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- Why in News?
- The Ministry of Home Affairs has once again extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958 in parts of the Northeast, including regions of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland.
- Key Provisions:-
- Under this order, the Central Government has classified the entire state of Manipur, except areas under 13 police stations, as a “disturbed area” for the next six months. As per Section 3 of AFSPA, any state or Union Territory, or part thereof, may be declared disturbed if prevailing conditions require deployment of armed forces in aid of civil authority. Such a declaration can be made by the Centre, the Governor, or the UT administrator. In disturbed areas, AFSPA grants special powers to armed forces, including prohibiting assemblies of five or more persons, arrest without warrant on suspicion, search and entry without warrant, and destruction of arms dumps or fortified hideouts. Currently, AFSPA is applicable in parts of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
- Why in News?
- The President of India has approved the appointment of 24 new judges to the Allahabad High Court, one of the largest High Courts in the country.
- Key Provisions:-
- The process of appointing High Court judges is governed by Article 217 of the Constitution. According to this provision, judges are appointed by the President of India. In the case of a Chief Justice, the President makes the appointment after consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the Governor of the concerned state. For appointing other judges, the Chief Justice of the respective High Court is also consulted. Recommendations for such appointments originate from the Collegium system, which includes the CJI and the two senior-most judges of the Supreme Court. After thorough scrutiny and approval at different levels, the names are forwarded to the President for final appointment. These new appointments aim to strengthen the judiciary and reduce the burden of pending cases.
- Why in News?
- Bidar district of Karnataka has been honored with the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Award under the nationwide campaign Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain.
- Key Provisions:-
- The award recognizes innovative and community-driven practices in water conservation. Alongside this, Telangana secured the top rank in overall rainwater conservation efforts. The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative, launched in 2024, emphasizes collective responsibility and people’s participation in tackling water scarcity. Implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the initiative focuses on improving water availability through multiple recharge techniques such as rainwater harvesting, aquifer recharge, borewell recharge, and recharge shafts. Importantly, it integrates financial and technical support not only from the government but also from non-governmental resources including CSR contributions, industries, civic bodies, and water conservation volunteers. The award highlights the importance of community partnership and showcases successful models of sustainable water management that can be replicated across the country.