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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for April 3, 2026. If you missed the April 2, 2026 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here
Front Page
India joins 60 nations at UK meeting calling for opening Strait of Hormuz
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
What’s the ongoing story: With the shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz impacting energy supplies to India, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri joined a meeting of more than 60 countries, convened Thursday by the UK, on reopening the crucial waterway where he underlined the principles of “freedom of navigation” and “unimpeded transit”.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Map Work– Strait of Hormuz
• Which country has jurisdiction over Strait of Hormuz?
• Is it legal to blockade international waters?
• How has Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz?
• What is Exclusive Economic Zone?
• What United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) says?
• With military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, what is the impact on India’s energy supplies likely to be?
• Iran’s ‘toll-booth system’ in the Strait of Hormuz-why it is said so?
• Is collecting formal tolls for the Strait of Hormuz legal?
Key Takeaways:
• Misri’s remarks found an echo in the Chair’s statement following the meeting. The statement issued by the British government said the partners called for the “immediate and unconditional reopening” of the Strait and respect for the “fundamental principles of freedom of navigation and the law of the sea”.
• The statement said “Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz is a direct threat to global prosperity” and “Iran is trying to hold the global economy hostage” and “must not prevail”.
• The Associated Press, reporting from London, said Thursday’s meeting is considered a first step, to be followed by “working-level meetings” of officials to hammer out details.
• In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “Foreign Secretary (Misri) represented India at a meeting convened by the UK Foreign Secretary on the situation in West Asia. More than 60 countries participated in the meeting.” The MEA statement said, “Foreign Secretary (Misri) noted the importance of the principles of freedom of navigation and unimpeded transit through international waterways”.
• He also conveyed the impact on India’s energy security and the toll on Indian seafarers due to the ongoing conflict between US-Israel and Iran.
• A total of 18 Indian-flagged vessels with 485 Indian seafarers continue to remain in the western Persian Gulf region.
Do You Know:
• The Strait of Hormuz is the key channel through which 20 per cent of the global energy supply – and majority of the gas supply from Qatar – passes in large carriers. Qatar, UAE, Kuwait have all been hit by the closure of the Strait, and that has led to a global rise in prices of oil and gas, and impacted the supply of cooking gas in India and other countries.
• According to Section 38 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), all ships (commercial and military) enjoy the right of transit passage. This means they can pass through the strait solely for continuous and expeditious transit between one part of the high seas (or EEZ) and another. Also, such vessels must not be a threat to the bordering nations (UNCLOS Article 39).
• Article 44 of the UNCLOS states that coastal states — Iran and Oman, in this case — “shall not hamper” or suspend this passage.
• Charging a fee is legally interpreted as “hampering” passage because it turns a sovereign right into a conditional permit. Attacking a ship for entering the strait is, obviously, illegal as per international law.
• While Iran is a signatory of the UNCLOS, 1982, it has not ratified the treaty, and therefore, refuses to acknowledge the law.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Expert Explains: ‘The Strait of Hormuz is simply too vital an artery to remain closed for too long’
📍Trump speech: 5 takeaways, and what India must prepare for
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
1) With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE, 2022)
1. A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baseline determined in accordance with the convention.
2. Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.
3. The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Politics
India’s defence exports rose by 62.66% in ’25-26 to reach all-time high of Rs 38,424 cr
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
What’s the ongoing story: India’s defence exports in the Financial Year (FY) 2025-26 reached a record Rs 38,424 crore, registering a 62% year-on-year increase over the previous fiscal year’s figure of Rs 23,622 crore.
Key Points to Ponder:
• India’s Defence Sector-What you know about the same so far?
• What are the some important developments in India’s Defence Sector? (Assess before and after operation Sindoor)
• What are defence Public Sector Undertakings?
• Defence Acquisition Council-About, Role and Functions
• Why Defence Acquisitions Council was created?
• What are the major defence PSUs (DPSUs) in India?
• Why there is surge in indigenous defence production?
• How India’s defence exports expanded over a time?
• What policy reforms are taken for defence sector?
• What are the key issues and challenges with India’s defence sector?
