Study moots inclusion of 179 groups in SC, ST, OBC lists

In one of the largest ethnographic studies of its kind, the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) and Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) across the country have, for the first time, comprehensively categorized 268 denotified, seminomadic, and nomadic tribes that previous commissions believed had never been classified. The three-year-long study commissioned by a NITI Aayog panel has recommended the inclusion of 179 of these communities on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes (Central) lists of 26 States and Union Territories. At least 85 of them are being recommended as fresh additions to these lists. Among the fresh additions, 46 communities have been recommended for OBC status, 29 for SC status, and 10 for ST status.

Which panel is better for Mullaperiyar, SC asks States

The Supreme Court on Monday orally asked the States of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to address it on whether the supervisory committee formed by the court would be more effective in taking care of the 129-year-old Mullaperiyar dam or the job must be given to a statutory committee envisaged under the new Dam Safety Act of 2021. Section 5 of the 2021 Act mandates the constitution of the National Committee on Dam Safety. The committee would be chaired by the Central Water Commission Chairperson and have representatives from the Centre and States and include three specialists in the field of dam safety and allied fields. 

Capex quandary

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre has been using public capital expenditure on infrastructure to pump prime the economic recovery. The mantra has been that infrastructure building will stoke demand for products such as cement and steel, generate jobs in construction, and together trigger a strong multiplier effect on the economy, eventually creating conducive conditions for private investors to plan greenfield and brownfield projects. In Budget 2024-25, Finance Minister said the government will endeavour to maintain strong fiscal support for infrastructure over the next five years, in conjunction with imperatives of other priorities and fiscal consolidation. Data show that two of this year's first three quarters have recorded a notable sequential de- cline in private investment plans, particularly by domestic industry.

UGC's draft regulation has serious constitutional issues

The UGC has sought to amend Regulation 2010 that relates to the selection and appointment of vice chancellors by widening the area of selection. Under the existing regulations, a vice chancellor can be selected only from among academicians who have a minimum experience of 10 years as professor. Through this amendment, the UGC declares that professionals with 10-plus years of experience in industry, public administration or public policy, shall also be considered.

The University Grants Commission Act, 1956 was enacted by Parliament to make provision for "the co-ordination and determination of standards in Universities and for that purpose, to establish the University Grants Commission". The Act, therefore, mandates the UGC to take all steps as it thinks fit for the promotion and the coordination of university education, and for the determination and maintenance of standards of teaching, examination and research in universities.

Prioritising IMEC is in America's best interest

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) agreement presents a tremendous opportunity for President Donald Trump to solidify this multilateral partnership while advancing both the strategic interests of the U.S. and India. Announced in 2023, IMEC represents an ambitious vision to forge an integrated network spanning three vital regions through advanced physical and digital infrastructure. The corridor must develop efficient transportation routes, including railways, shipping networks, and maritime connections, while also establishing cross-border electricity and hydrogen pipelines and digital communication cables. The end goals should be to enhance trade connectivity and reduce transportation costs, while diversifying global supply chains and promoting deeper economic integration among participating countries (India, the U.S., the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Italy, France, Germany, and the European Commission).

We need distinguished jurists as judges

Article 124(3)(c) and Article 217(2)(c), now repealed, of the Constitution become increasingly significant. These provisions allow for the appointment of individuals who, in the opinion of the President (read Collegium), are 'distinguished jurists', as judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts. Similar idea was floated by Shri Shibban Lal Saxena but negatived by the Constituent Assembly on June 7, 1949, without any meaningful deliberation. A number of countries (such as the United States, Poland, Myanmar, Kenya, Thailand, Spain and Italy) that allow jurists or professors of law to be appointed to posts equivalent to that of a judge in the High Courts and/or the Supreme Court of India have vastly benefited from this practice.

One in three Indians wants to buy an electric vehicle next: report

One in three consumers in India is eyeing electric vehicles (EVs) for their next purchase, says the 'Think Mobility' report by Google and BCG. Women are emerging as key decision-makers in the EV market. While EV-related challenges persist, innovations and localised manufacturing could pave the way for greater adoption, says the report. Vehicular market has the highest potential for growth in developing countries such as India. On the other hand, countries such as the U.S., Switzerland, and Denmark, which already have a high vehicle penetration rate, have limited room for further growth. The study also estimates a 2.7- fold increase in elite households by 2035. This suggests that the affordability of higher-priced EVs is unlikely to deter a substantial share of households. 

UGC regulations or State university laws?

Article 254(1) of the Constitution addresses conflicts between central and State laws. It states that if a state law is repugnant to a central law on matters in the Concurrent List, the central law will prevail, and the conflicting part of the State law will be void. The plain wording of Article 254(1) indicates that it applies only to plenary laws enacted by Parliament and State legislatures, and not to delegated legislation. The leading case on the subject is Ch. Tika Ramji versus State of Uttar Pradesh (1956). The Supreme Court ruled that the Centre's Sugarcane Control Order, 1955 issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, could not repeal the provisions of the U.P. Sugarcane Act, 1953. It held: "The power of repeal, if any, was vested in Parliament, and Parliament alone could exercise it by enacting an appropriate provision in regard thereto. Parliament could not delegate this power of repeal to any executive authority. Such delegation, if made, would be void..."

How many vehicles can one own in the same city, asks SC

The Supreme Court asked if there was any restriction on the number of vehicles a person could own in the same city, and if there was a law that ensured commercial and residential complexes had enough parking spots on their premises. The court was considering a note prepared by the amicus curiae, senior advocate Aparajita Singh, which has recommended a robust and integrated public transport system for reducing the number of private vehicles, a prime cause for rising toxicity levels in air quality, on the roads of the national capital.

Settle with borrowers only after exhausting all options, RBI tells ARCS

The RBI modified guidelines related to asset reconstruction companies (ARCs), envisaging that settlement with the borrower should be under- taken only after all possible ways to recover dues have been examined. The 'Master Direction Reserve Bank of India (Asset Reconstruction Companies) Directions, 2024' is also being updated accordingly, a Reserve Bank circular said.

According to the latest guidelines, the policy should, inter alia, cover aspects like a cut-off date for one-time settlement eligibility, permissible sacrifice for various categories of exposures while arriving at the settlement amount and the methodology for arriving at the realizable value of the security.