Current Affairs – January 26-27, 2025

{GS2 – Polity – IC – Comparison} Emergency & Martial Law: India & South Korea

• Context (IT | IT): South Korea’s swift reversal of martial law by Parliament raises concerns about emergency powers in democracies, highlighting India’s constitutional provisions on emergencies and their impact on governance and civil rights.

What is Martial Law?

• Martial law involves direct military control over civilian functions during an emergency, suspending civilian laws and empowering the military to handle governance, policing, and judicial processes.
• It is typically imposed during situations like war, rebellion, or severe unrest.

Historical Context

• Martial law has been used globally, especially in situations where governments are overwhelmed or incapacitated.
• South Korea: The 1980 Gwangju Uprising saw martial law invoked to suppress pro-democracy protests.
• United States: Martial law has been used sparingly, such as during the Civil War and after Pearl Harbor.
• Philippines: Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos in 1970s became synonymous with authoritarianism.
• Countries with Martial Law Provisions: South Korea, United States, Philippines, Pakistan, Thailand.

Does India Have Martial Law Provisions?

• The term “martial law” is not explicitly defined in the Indian Constitution.
• Article 34: Allows Parliament to indemnify individuals for acts during martial law in declared areas but doesn’t define the process for declaring martial law itself.
• No Official Declaration: India has never officially declared martial law since independence.

India’s Emergency Provisions

• India manages extraordinary situations through constitutional provisions under:
  • Article 352: National emergency.
  • Article 356: State emergency.
  • Article 360: Financial emergency.
• These provisions are less extreme than martial law but have faced criticism for overreach, as seen during the 1975-77 Emergency.

Historical Context of Emergency in India

• Indo-China war, 1962: The first Emergency was declared in October 1962, when the Indo-China war broke out. Although a ceasefire was declared a month later, the Emergency was not revoked.
• Bangladesh Liberation War (Indo-Pak War), 1971: The second Emergency was imposed in December 1971, when the Bangladesh Liberation War broke out, and India was a significant player in it.
• Internal Emergency, 1975: Unlike the first two, the third Emergency was an internal Emergency, and it was imposed on the ground of internal disturbances.
• 44th Amendment (1978): This amendment curtailed executive powers, requiring Cabinet approval for declaring an emergency and giving Parliament greater oversight.

Procedures for Authorisation & Duration of a National Emergency

• Proclamation made under Article 352 for the imposition of a national emergency should be laid before each House of Parliament and must be approved by them with a special majority.
• Approval:
  • Within one month after the date of the proclamation of national Emergency, it must be ratified by both houses of Parliament.
  • If the Lok Sabha is not in session or has been dissolved before the expiry of one month after promulgation, the proclamation must be approved within 30 days from the first sitting of the newly constituted Lok Sabha, provided that the Rajya Sabha approves it in the meanwhile.

• Duration:
  • Normally, the Emergency will be in effect six months after approval.
  • However, such a proclamation may be extended indefinitely, with each extension receiving parliamentary approval by a special majority every six months.

Checks on Emergency Powers in India

• After 1978, Crucial Role For Parliament: A National Emergency can only last for six months and requires continuous approval by Parliament.
• Judicial Review: The courts can review emergency declarations, ensuring they align with constitutional provisions.
• Some fundamental rights, like the Right to Life (Article 21) and Right to Equality (Article 14), remain protected even during an emergency.
• The Army does not assume control over governance or law enforcement.
• Unlike martial law in South Korea, India’s National Emergency operates within a constitutional framework.

Implications of Emergency Powers

• Executive Power: Both systems allow the Executive to gain significant power during crises, but India’s system places checks and balances through Parliament.
• Civil Liberties: India’s emergency provisions allow for limited curtailment of rights, whereas martial law suspends more civil liberties.
• Role of Judiciary: In India, the judiciary retains the power to review emergency declarations, ensuring constitutional compliance. This was a critical change after the 44th Amendment.