Key Takeaways:
• Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and the private sector contributed 54.84% and 45.16% in registering the feat. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauded the Department of Defence Production, Indian defence exporters and asserted that India is marching ahead towards becoming a global manufacturing hub for defence equipment.
• Compared to the last year, the DPSUs’ exports surged by 151%, with private firms showcasing robust growth by registering an increase of 14%. The private sector accounted for Rs 17,353 crore worth of defence exports, whereas the DPSUs contributed Rs 21,071 crore.
Do You Know:
• The global volume of major arms transfers between states in 2021–25 was 9.2 per cent higher than in the previous five-year period (2016–20), according to the latest report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). It also stated that arms imports by states in Europe more than trebled between the two periods (+210 per cent).
• The volume of international transfers of major arms in 2021–25 was 9.2 per cent higher than in 2016–20. This was the biggest increase since 2011–15.
• SIPRI has identified 66 states as suppliers of major arms in 2021–25. The five largest suppliers of major arms in 2021–25 were: the USA, France, Russia, Germany and China. These five countries accounted for 70 per cent of all arms exports.
• SIPRI has identified 162 states and 4 non-state armed groups as recipients of major arms in 2021–25. The top five recipients of major arms in 2021–25 were—Ukraine, India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan— received 35 per cent of total global arms imports in the period.
• Established in 1966, SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. It provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Knowledge Nugget | USA Leads Exports, Ukraine Tops Arms Import Chart: Key highlights of SIPRI report
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
2) Operations undertaken by the Army towards upliftment of the local population in remote areas to include addressing of their basic needs is called: (UPSC CSE, 2024)
(a) Operation Sankalp
(b) Operation Maitri
(c) Operation Sadbhavana
(d) Operation Madad
Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme:
Q. What is the significance of Indo-US defence deals over Indo-Russian defence deals? Discuss with reference to stability in the Indo-Pacific region. ( 2020)
Parliament
Cancer 10th leading cause of death among kids in India: Study
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
What’s the ongoing story: Childhood cancers were the eight leading cause of death in children globally — killing more than common infectious conditions such as measles, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Childhood cancers-what you know about the same?
• Childhood cancers in India-know in detail
• What are the key takeaways from the Lancet report?
• What is disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)?
• India’s first nationwide registry tracking childhood cancer survivors-know more
• What needs to be done?
Key Takeaways:
• With outcomes largely determined by resource availability, 94% of the deaths in 2023 were concentrated in low and middle income countries, according to the latest findings from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 study published today in The Lancet.
• There were 377,000 new cases of childhood cancer and 144,000 deaths worldwide in 2023, according to the research.
• The number of new cases of childhood cancers has been relatively stable globally, while the number of deaths have decreased by 27%. These cancers, however, were concentrated in the low and middle income countries. The estimates show that 85% of new cases, 94% of deaths, and 94% of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2023 were from these countries.
• DALYs measure the total years of healthy life lost by examining the years lost from premature death and years lived with disability.
Do You Know:
• In India, childhood cancers were the tenth leading cause of deaths among children, killing 17,000 in 2023, according to the study. “Despite this childhood cancer is not included in India’s national cancer control planning,”Dr Venkatraman Radhakrishnan, Professor of Medical Oncology at the Cancer Institute (W.I.A), Adyar, Chennai, said.
• The national programme screens only for the three most common forms of cancers seen in men and women — oral, cervical, and breast.
• While mortality declined globally, the estimates show that the children in low and middle-income countries face the most severe consequences. South Asia accounts for 20.5 percent or one in five global child cancer deaths. Not only that, the report shows there was a 16.9 percent increase in childhood cancer deaths from 1990 to 2023.
