project Management
National and state-level Project Management Units (PMUs) for implementation.
🔗 Sources
- Judges (Inquiry) Act & Justice Varma resignation — The Hindu
- White-Bellied Heron & Kalai-II Project — The Hindu
- SVAMITVA Scheme, Delhi — Indian Express