Impacts of the imposition of a national emergency

• Executive: Centre’s executive authority extends to advising any state to exercise its executive authority.
• Legislative: The Parliament can enact laws on any item in the state list.
• Financial: The President is empowered to modify the provisions regarding the distribution of revenues between the Union and the States.
• Lok Sabha: For up to one year at a time, while a declaration of National Emergency is in effect, the Lok Sabha’s life may be prolonged beyond its regular term. This extension, however, is only valid for a maximum of six months after the Emergency has ended.
• State Assembly: Parliament may repeatedly extend the normal term of a state Legislative Assembly by one year, up to a maximum of six months after the situation has ended.

Effect on Fundamental Rights

Article 358

• Suspension of fundamental rights under Article 19.
• The six fundamental rights under Article 19 are immediately suspended when a proclamation of national Emergency is made under Article 358 on the grounds of war and external aggression.

Article 359

• Suspension of other fundamental rights.
• President is authorised to suspend the right to petition in any court to enforce fundamental rights.
• However, the right to judicial remedy for enforcing Articles 20 and 21 cannot be suspended.
• The suspension of enforcement relates to only those fundamental rights per the presidential order.

Emergency and Martial Law Provisions in India Vs. South Korea

{GS2 – Polity – IC – FRs} One Nation, One Time

• Context (TH): Indian govt drafted new rules that mandate the exclusive use of Indian Standard Time (IST) across official, commercial and legal platforms.

Historical Evolution of Timekeeping in India

• Ancient Timekeeping: Early Indians used water clocks (called Jalankantha) and sun dials for time measurement in ancient civilizations like Harappa.
• Vedic Influence: In the Vedic period, time was divided into muhurats (periods) and yugas (epochs), reflecting spiritual and agricultural cycles.
• Medieval Developments: Mughal rulers, particularly Akbar, employed astrological timekeeping methods, including zodiac-based time divisions.
• Astronomical Advancements: Aryabhata and Varahamihira contributed significantly to precise time measurement through astronomical instruments like the astrolabe.
• Colonial Impact: The British colonial period introduced the Western-style mechanical clocks, marking a shift toward standardized time.
• Post-Independence Standardization: Indian Standard Time (IST) was formalized based on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), aligning entire country under a single time zone, headquartered at Mirzapur.
• Modern Innovations: In recent years, India has adopted digital technologies for precise time synchronization through Indian National Time (INT), a network using atomic clocks.

Need for Standardized Timekeeping

• Accurate time synchronization is critical for consistent operations across various sectors and for national infrastructure, including telecommunications, banking, and defence.
• Nanosecond accuracy in timekeeping is particularly important for emerging technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence.

Key Provisions of the Draft Rules

• Mandatory Use of IST: IST will be the sole time reference for all official and commercial platforms, including legal contracts and financial transactions.
• Time-Synchronization Systems: Government offices and public institutions must implement time-synchronization systems to ensure the availability, reliability, and cybersecurity of time data.
• Prohibition on Alternative Time References: Use of time references other than IST is prohibited for official and commercial purposes.
• Potential for Penalties: Violations will incur penalties, and periodic audits will be conducted to ensure compliance.
• Applicability: The rules apply across various sectors such as commerce, transport, public administration, legal frameworks, and financial operations.
• Exemptions for Specialized Fields: Fields like astronomy, navigation, and scientific research may request exceptions, subject to government approval.

Implications

• Increased Accuracy and Efficiency: Nanosecond-level precision will improve efficiency and reliability in critical sectors.
• Better Coordination: Uniform timekeeping across official and commercial platforms will ensure smoother coordination and reduce discrepancies.
• Enhanced National Security: Accurate timekeeping is vital for strategic sectors, including defence, telecommunications, and banking, ensuring national security and operational readiness.
• Collaboration with Key Agencies: The Department of Consumer Affairs, National Physical Laboratory, and ISRO will collaborate to develop robust time generation and dissemination systems.