• Acute leukaemia was the most common cancer, accounting for 40.9 per cent of cases, followed by Hodgkin lymphoma at 12.9 per cent, bone tumours at 8.4 per cent, and retinoblastoma at 7.4 per cent. Almost all children received chemotherapy, about one-third underwent surgery, and one-quarter received radiotherapy.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
3) ‘RNA interference (RNAi)’ technology has gained popularity in the last few years. Why? (UPSC CSE, 2019)
1. It is used in developing gene silencing therapies.
2. It can be used in developing therapies for the treatment of cancer.
3. It can be used to develop hormone replacement therapies.
4. It can be used to produce crop plants that are resistant to viral pathogens.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1, 2 and 4
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 1 and 4
The Ideas Page
Some smart(phone) lessons for industrial policy
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
What’s the ongoing story: Ashish Dhawan and Vinay Ramesh writes-India’s arrival on the global manufacturing scene has been a long-awaited sequel to its success in IT exports. One recent bright spot is electronics — specifically, smartphones.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What is Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme?
• What is the PLI scheme for smartphones?
• What explains the smartphone PLI’s success?
• What are the factors contributing to success of smartphone PLI?
• Smartphone industry in India-know in detail
• What is electronics components manufacturing scheme?
Key Takeaways:
Ashish Dhawan and Vinay Ramesh writes-
• Launched in early 2020, the government’s smartphone Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has delivered impressive results.
• An investment of about $1.2 billion under the scheme has driven $64 billion in production by FY 2025 — more than double the $30 billion in 2020.
• Total investment in the broader smartphone ecosystem — including non-PLI participants — is conservatively estimated at around $8 billion, creating about 1.5 lakh jobs — with some estimates putting the figure as high as 2 lakh.
Do You Know:
Ashish Dhawan and Vinay Ramesh writes-
• The first reason for its success was that it had a clear export focus from the start. It targeted two segments: Phones with an invoice value of Rs 15,000 or more — critical for exports — and cheaper phones better suited to the domestic market.
• The second and equally significant factor was the decision to focus downstream. The PLI targeted final assemblers such as Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron — the companies closest to global brands and capable of scaling fast. China and Vietnam followed a similar sequence: Build massive assembly capacity first, then deepen the supply chain.
• A third factor was recognising that building scale in assembly also depended on freeing up the flow of inputs. In many PLI-targeted sectors, tariff and non-tariff barriers on components and raw-material inputs have undermined competitiveness, offsetting the benefits PLIs aim to create.
• Administrative bottlenecks were tackled head-on. When large export consignments began piling up, Chennai airport’s cargo section expanded capacity; when labour unrest surfaced, state governments stepped in as facilitators. This responsiveness was vital to building investor confidence.
• Finally, the smartphone PLI was not designed in isolation. It emerged from months of close consultations with industry, and that spirit of collaboration has been even more visible with the new ECMS, where officials held extensive discussions to identify challenges.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍India proposes forcing smartphone makers to give source code in security overhaul
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
4) ‘R2 Code of Practices’ constitutes a tool available for promoting the adoption of (UPSC CSE, 2020)
(a) environmentally responsible practices in electronics recycling industry
(b) ecological management of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention
(c) sustainable practices in the cultivation of agricultural crops in degraded lands
(d) ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ in the exploitation of natural resources
Nation
NCERT gets deemed varsity status, school body now under UGC framework
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
What’s the ongoing story: Nearly three years after the Union government signalled its intent to expand its mandate, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been formally declared an institution “deemed to be university,” marking a structural shift in the role of the country’s apex school education body, The Indian Express has learnt.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What is the role of the National Council of Educational Research and Training?
• What is meant by a deemed to be university?
• The NCERT has been formally declared an institution “deemed to be university’-what you understand by the same?
• What is the advantage of “deemed to be university’?
• What is the difference between university and deemed to be university?
• Do you think that such a transition could dilute NCERT’s autonomy?
• What does the new status mean for the school education body?
Key Takeaways:
• The new status significantly expands NCERT’s mandate beyond school curriculum design, enabling the body to launch academic programmes, including doctoral and innovative courses.
• A notification issued by the Ministry of Education on Monday (March 30), declares NCERT, along with its six constituent units, as an institution deemed to be university under a “distinct category,” under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956. “The Ministry of Education, on the advice of the UGC, hereby declares National Council of Educational Research and Training… consisting of… six constituent units as an Institution deemed to be University under distinct category,” it states.
• These constituent units include regional institutes of education in Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysuru and Shillong, along with the Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education in Bhopal.
