Iran's Parliament is considering a potential withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), as stated by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei. Despite this review, Tehran maintains it does not and will not seek nuclear weapons, asserting its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Baghaei criticized "bullying parties" that prevent Iran from benefiting from its NPT rights and attack its nuclear facilities. He emphasized that Iran would respect the treaty as long as it remains a member, highlighting a public and parliamentary debate on the issue, regardless of Iran's stance against weapons of mass destruction.
Iran's Parliament is reviewing a possible exit from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and that it does not seek nuclear weapons.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei criticized international "bullying parties" for hindering Iran's NPT rights and attacking its nuclear facilities.
Exam Points
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a key international treaty.
Esmail Baghaei is Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Iran officially announced on Monday that Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the naval force of its Revolutionary Guards, was killed in an Israeli strike. Israel had previously identified Tangsiri as responsible for efforts to block the Strait of Hormuz. The report stated that Tangsiri "succumbed to severe injuries." This incident follows a broader context of conflict where, in June 2025, the U.S. and Israel reportedly attacked Iran's key nuclear facilities, with Israel targeting them again in the ongoing war.
Iran confirmed the death of Alireza Tangsiri, naval commander of the Revolutionary Guards, due to an Israeli strike.
Israel had accused Tangsiri of being responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
The incident is part of ongoing tensions and conflicts involving Iran, Israel, and the U.S.
Exam Points
Alireza Tangsiri was the commander of the naval force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime chokepoint.
U.S. and Israel reportedly attacked Iran's nuclear facilities in June 2025.
India's industrial activity, measured by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), saw a marginal acceleration to 5.2% in February. This growth was primarily fueled by a significant increase in the manufacturing and capital goods sectors. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation also revised January's final growth rate upwards to 5.1% from the provisional 4.8%. Manufacturing sector growth accelerated to 6% in February from 5.3% in the previous month, surpassing the 2.8% recorded in February 2025. However, mining and quarrying growth slowed to 3.1%, and electricity sector growth also decelerated to 2.3% in February 2026.
India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) growth accelerated to 5.2% in February.
The acceleration was primarily driven by strong performance in the manufacturing and capital goods sectors.
Manufacturing sector growth reached 6% in February, a significant increase from the previous month and year.
Exam Points
India's IIP growth rate for February was 5.2%.
Manufacturing sector growth in February was 6%.
Mining and quarrying sector growth slowed to 3.1% in February 2026.
India's election process, while predictable in timing, faces significant challenges in scale and ensuring fairness. The article highlights the logistical complexities of setting up elections across vast and remote areas, involving millions of officials and security personnel. It discusses the Election Commission of India's (ECI) efforts to combat the "four Ms" – Money, Muscle, Misinformation, and Model Code of Conduct violations. Innovations like live webcasting of polling stations and strict monitoring of inducements are employed. The author emphasizes the importance of voter education and civic resistance against political campaigning's negative aspects, stressing that upholding integrity is a shared challenge for all stakeholders.
India's elections involve massive logistical challenges, requiring extensive deployment of personnel across diverse terrains.
The ECI actively combats "Money, Muscle, Misinformation, and Model Code of Conduct" violations to ensure fair polls.
Measures like live webcasting of polling stations and strict monitoring of electoral inducements are implemented.
Exam Points
Section 28A of the Representation of the People Act binds officials' allegiance to the ECI.
The ECI declared a war on the 4Ms ('Money', 'Muscle', 'Misinformation', 'Model Code of Conduct') during the 2024 general election.
Over ₹10,000 crore worth of inducement material was seized nationwide in the 2024 general election.
India's LPG crisis, triggered by the West Asian war in March 2026, exposed critical weaknesses in its clean cooking system despite the success of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). The scheme, which connected over 10 crore households to LPG, failed to protect beneficiaries when the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted, highlighting India's 60% import dependence and lack of an LPG-specific buffer. The article argues that while PMUY scaled uptake, it lacked continuity under stress, as the state's sovereign guarantee had no physical infrastructure backing it. This misalignment disproportionately affected the poorest and marginalized communities, who reverted to biomass due to rising prices and supply issues, revealing structural gendered dimensions where women bear the burden of supply failures.