Challenges

• Implementation Costs: To set time-synchronization systems across sectors could incur significant costs.
• Compliance and Monitoring: Ensuring that all sectors comply with the mandatory use of IST may present logistical and enforcement challenges.
• Adapting to Exceptions: Fields like astronomy and research will need to navigate the exception process, requiring specialized time systems.

{GS3 – Agri – Crops} Geo-tagging and Aadhaar for Chinar Conservation

• Context (IE): Jammu & Kashmir government has launched the “Tree Aadhaar” mission to conserve declining chinar trees by giving them unique identities and geo-tagging them for monitoring.

Chinar Tree

• Botanical Name: Oriental plane tree (Platanus orientalis var. cashmeriana).
• Habitat: Found in cool climates with ample water, primarily in Eastern Himalayas.
• Size: Grows up to 30 meters tall, with a girth of 10-15 meters.
• Growth: Takes 30-50 years to mature; reaches full size after 150 years.

Historical and Religious Importance

• Mughal Influence: Introduced by Mughals, particularly during Jahangir’s reign, who planted chinars in Naseem Bagh and Chaar Chinari.
• Religious Significance: Often found near Muslim and Hindu shrines in Kashmir.
• Cultural Significance: State tree of Jammu & Kashmir, featured in local art, craft, and literature.
• Artistic Signifiance: Chinar motifs are common in papier-mache, embroidery, carpets, and walnut wood carvings.
• Oldest Known Chinar Tree: Planted by a Sufi saint, is located in Chattergam village, central Kashmir.

Tree Aadhaar Mission

• Census: A census of chinar trees across the Kashmir valley and Chenab region has been conducted.
• Geo-tagging: Each tree is assigned a unique identity (Tree Aadhaar) & geo-tagged for easy identification.
• Current Status: 28,560 trees geo-tagged, out of an estimated 32,000-33,000 trees.
• QR Code System: Metallic QR codes placed on trees provide data on 25 parameters, including:
  • Geographic location (longitude, latitude).
  • Tree’s age, height, girth, branch count, and health.
  • Canopy size and eco-threats.

Conservation Measures

• Government Permission for Tree Cutting: Cutting a chinar tree requires government approval, even on private property.
• Technology Utilization: The QR code system enhances tracking and conservation efforts, providing comprehensive data for monitoring the health and status of chinar trees.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} India’s First Wetland-Accredited Cities

• Context (NDTV): Indore and Udaipur became the first Indian cities to receive Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (globally 31 accredited cities).

• Sirpur Lake (Indore), a Ramsar site, is recognised for its role in water bird congregation and is being developed as a bird sanctuary.
• Udaipur is surrounded by five important wetlands: Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar, and Doodh Talai and these wetlands play a crucial role in the city’s cultural identity, microclimate regulation, and protection against extreme weather events like floods.

Wetland City Accreditation

• The Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) is a voluntary international recognition scheme established by the Ramsar Convention to promote the conservation and wise use of urban wetlands.
• It aims to recognise cities that actively conserve and sustainably manage their natural or human-made wetlands.
• The scheme aims to promote the socio-economic benefits that wetlands provide to urban areas, such as flood control, water quality improvement, and recreational opportunities.

Read More > Ramsar Convention | Ramsar Sites in India

{GS3 – S&T – Space} ISRO’s 100th Launch

• Context (IE): ISRO prepares for its historic 100th launch on January 29, 2024, sending the NVS-02 navigation satellite aboard GSLV-F15 from Sriharikota.

About NVS-02

• NVS-02 is the second in a series of five advanced satellites designed to replace the current Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) constellation, also known as NavIC.
• It features indigenous atomic clocks for improved accuracy and has an extended lifespan of 12 years.
• It includes widely-used L1 frequency for better compatibility with smartphones and smaller devices like fitness trackers.
• It is configured with Navigation payload in L1, L5 and S bands in addition to ranging payload in C-band.
• The satellite will be inserted into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).