• The declaration follows a multi-stage process that began with NCERT’s application on the UGC portal, followed by a Letter of Intent issued in August 2023. According to the notification, the institution submitted a compliance report in November 2025, which was accepted by the UGC’s expert committee and approved during its 595th meeting on January 30 this year.
Do You Know:
• The notification mandates that NCERT “shall take appropriate steps to commence research programmes as well as doctoral and innovative academic programmes”.
• It also brings NCERT squarely within the regulatory ambit of the UGC, a key concern raised by critics earlier. The notification makes clear that “the academic programmes to be offered at NCERT… shall conform to the norms and standards prescribed by the UGC,” and that any new courses or off-campus centres must follow UGC guidelines.
• Further, NCERT is barred from commercial activity, with the notification stating it “shall not engage or indulge in any activities that are of commercial and profit making in nature”.
• The institution will also be required to align itself with broader higher education frameworks, including participation in national rankings and accreditation systems. It “shall participate in annual Indian rankings issued by National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)” and seek accreditation from bodies such as NAAC and NBA, said the notification.
• When the proposal was first announced in 2023, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said the move would help NCERT evolve into a research-driven institution and expand its global academic engagement.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍‘Judiciary corruption’ row: How are new NCERT textbooks drafted and cleared?
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
5) Which of the following provisions of the Constitution of India have a bearing on Education? (UPSC CSE, 2012)
1. Directive Principles of State Policy
2. Rural and Urban Local Bodies
3. Fifth Schedule
4. Sixth Schedule
5. Seventh Schedule
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3, 4 and 5 only
(c) 1, 2 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Economy
India’s online takedown mechanism politically motivated: US in key report
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
Main Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
What’s the ongoing story: The US government, in a key report, has noted that since 2021, American companies like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X have been subject to an “increasing number of takedown requests” for content and user accounts related to issues that appear “politically motivated”.
Key Points to Ponder:
• The 2026 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers-know the key findings
• India directed content takedowns ‘politically motivated’-how far you agree with the same?
• How does online censorship work in India?
• There are two content blocking mechanisms in India-what are those?
• What are present legal framework governing content blocking in India?
• Know the constitutional validity of Section 69A in light of freedom of speech.
• What is Section 79 (3)(b) of the IT Act?
• The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021-know key highlights
• What are the present social media rules in India?
• Social media rules in India vs social media rules in USA-compare and contrast
• There should be balance between national security and free speech in digital governance-examine
• What is the role of the executive, legislature and judiciary in regulating online content?
• What are the digital rights in India?
Key Takeaways:
• The report, called the 2026 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, was released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), outlines “significant foreign trade barriers facing US exports” in various countries.
• For India, the report has flagged a number of barriers that American companies face in the country, ranging from its laws for the digital ecosystem — like the IT Rules, 2021 and the data protection law — to UPI and agriculture, among others.
• The USTR’s comments on India’s censorship mechanism comes as the government is tightening its control over the internet, and recently proposing it to broaden to what independent news creators and citizen journalists post on social media. Queries sent to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology did not elicit a response.
• In February 2021, the Indian Government published regulations — the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules) — to govern a wide range of Internet-based service providers, particularly those that operate social media, messaging, and news and entertainment content in India, the USTR report said.
• It added that these rules require compliance by significant social media intermediaries — companies like Meta, Google etc — and platforms with five million registered users or more, along with a number of requirements that “US stakeholders have identified as concerning”.
Do You Know:
• Last month, draft amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 proposed that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) would be able recommend issuing of direct blocking orders to independent news creators online, and require them to apologise, or make changes to the content, if found guilty of any grievances received by an inter-departmental committee.
• Popular news and current affairs creators could fall under the ambit of these proposed changes, since they are currently not defined as publishers. In fact, the proposed rules could be even wider in their coverage. For instance, even if a creator does not regularly make content related to news or current affairs, but creates something involving a current topic — say a stand-up comic making a joke about a government policy — could potentially fall under its ambit.
• India is also planning to decentralise a key online content takedown framework and empower multiple ministries and regulators to start sending blocking orders to social media companies, raising concerns over an expanding censorship regime, The Indian Express had earlier reported.
