The Union government, in a submission to the Supreme Court, argued that Governors are constitutional actors with democratic legitimacy, not 'aliens' or 'foreigners' on whom timelines can be imposed for assenting to State Bills. This submission is part of a Presidential Reference challenging an April judgment that imposed a three-month deadline on Governors and the President. The Centre contended that Articles 200 and 201 do not specify a time limit, and judicial imposition would amount to a constitutional amendment. It also opposed the court invoking Article 142 to create 'deemed assent' or directing the President to consult the SC under Article 143.
The Union government asserts that Governors are constitutional actors with democratic legitimacy, not 'aliens', and cannot be subjected to judicial timelines for Bill assent.
The Centre's submission is in response to a Presidential Reference challenging an April judgment that imposed a three-month deadline on Governors and the President for State Bills.
It argues that Articles 200 and 201 lack specific time limits for assent, and judicial imposition of such limits would constitute a constitutional amendment.
Exam Points
The Presidential Reference is to be heard by a Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai.
The Centre's argument relies on Articles 200 (Governor's power to assent to State Bills) and 201 (President's power to consider State Bills).
The submission also discusses Article 142 (SC's power to do complete justice) and Article 143 (President's power to consult SC).
Scientists from Yangzhou University in China have identified a gene, Chalk9, that controls chalkiness in rice, a trait that increases grain breakage during milling. Less chalky varieties showed higher expression of Chalk9 in endosperms. The Chalk9 gene, activated by the OsB3 transcription factor, encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase protein. This protein tags and destroys OsEBP89, a 'power switch' that turns on genes (like Wx for amylose and SSP for starch storage) responsible for chalkiness. By modifying Chalk9, OsEBP89 can escape tagging, leading to less chalky rice. This discovery allows breeders to introduce Chalk9-L, the low chalkiness version, into rice varieties to improve grain quality.
Researchers have identified the Chalk9 gene, which plays a crucial role in controlling chalkiness in rice grains.
Chalkiness is an undesirable trait that leads to increased breakage of rice grains during the milling process.
The Chalk9 gene, activated by the OsB3 transcription factor, produces a protein that tags and destroys OsEBP89, a protein regulating other genes responsible for chalkiness.
Exam Points
The research was conducted by a team from the Agricultural College of Yangzhou University in China.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is under fire due to allegations of massive electoral roll manipulations, particularly in Karnataka and Bihar, where a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) led to a significant drop in voter numbers. The Opposition also criticized the new law for appointing Election Commissioners, arguing it reduces dissent by giving the government a 2:1 majority in the selection committee. The Supreme Court intervened, directing the EC to publish detailed lists of deleted voters with reasons and accept Aadhaar as proof of identity. Concerns persist regarding migrant voters' ability to vote and the lack of machine-readable voter rolls, raising questions about the EC's impartiality and the integrity of the electoral process.
The Election Commission of India faces allegations of electoral roll manipulations, notably in Mahadevapura (Karnataka) and during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar.
The new law for appointing Election Commissioners is controversial, with critics arguing it compromises the EC's independence by ensuring a government majority in the selection committee.
The Supreme Court directed the EC to provide detailed, booth-wise lists of deleted voters with specific reasons and accept Aadhaar as proof of identity.
Exam Points
The EC's mandate is derived from Article 324 of the Constitution, covering superintendence, direction, and control of elections.
The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, governs EC appointments.
The selection committee for ECs comprises the Prime Minister, a Union Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition.
International negotiations for a binding treaty to restrict plastic pollution are deadlocked, partly due to disagreements on including health impacts. Plastics, derived from fossil fuels, contain over 16,000 chemicals, many with unknown health effects. Studies link exposure to these chemicals (e.g., bisphenols, phthalates) to thyroid dysfunction, hypertension, and various cancers. Microplastics, found in human blood and organs, also pose unclear health risks. India, while having a ban on single-use plastics and waste management policies, views plastic primarily as a waste management problem, expressing reservations about including health discussions in the global treaty, suggesting these are matters for the WHO.
International negotiations for a plastic pollution treaty are stalled, partly due to the contentious issue of including health impacts.
Plastics contain numerous chemicals, including monomers, polymers, and additives, many with uncertain effects on human health.
Research indicates associative links between exposure to plastic chemicals and various health issues, such as thyroid problems, hypertension, and cancers.
Exam Points
A report in the journal Nature concluded that over 4,000 chemicals of concern can be present in each major plastic type.
Around 1,100 primary studies involving 1.1 million individuals link plastic chemical exposure to health issues.
Common plastic chemicals include bisphenols, phthalates, polychlorinated-biphenyls (PCB), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and PFAS.
The Income Tax Bill 2025, passed by Parliament, replaces the outdated Income Tax Act of 1961, aiming for simpler, more concise, and clearer legislation. It significantly reduces the number of chapters and sections, increases tables and formulae for clarity, and simplifies language. Taxpayer-friendly features include allowing updates to income tax returns up to four years from the assessment year's end without penalty and reducing the assessment reopening period to five years. However, new provisions regarding searches by tax officials are concerning, as they mandate sharing passwords for electronic documents, including social media and personal emails, and empower officials to override computer system access codes, raising privacy issues.
The Income Tax Bill 2025 replaces the Income Tax Act of 1961, aiming to simplify and rationalize India's income tax legislation.
The new Bill significantly reduces the number of chapters (from 47 to 23) and sections (from 819 to 536) while simplifying language.
Taxpayer-friendly provisions include allowing income tax returns to be updated up to four years from the assessment year's end without penalty.
Exam Points
The Income Tax Bill 2025 replaces the Income Tax Act of 1961.
The new Bill reduces chapters from 47 to 23 and sections from 819 to 536.
Taxpayers can update returns up to four years from the end of the relevant assessment year.
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