Read More > NavIC | Atomic Clocks

{GS3 – S&T – Tech} Challenges in Crypto Withdrawals for Indian Investors

• Context (TH): Indian cryptocurrency exchanges have been restricting crypto withdrawals, leading to confusion and concerns among investors.

Crypto Exchanges in India

• A cryptocurrency exchange works similarly to stock exchanges, which helps investors buy and sell in digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Tether.
• These platforms work on digital marketplaces such as mobile apps or via desktop functions.
• India will block URLs of 9 offshore exchanges, including Binance, after issuing ‘Show Cause’ notices.
• The Finance Ministry mandated that crypto businesses register with the FIU and comply with the PMLA.
• Crypto businesses will become legally obligated to perform Know Your Customer (KYC).
• The obligation is activity-based and not physical presence-based.

Reasons for Withdrawal Restrictions

• Compliance Issues: Exchanges restrict withdrawals to comply with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating Financing of Terrorism (CFT) regulations.
• Security Concerns: To protect platforms from bad actors, crypto exchanges temporarily block withdrawals for security enhancements.
• Regulatory Uncertainty: Lack of clear regulations governing crypto withdrawals causes exchanges to implement varying policies.
• Risk of Illicit Activities: Authorities fear that crypto withdrawals could facilitate money laundering or fund illegal activities.
• Government Scrutiny: Exchanges face the possibility of investigations if withdrawals are linked to illicit transactions, impacting liquidity and business operations.

Exchange-Specific Policies

• KYC & Manual Transfers: Users must undergo detailed Know-Your-Customer (KYC) verification before withdrawing. Manual bank transfers are typically required, as instant methods like UPI are not supported.
• Different Platforms, Different Rules: Exchanges like CoinDCX and CoinSwitch restrict crypto withdrawals due to capital control and compliance issues, while Zebpay offers limited manual transfer options.
• Binance: Despite being a global platform, allows withdrawals for Indian users without major restrictions.

What Investors Should Know?

• Cross-Border Operations: Many crypto exchanges, even if marketed as Indian, may have headquarters abroad, affecting investor protection.
• Risks of Price Volatility: Crypto investments are subject to extreme price fluctuations, and exchanges may freeze assets during investigations or regulatory changes.
• Legal Ambiguity: Indian investors face the challenge of dealing with crypto-related legal issues without much governmental support.

Way Forward

• Clear Regulations Needed: Experts emphasize the importance of a comprehensive regulatory framework for Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) to provide clarity and ensure secure withdrawals.
• Improved Policies: Establishing standardized withdrawal policies would help resolve current investor concerns and build trust in crypto exchanges.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Paraquat Poisoning

• Context (IE): Paraquat, a toxic herbicide, was in news.

What is Paraquat?

• It is known as paraquat dichloride or methyl viologen, it is a widely used herbicide for weed control and crop desiccation.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies paraquat as moderately hazardous.
• It is banned in over 70 countries, including China and the EU, but still widely used in the US and India.
• Even a small accidental sip can be fatal.

How Does it Harm?

• Poisoning can occur through ingestion, prolonged skin contact, or inhalation.
• The chemical rapidly spreads through the body and causes damage to the mouth, stomach, intestinal lining, lungs, liver, kidneys, heart (causing rapid heart rate and potential failure) and Respiratory system.
• Treatment focuses on supportive care to manage organ damage as there is no known antidote for paraquat poisoning.

Regulation in India

• The chemical’s use is governed by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee under the Insecticides Act, 1968 and is restricted to specific crops including:
  • Food crops: wheat, rice, potato, grapes, maize
  • Commercial crops: tea, coffee, rubber, apple
  • Waterway management for controlling specific weeds

Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC)

• CIBRC is under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare.
• It is responsible for advising the Central & State governments on technical matters related to insecticides.