• These are only some of the ways in which the government is doubling down on blocking content on social media. Other attempts include shortening content takedown timelines for online platforms significantly, plans to introduce new no-go areas under a new definition of “obscene” content, and of course, expanding a parallel content blocking mechanism under Section 79 (3)(b) of the IT Act, which is managed through the Home Ministry’s Sahyog portal.
• In February, the IT Ministry notified amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Centre looks to empower more ministries to block social media content
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
6) Right to Privacy’ is protected under which Article of the Constitution of India? (UPSC CSE 2021)
a) Article 15
b) Article 19
c) Article 21
d) Article 29
NDD ban: Is it the end of speculative games in rupee?
Preliminary Examination:Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
What’s the ongoing story: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) latest directive to bar banks from non-deliverable derivative (NDD) contracts in the rupee — often misused and manipulated by big currency players — marks a decisive shift toward tighter control and transparency in the foreign exchange market.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What is a non-deliverable rupee derivative?
• What is the non-deliverable derivative (NDD) market?
• What is hedge fund?
• Who typically uses non-deliverable derivative (NDD) markets?
• How non-deliverable derivative (NDD) market are also misused?
• What steps RBI has taken for non-deliverable derivative (NDD) market?
Key Takeaways:
• The move boosted the battered rupee, which had fallen below the 95 level against the dollar, to 93.10, a sharp rally of Rs 1.73 on Thursday (April 2).
• By eliminating a key avenue for speculative exercise, the central bank is attempting to stabilise currency movements, hit hard by the rising oil prices and capital outflows in the wake of the West Asia conflict, and reinforce the primacy of the onshore market in the country.
• The NDD market was also misused by some market participants. Previously, some participants would cancel and re-enter contracts to take advantage of favourable movements, effectively turning hedging tools into speculative instruments
Do You Know:
• NDDs, which are typically traded outside India in financial hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong, London or Dubai, allow participants to bet on the rupee’s direction without actual delivery of the currency.
• An NDD is a derivative contract where two parties agree on a future exchange rate for the rupee, but settle the difference in cash, usually in US dollars. As India has capital controls, offshore investors can’t freely trade in the rupee in physical form. This led to the creation of the NDD markets in the rupee. These instruments have long been criticised for distorting price discovery and manipulation as such an offshore sentiment can diverge sharply from domestic fundamentals and movements.
• The NDD market is widely used by foreign investors, hedge funds and global banks who cannot freely access and play in the Indian rupee
market, as well as by firms looking to hedge currency risk.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍RBI tightens forex rules, bans non-deliverable Re contracts
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
7) Consider the following markets: (UPSC CSE, 2023)
1. Government Bond Market
2. Call Money Market
3. Treasury Bill Market
4. Stock Market
How many of the above are included in capital markets?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Explained
Form 6 furore in West Bengal: How new voters are included in rolls
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
What’s the ongoing story: With just days to go till the electoral rolls for the April 23 and April 29 polls in West Bengal are to be frozen, the All-Trinamool Congress has alleged a last-minute attempt by the BJP to have electors from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh enrolled onto the state’s rolls.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What is Form 6?
• What Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 says?
• What Article 326 of the Constitution says?
• Does form 6 requires proof of citizenship?
• How is Form 6 processed?
• What has the EC said?
Key Takeaways:
• TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP of trying to change the demography of the state by submitting thousands of Form 6s, which are the Election Commission’s form for enrolment of new electors.
• In a series of press conferences and statements over the past week, the TMC has alleged that thousands of Form 6s have been submitted by the BJP at West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal’s office in Kolkata.
• As per the EC’s rules, Booth Level Agents of political parties can submit upto 50 forms for inclusion and deletion every day. However, any elector enrolled in a particular constituency can file a Form 7 seeking deletion of someone they suspect to be ineligible.
Do You Know:
• A Form 6 is the Election Commission’s form for application for new voters, as per provisions of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The form is addressed to the Electoral Registration Officer of the Assembly constituency or the ERO of the Parliamentary constituency in case of Union Territories without an Assembly.
