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Invalidating NewsClick editor Prabir Purkayastha's 2024 arrest under UAPA, the Court held that procedural shield extend even to stringent anti-terror legislation. SC Judgement —> Police must communicate the grounds of arrest in writing, in a language understood by the accused, within a reasonable time, a minimum of 2 hours before the remand hearing —> Applies to all offences (not just PMLA/UAPA) Key Issues 1. Right to life and liberty 2. Balance between fundamental rights and national security 3. Due Process of the law. 4. Rule of law : Police must follow "law in letter and spirit" 5. Recognises arrest stigma: "impacts not only the person arrested, but family, friends, relatives—affecting psychological balance and social well-being" 6. Role of judiciary : Protector and guarantor of FR. 7. Safeguards like restricting police custody of women after sunset, mandatory judge appearance within 24 hours all reaffirmed

Implications of G2 grouping 1. USA President Trump signalling as equating two countries' power status - something no USA president has ever done. 2. Shifting alliances and global uncertainty : USA- China bonhomie is shift away from earlier alliances. --> QUAD grouping: Formed in 2017 on the sidelines of ASEAN Summit to deal with China as a strategic threat and tackle belligerent China. Now Trump postponed the QUAD Summit that was to be held in India this year. --> USA focus on Indo-Pacific : USA presence in Indo-Pacific was seen as relief against Chinese aggression. --> Disquiet in Tokyo and Canberra. --> AUKUS grouping sidelined. --> Shifting ideology : West led rules based order vs Belligerent China.Marginalisation of smaller nations (violates democratic principles) --> European allies / NATO sidelined. --> Returns to 19th-century great power politics --> Risks power vacuum, regional conflicts 3. Impact on India --> Border tensions : China vs India --> USA tariffs on India higher than China. 4. Rise of G2 --> The term “G-2” was coined by C. Fred Bergsten (2005) in his book The United States and the World Economy (Peterson Institute for International Economics). --> Post 2008 global financial crisis : The G2 projected as "There will be no sustained recovery from the current global economic crisis unless the United States and China lead it." Similarly, as the largest polluters glo-bally, "There will be no international compact on global warm-ing unless they embrace it". -->Since Xi Jinping’s rise (2013), China has asserted itself through militarization, Indo-Pacific influence, and global governance participation. --> The Trump administration (2017–2021) pivoted from “strategic engagement” to “strategic rivalry”, labeling China as a revisionist power in the 2017 US National Security Strategy.

Building interlinkages 1. https://t.me/civils_web/9263 2. https://t.me/bpscweb/37970

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10 year roadmap for strategic Collaboration : Framework for India USA Major Defence Partnership Other defence Agreements 1. India and the US have signed a Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers. 2.iCET 3.INDUS-X 4.Foundational agreements - GSOMIA, LEMOA , COMCASA, BECA. Interlinkages 1. https://t.me/civils_web/5118 2. https://t.me/civils_web/4115

Timeline of Nuclear Testing —> 1945: US nuclear era opens (Alamogordo test, 20-kiloton bomb) —> August 1945: Hiroshima & Nagasaki bombings; Japan surrenders —> August 1949: Soviet Union detonates first nuclear bomb Why Testing Was Stopped —> Environmental concerns: West's Pacific tests and USSR's Kazakhstan tests caused massive land contamination; millionsnaffected by radiation —> Cold War tensions reduction: Treaty aimed to stabilize US-USSR relations —> Global health impact: Advocacy movements highlighted civilian casualties

PRESENT STATUS 1. Moratorium: U.S., China, Russia have maintained a moratorium on nuclear weapons detonation tests since the 1990s. 2. North Korea: Has tested multiple nuclear weapons in the new century. 3. Last Tests: Soviet Union (1990), U.S. (1992), China (1996). Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) 1. Banned all nuclear tests in 1996. 2. Never came into force as required number of countries (including U.S., China) did not ratify it. 3. Russia signed and ratified but de-ratified in 2023. Partial Test Ban Treaty The 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty, signed by the So-viet Union, the U.S. and the U.K., banned all nuclear test detonations in the at-mosphere, outer space and underwater. Since then Nuclear Arsenals 1. Russia: 4,309 warheads (largest). 2. U.S.: 3,700 warheads. 3. China: >1,000 warheads. IMPACT : If U.S. tests, Russia and China could follow. This could pressure India and Pakistan to test, leading to a new nuclear arms race.

Legal Framework 1. RPA, 1951: Sections 33-36 govern nomination. 2. Section 36: Authorises RO for 'summary inquiry' and rejection for 'defects of a substantial character'. 3. Article 329(b): Bars court interference mid-election, making RO's decision. Issues 1. RO's Wide Discretion 2. Lack of Judicial oversight : Remedy is only an election petition post-polls, when damage is irreversible. 3. Weaponisation of Procedure / Bureaucratic red tapism : Examples include blank fields, denied signatures, delayed certificates. 4. Judicial Interventions: SC directions intended for transparency created more opportunities for technical rejection ex Resurgence India vs ECI 5. Procedural Traps: Oath trap (timing, authority), notarisation trap, certificate trap (no-dues, EC clearance). 6. Burden of Proof: Lies on citizen, not official, which is "constitutionally backwards." 7. RO Handbook Checklist: No legal standing, offers illusion of transparency without protection. Impact : Violates candidate's right to contest and voters' right to choose Best Practices 1. U.K.: ROs help fix errors before deadlines. 2. Canada: Mandates 48-hour correction period. 3. Germany: Written notice of problems, time to remedy, multiple appeal layers. 4. Australia: Encourages early submission for corrections. Proposed Reforms 1. Shift RO Role: From discretion to duty; issue detailed written notice for deficiencies. 2. Guaranteed Correction Window: 48 hours for candidates to fix errors. 3. Classification of Deficiencies: Technical (cannot reject), authenticity (investigate), constitutional/statutory bars (immediate disqualification). 4. Reasoned Rejection Orders: Specify exact error, legal provision, evidence etc 5. Digital Solution: Integrated online portal for nomination, auto-validation, digital submissions, public dashboard with timestamps and reasons.

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The Maharashtra government announced a partnership with Starlink to deliver satellite internet services, targeting rural communities and critical infrastructure. #CA2025 #first