A UN-mandated Independent International Commission of Inquiry, led by Navi Pillay, has concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The report states that Israeli authorities have committed four out of five genocidal acts listed in the 1948 Genocide Convention since October 2023. These acts include killing members of the group and causing serious bodily or mental harm. The commission found that explicit statements by Israeli leaders indicated an intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a group. Israel has categorically rejected the report, calling it "distorted and false" and demanding the abolition of the commission.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry is the first UN-mandated body to conclude that genocide is occurring in Gaza.
The report identifies four out of five genocidal acts as defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention being committed by Israeli forces.
The commission cited 'intent to destroy' based on patterns of military action and explicit statements from high-ranking Israeli civilian and military authorities.
Exam Points
1948 Genocide Convention (defines five specific genocidal acts).
Navi Pillay (Chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry).
The report cites nearly 65,000 deaths in Gaza as of the reporting period.
The Supreme Court is hearing a Presidential Reference to clarify the constitutional position of Governors regarding the timeline for granting assent to Bills passed by State Assemblies. This follows a significant judgment on April 8, 2025. The Bench emphasized that the Constitution's silence on specific timelines in Articles 200 and 201 does not grant Governors 'unlimited discretion' to withhold Bills indefinitely. The proceedings highlight the tension between democratic principles and the Governor's role as a check on legislation. The Court aims to maintain the balance between federal cooperation and State autonomy.
Articles 200 and 201 of the Indian Constitution deal with the Governor's power to grant or withhold assent to Bills.
The Supreme Court clarified that Governors cannot sit on Bills indefinitely, as it paralyzes democratic governance and renders legislatures defunct.
The proceedings involve a Presidential Reference under Article 143, which provides the Court's advisory opinion to the Centre.
Exam Points
Article 200: Assent to Bills by the Governor.
Article 201: Bills reserved for consideration of the President.
Article 143: Power of President to consult Supreme Court (Advisory Jurisdiction).
India has introduced a revised Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure, effective September 22, 2025, aimed at reducing complexity and compliance costs. The new system eliminates the 12% and 28% slabs, retaining 0%, 5%, and 18%, while introducing a 40% demerit rate for luxury goods. While the rate reductions are expected to stimulate demand and benefit sectors like textiles and agriculture, they may lead to an immediate revenue loss of approximately ₹48,000 crore annually. Experts suggest that long-term gains will emerge through increased consumption and improved incremental capital output ratios.
The revised GST structure simplifies the tax regime by discontinuing the 12% and 28% slabs to reduce the number of tax tiers.
A new demerit rate of 40% has been introduced for specific luxury and sin goods, merging the previous compensation cess into the tax rate.
The reform aims to eliminate the inverted duty structure and reduce the 'cascading effect' of taxes on inputs.
Exam Points
Effective date of new structure: September 22, 2025.
Estimated annual revenue loss: ₹48,000 crore.
Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICOR) is cited as a key metric for driving future growth.
The Supreme Court is scrutinizing the introduction of a 'cooling period' for FIRs filed under Section 498A of the IPC (now Section 85 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita). This follows an Allahabad High Court endorsement of a two-month wait before coercive action to prevent misuse of the law. However, critics and legal scholars argue that such 'judicial experimentalism' undermines a victim's right to prompt justice and functional autonomy of criminal justice agencies. The Court is revisiting whether referring domestic disputes to Family Welfare Committees (FWCs) before police action falls outside the statutory framework.
Section 498A of the IPC (Section 85 of BNS) deals with cruelty by a husband or his relatives against a woman.
The 'cooling period' concept aims to prevent immediate arrests in potentially frivolous matrimonial disputes but may delay justice for genuine victims.
The Lalita Kumari judgment established the category of 'preliminary inquiry' before FIR registration in matrimonial disputes.
Exam Points
Section 85 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (replaces Section 498A IPC).
Arnesh Kumar vs State of Bihar (2014) - Supreme Court guidelines on arrest procedures.
Lalita Kumari vs Govt. of U.P. - Landmark judgment on mandatory FIR registration.
Observed on September 17, World Patient Safety Day highlights the global challenge where one in ten patients experiences harm during hospitalisation. In India, the National Patient Safety Implementation Framework (2018-25) provides a roadmap for embedding safety into clinical programs. Key initiatives include the Pharmacovigilance Program of India and accreditation by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH). The article emphasizes the need for 'Patient Advisory Councils' to bring patient voices into decision-making and calls for a culture of safety across the entire healthcare ecosystem to prevent avoidable harm.
World Patient Safety Day is observed annually on September 17 to promote global health safety and reduce patient harm.
India's National Patient Safety Implementation Framework (2018-25) aims to integrate safety protocols into all levels of the health system.
Less than 5% of hospitals in India have currently earned full NABH accreditation, highlighting a significant gap in safety standards.
Exam Points
September 17: World Patient Safety Day.
National Patient Safety Implementation Framework (2018-25).
NABH: National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers.
The Supreme Court is hearing petitions challenging the validity of 'Freedom of Religion' Acts enacted by ten Indian states. These laws, often called anti-conversion laws, aim to prevent conversions through allurement, fraud, or force. Petitioners argue that these laws are 'virtually anti-conversion' and have a 'chilling effect' on the fundamental right to profess and propagate religion under Article 25. The Court is questioning the definition of 'deceitful' conversion and whether these laws interfere with personal liberty and the right to choose a life partner in inter-faith marriages.
Ten Indian states have enacted stringent anti-conversion laws, which are being challenged for violating constitutional rights.
Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion, subject to public order.
Critics argue that the burden of proof in these laws often lies on the convert, which may be unconstitutional.
Exam Points
Article 25: Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.
States with such laws: UP, Himachal Pradesh, MP, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Rajasthan.
The punishment under some of these laws includes a minimum 20-year sentence or life imprisonment.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML) to include the GLP-1 class of drugs, such as semaglutide, for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity. This move is expected to lower costs and increase global access to these high-priced medications. The WHO Expert Committee reviewed evidence showing these drugs' effectiveness in glucose lowering and weight reduction. While currently expensive and largely unavailable in low- and middle-income countries, their inclusion in the EML encourages governments to prioritize their procurement and improve affordability for patients.
GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonists are now recognized as essential for managing type 2 diabetes and associated obesity.
Inclusion in the WHO EML is a critical step toward making expensive, patented drugs more affordable through global procurement strategies.
The move addresses the rising global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for a large share of out-of-pocket health spending.
Exam Points
GLP-1: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists.
WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML).
Examples of GLP-1 drugs: Semaglutide, liraglutide, dulaglutide.
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