• By law, it is the ERO, who is a local official designated for the job by the ECI in consultation with the state government, who has to maintain the electoral roll, accept additions, process deletions and carry out hearings in case of objections.
• Along with the form, the applicant has to provide a self-attested copy of a document proving date of birth, including birth certificate, Aadhaar card, PAN card, driving license, Class X or Class XII certificate or Indian passport.
• While Article 326 of the Constitution says only Indian citizens above the age of 18 can be registered to vote, the Form 6 does not seek proof of citizenship. It does, however, include a self-declaration that the applicant is a citizen and if found otherwise, can face a fine or imprisonment upto one year or both.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍What are the rules for obtaining a voter ID?
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
8) Right to vote and to be elected in India is a (UPSC CSE, 2017)
(a) Fundamental Right
(b) Natural Right
(c) Constitutional Right
(d) Legal Right
Israel’s death penalty for convicted Palestinians marks a major shift
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.
What’s the ongoing story: Amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia due to the war in Iran, Israel on Monday saw celebrations with the National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, pouring champagne into the glasses of the members outside the Knesset chamber.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What is the death penalty?
• The “Death Penalty for Terrorists” Bill-why it is controversial?
• How World has reacted?
• What India said?
• How Countries retained death penalty or Capital Punishment?
• What annual statistics report ‘death penalty in India’ published by NLU says on Capital Punishment?
• What does National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) says on capital punishment in India?
• What are the arguments for Capital Punishment in India?
• What are the arguments against Capital Punishment in India?
• “Capital Punishment is a form of retribution”- What do you understand by this statement?
• Objective of justice should be reformative and not retributive- What do you understand by this statement?
Key Takeaways:
• “Soon we will count them one by one,” he was heard saying in a video shared on social media. The Members of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, were elated about the passing of what is seen as a deeply polarising law: The “Death Penalty for Terrorists” Bill.
• The highly debated law mandates capital punishment for those convicted of deadly terror attacks against Israeli citizens.
• Legal experts say that this law also highlights a major shift in Israel’s legal landscape. For years, Israel reserved the death penalty solely for extraordinary crimes like genocide.
• Under pressure from right-wing political parties and with strong backing from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the new law was finally passed, signalling a tough judicial approach of the state to national security.
• The Knesset displayed the final readings with a 62-48 majority (with one abstention). The key push for the legislation came from the Ben-Gvir-led far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party. His photograph, featuring a golden noose-shaped lapel pin, was widely shared on the internet during the proceedings.
Do You Know:
• The law establishes “death by hanging” as the default sentence for persons convicted of “premeditated murder”, termed a terrorist act — this refers to an act aimed at harming the State of Israel or the rebirth of the Jewish people in their homeland.
• Unlike the previous military regulations that sought a unanimous decision by a three-judge bench, this law allows for a simple majority (2-1) to pronounce the sentence.
• Further, it limits the power of the military commander in the West Bank to commute or pardon these sentences, mandating that the execution be carried out within 90 days of a final ruling.
• While judges technically retain the discretion to opt for life imprisonment under “special circumstances”, the legislative intent clearly frames the death penalty as the standard expectation for such offences.
• The law is not retrospective. This means it will not apply to the thousands of Palestinians currently in Israeli prisons, nor will it apply to the perpetrators of the October 7 attacks, who are being prosecuted under separate, existing legal frameworks.
• In 1948, the newly founded State of Israel inherited British Mandate laws that included capital punishment. However, the Knesset abolished the death penalty for murder in 1954.
• It was retained only for “extraordinary crimes”, including treason, genocide, and crimes against the Jewish people. In the 78-year history of the State, only one person has been executed by the civil judicial system: Nazi official Adolf Eichmann, who was hanged in 1962.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Israeli parliament approves death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis
Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme:
Q. Instances of the President’s delay in commuting death sentences has come under public debate as denial of justice. Should there be a time limit specified for the President to accept/reject such petitions? Analyse. (2014)
PRELIMS ANSWER KEY
1.(d) 2.(c) 3.(a) 4.(a) 5.(d) 6.(c) 7.(b) 8.(c)
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