Whatsapp 93125-11015 For Details
From making express provisions for simultaneous polls, prescribing a common electoral roll to formation of a unity government in case a government falls before the end of its five-year tenure, the Law Commission of India has worked out three major Constitutional amendments to set the ball rolling for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ project in 2029.
The 22nd Law Commission, headed by former Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, is set to recommend the addition of a new chapter on simultaneous polls in the Constitution.
Currently, Part XV of the Constitution deals with elections. It prescribes the role of the Election Commission and for elections to be based on adult suffrage among other aspects.
The Commission is likely to recommend insertion of a new chapter, Part XVA, that would make provisions for simultaneous polls.
While the law panel has not submitted its report to the government, it has made detailed presentations of its likely recommendations before the high-level committee, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, to “examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections” to Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats.
Govt & Politics
Modi lays foundation stone for ISRO’s launch complex in TN (Page no. 9)
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a new launch complex of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district. The Rs 986 crore facility is set to accommodate 24 launches per year.
PM Modi also dedicated several projects worth more than Rs 17,300 crore, saying Tamil Nadu is writing a new chapter of progress in Thoothukudi.
Flagging off India’s first indigenous green hydrogen waterway vessel, PM Modi said increasing connectivity due to the consistent efforts of the Centre has enhanced ‘ease of living’ in Tamil Nadu.
Saying that one can witness the spirit of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” in the development projects, PM Modi stated that though these projects are in Thoothukudi, they will give momentum to development in multiple places across the country.
Editorial
We, the consumers (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
How do Indians divide their consumption expenditure across categories? How many are below the poverty line? How has the picture changed over time?
Answers to such questions have always been drawn from the quinquennial consumption expenditure surveys.
After a decade-long hiatus, a factsheet based on the revamped and much awaited Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) for 2022-23 has been released.
Based on the factsheet data, can we decisively answer these and other such questions? Not really, for reasons explained below. This piece comments on a few key takeaways.
The factsheet gives a useful glimpse into present patterns of household consumption. There have been quick comparisons with earlier rounds of the consumption expenditure survey, especially with the last publicly available 68th round in 2011-12, to deduce a dramatic reduction in poverty over time and/or drastic changes in consumption patterns. Such comparisons are premature — the full data has not been released and there are several changes in item coverage, survey design and methodology.
The 2011-12 round covered 347 items of consumption compared to 405 in HCES. Such revisions have been done in the past too and are par for the course as consumption habits change over time.
Ideas Page
AI and Asimov’s warning (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Isaac Asimov’s classic I, Robot (1950) insightfully explored the ethical and moral implications of robotics and artificial intelligence.
The book’s interconnected stories about robots guided by the Three Laws of Robotics highlight the challenges in ensuring AI’s safety and alignment with human values.
Asimov illustrates the limitations of these laws and AI’s unpredictable nature, with quotes like, “You can’t argue with a robot. They’re terribly rational”, reflecting concerns about AI acting against human interests.
The book forces one to ponder about the dangers of AI being manipulated by adversaries, potentially turning against humans.
As a fictional yet prescient work, I, Robot underscores the importance of ethical standards and security measures in AI development to prevent it from undermining national sovereignty.
Since algorithms are devoid of national allegiance or moral judgement, the challenge before the world is not just to develop this technology but to develop the frameworks to ensure it serves humanity and not the other way around.
The lack of a unified global framework for overseeing AI, coupled with the absence of national-level regulatory measures, poses a significant risk to national security and sovereignty in four distinct ways.
Economy
India, South Africa block investment deal at WTO (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
India and South Africa have filed a formal objection against an investment agreement at a World Trade Organization meeting in Abu Dhabi, blocking its adoption in a move that observers say could block hundreds of billions of dollars in investment.
The deal agreed by some 125 countries, or about three-quarters of the WTO's members, aims to simplify red tape, improve the investment environment and encourage foreign direct investment.
But according to WTO rules, any of its 164 members can block a deal from being adopted by the body - a step which is necessary to ensure that countries are in compliance.
We underscore that given the lack of exclusive consensus, this is not a matter for the (meeting) agenda. The Indian and South African delegations did not immediately comment publicly on the development.
Alan Yanovich, partner at Akin Gump Strauss, said the "deplorable" development would hurt the world's poorest countries the most.
World
Chinese research vessel leaves Maldives : report (Page no. 16)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
A 4,500-tonne high-tech Chinese research vessel which made a port call here last week has left the shores of the Maldives, local media reports said.
Officially, the Chinese vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 was here to “make a port call, for the rotation of its personnel and replenishment.
Xiang Yang Hong 03 has returned to the boundary of the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) after docking in Male on February 22.
However, despite departing from the Male harbour, tracking sites have shown the vessel’s last signal near Hulhumale’ two days ago.
Hulhumale is less than 10 kms northeast of Male. The vessel had docked on February 23 in Thilafushi, about 7.5 kms to the west of Male.
The vessel is expected to have turned off tracking systems, which it also did en route to Male’ on January 22 when it was in the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia.
Explained
Importance of creating India’s genetic map (Page no. 17)
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
The government’s Genome India initiative on Tuesday (February 27) announced the successful sequencing of 10,000 whole genomes of healthy persons from across the country, creating a genetic map of the population.
Researchers from 20 science institutes across the country helped in collecting the blood samples, sequencing the genome, developing a methodology, and storing the data.
With each sequence requiring 80 GB storage space, the huge dataset of 8 petabytes will be stored at the Indian Biological Data Centre in Faridabad.
This dataset will be made available to researchers as “digital public good.” The data can be utilised to develop new diagnostics, targeted therapies, identify new rare diseases, and cure existing ones.
The Genome India project was approved by the government in 2020 with the aim of creating a comprehensive catalogue of genetic variations found in the Indian population.
A map of genetic diversity is essential for understanding the history of our evolution, discovering the genetic basis for various diseases, and creating therapies of the future.
This cannot be done using data available in existing international databases, as Indian genomes are likely to be different from that of other populations.