The West Asian war in March 2026 exposed India's vulnerability in LPG supply due to reliance on the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the success of PMUY in expanding LPG access, the welfare architecture lacked resilience during supply disruptions.
India's high import dependence (60% of LPG, 90% through Strait of Hormuz) and absence of an LPG-specific buffer are critical flaws.
Exam Points
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) connected 10.33 crore households to clean cooking fuel since 2016.
India imports about 60% of its LPG consumption, with 90% passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves cover about 9.5 days of crude oil supply but lack an equivalent LPG-specific buffer.
India's delimitation exercise, due after the 2026 Census, will re-evaluate Lok Sabha seat allocation based on population, as mandated by Article 81. The 84th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002, froze seat numbers until 2026 to incentivize population stabilization. The article proposes incorporating a "Demographic Performance" (DemPer) principle alongside population size for allocating additional seats, rewarding states that achieved lower Total Fertility Rates (TFRs) earlier or showed significant decline. This approach aims to balance democratic equality with federal fairness, reduce regional resentment, and protect incentives for good governance, ensuring states that controlled population growth do not lose their seat share. The author argues against increasing Lok Sabha size beyond 700 to maintain meaningful debate.
The delimitation exercise, due after the 2026 Census, will determine Lok Sabha seat allocation based on population.
The 84th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002, froze seat numbers until 2026 to encourage population stabilization.
A "Demographic Performance" (DemPer) principle is proposed to reward states for achieving lower Total Fertility Rates (TFRs).
Exam Points
Article 81 of the Constitution governs the distribution of seats in the Lok Sabha based on population.
The 84th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002, extended the freeze on Lok Sabha seats until after the first Census post-2026.
The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 births per woman is considered the replacement level for population stabilization.
The Union government is planning to amend the IT Rules, 2021, to empower the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) to issue takedown notices directly to individual social media users for their posts. Currently, such notices can only be issued to online news platforms. These proposed amendments, described as "clarificatory and procedural" by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, aim to strengthen oversight of intermediary-hosted content. However, the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) criticizes this as a "massive expansion of unconstitutional censorship," arguing it sidesteps High Court orders and reconstructs oversight mechanisms deemed constitutionally suspect. The changes also affect social media platforms' "safe harbour" protection if they fail to comply with takedown notices.
The Union government plans to amend IT Rules, 2021, to allow the I&B Ministry to issue takedown notices directly to individual social media users.
Currently, takedown notices under IT Rules, 2021, are limited to online news platforms.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology claims these amendments are clarificatory and procedural, aiming to strengthen oversight.
Exam Points
The proposed amendments are to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
Section 79 of the IT Act provides "safe harbour" protection to intermediaries.
The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) is an Indian digital rights advocacy organization.
The Supreme Court, in the Harish Rana v. Union of India (2026) case, reaffirmed the right to die with dignity under Article 21, allowing withdrawal of Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH) for the first time. This builds on previous rulings like Common Cause v. Union of India (2018) and Aruna Shanbaug v. Union of India (2011), which recognized passive euthanasia and advance medical directives. The court streamlined the process by removing the requirement for multiple medical boards and mandatory immediate judicial oversight, emphasizing patient autonomy. While promoting dignity and relief from suffering, the decision raises concerns about potential misuse, ethical conflicts, and social inequality, particularly for vulnerable populations who might face coercion due to financial or social pressures.
The Supreme Court reaffirmed the right to die with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution.
For the first time, the court allowed the withdrawal of Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH) in the Harish Rana case.
The revised guidelines streamline passive euthanasia by removing multiple medical boards and mandatory judicial oversight, emphasizing patient autonomy.
Exam Points
The Harish Rana v. Union of India (2026) case allowed withdrawal of Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH).
The Common Cause v. Union of India (2018) case recognized the right to die with dignity as part of Article 21.
The Aruna Shanbaug v. Union of India (2011) case allowed passive euthanasia and recognized Advance Medical Directives.
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