Syllabus:

• Prelims – ENVIRONMENT

Context: A team of scientists may have discovered dozens of new species, including giant sea spiders, octopi, and corals on the newly exposed seafloor left behind by the enormous A-84 iceberg that broke away from the George VI Ice Shelf on January 13.

Background: –

• The break-away of the 510-sq-km iceberg gave access to an underwater world that was previously beyond human reach. A remotely-operated submersible got to the seafloor on January 25, where it captured photos and videos, and collected specimens.

Key takeaways

• The mission was part of Challenger 150, a UNESCO-endorsed global initiative for deep-sea research.
• Using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), scientists explored the seafloor for eight days, and found flourishing ecosystems at depths of up to 1,300 metres.
• The reason scientists were surprised to find diverse ecosystems under the ice shelf is that deep-sea communities typically depend on photosynthesising organisms to rain down nutrients from the surface to the seafloor. However, Antarctic ecosystems have been covered by 150-metre-thick ice for centuries, completely cut off from surface nutrients.
• Scientists have hypothesised that ocean currents, glacial meltwater or something else could be transporting essential nutrients, sustaining life beneath the ice shelf. The precise mechanism fueling these ecosystems is yet to be understood.

Challenger 150 Mission

• The Challenger 150 is a global scientific initiative, endorsed by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC/UNESCO), aimed at enhancing our understanding of deep-sea ecosystems.
• Launched in alignment with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), its mission is to map life in the deep ocean and provide the scientific foundation necessary for sustainable management of these vast environments.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – POLITY

Context: Elon Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter) has challenged the government’s use of Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) to moderate and order the removal of content on social media.

Background: –

• X has asked the court to direct the government that orders to block content can only be issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, and not by invoking Section 79(3)(b) of the Act. 

Key takeaways

• In Shreya Singhal v Union of India (2015), the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the IT Act which criminally punished, among other things, sending false information “for the purpose of causing annoyance or inconvenience”. SC said the provision was vague, giving the government unchecked powers to restrict the freedom of speech.
• After this decision, Section 69A of the IT Act became the primary law governing the matter. This section allows the Centre to issue orders blocking “any information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any computer resource”, but unlike 66A, it contains safeguards against misuse.
• For blocking content under Section 69A, the Centre must deem it “necessary”. This “necessity”, however, is only justifiable under grounds provided in Article 19(2) of the Constitution which “imposes reasonable restrictions” on the freedom of speech “in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with Foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence”.
• The Centre must record its reasons in the blocking order so that it can be challenged in court.

Govt’s use of Section 79

• The SC in Shreya Singhal also clarified the application of another provision — Section 79 of the IT Act. The provision is a “safe harbour” measure that exempts an “intermediary” (such as X) from liability for information published on the platform by a “third party”, that is, users of the platform.
• But Section 79(3)(b) states that the intermediary could be held liable if it does not immediately remove such unlawful information “upon receiving actual knowledge, or on being notified by the appropriate Government or its agency”.
• The apex court limited the scope of this provision, ruling that the requirement under Section 79(3)(b) will only kick in once a court order has been passed to that effect, or the government issues a notification stating that the content in question is related to grounds provided in Article 19(2).
• But in 2023, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a directive to all ministries, state governments, and the police saying that information blocking orders could be issued under Section 79(3)(b). A year later in 2024, MeitY launched a portal called “Sahyog” where the aforementioned authorities could issue and upload blocking orders.
• X’s challenge argues that MeitY’s orders are an attempt to “bypass the multiple procedural safeguards” provided under Section 69A. The petition relies upon the SC’s ruling in Shreya Singhal, and says that content can only be censored though the process given under Section 69A or through a court order.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Mains & Mains – POLITY

Context: After meeting on March 20, the Supreme Court collegium unanimously decided to transfer Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma back to the Allahabad High Court, where he originally came from.

Background:

• This came after a large sum of cash was allegedly recovered from Justice Varma’s residence after a fire.

About Collegium

• It is the system by which judges of the higher judiciary in India — the Supreme Court and High Courts — are appointed and transferred. 
• Although not rooted in the Constitution or any specific law, it has evolved over the years through judgments of the apex court popularly known as the the “Judges Cases”.
• The Supreme Court collegium is a five-member body headed by the incumbent Chief Justice of India (CJI), and comprising the four other senior most judges at that time. High Court collegiums are led by the incumbent Chief Justice and the two other senior most judges of that court.

How does the collegium system work?

• The SC collegium recommends the names of judges to be appointed to the apex court. So do HC collegiums (for their respective High Courts), although their recommendations must be approved by the SC collegium.
• These recommendations reach the government, whose role in the process is limited to conducting an Intelligence Bureau (IB) inquiry into the persons recommended. While the government can raise objections and seek clarifications regarding the collegium’s choices, it is bound under Constitution Bench judgments to approve the names if the collegium reiterates the same.

Why has the system been criticised?

• Critics have pointed out that the system is non-transparent, since it does not involve any official mechanism or secretariat. It is seen as a closed-door affair with no prescribed norms regarding eligibility criteria, or even the selection procedure.
• There is no public knowledge of how and when a collegium meets, and how it takes its decisions as there are no official minutes of collegium proceedings.

Have any alternatives been suggested?

• The Justice M N Venkatachaliah Commission, appointed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2000, recommended the creation of a National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) to replace the collegium. This would comprise the CJI and the two seniormost SC judges, the Union Law Minister, and an eminent person to be chosen by the President in consultation with the CJI.
• While the Narendra Modi government cleared the NJAC Bill in 2014, it was struck down by the SC within a year as unconstitutional.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – ENVIRONMENT

Context: Two satellite photos taken 33 years apart show the disappearance of Okjökull glacier in Iceland that was the first ice mass to be declared dead as a result of human-caused climate change.

Background: –

• Because of inconsistent monitoring and debates about the true sizes of glaciers, it is unclear exactly how many glaciers have been lost due to climate change, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Key takeaways 

• Okjökull, often referred to as “Ok Glacier,” was a glacier located atop the Ok volcano in western Iceland. 
• In the late 19th century, it spanned approximately 16 square kilometers. However, due to rising global temperatures, it experienced significant shrinkage over the 20th century. By 2012, its area had diminished to merely 0.7 square kilometers.
• In 2014, glaciologists declared Okjökull “dead,” as it no longer possessed the characteristics essential for a glacier, notably the ability to move under its own weight. This marked the first instance in Iceland where a glacier lost its status due to climate change.

Additional Information

• In 2023, Iceland created the world’s first iceberg graveyard, where ice-like headstones were constructed for the 15 major glaciers listed on the Global Glacier Casualty List, all of which are either dead or critically endangered, according to the United Nations.
• The Global Glacier Casualty List (GGCL) is a comprehensive initiative aimed at documenting glaciers worldwide that have disappeared or are critically endangered due to climate change. 
• Established in 2024 through a collaboration between Rice University, the University of Iceland, the Iceland Glaciological Society, the World Glacier Monitoring Service, and UNESCO, the GGCL seeks to preserve the names and stories of these glaciers, highlighting their cultural, economic, and environmental significance.

Source: Live Science

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT 

Context: Municipal bond issuances in India are expected to raise more than ₹1,500 crore in the Financial Year (FY) 2025-FY2026, primarily driven by the Government’s push, according to a report by ICRA.

Background: –

• The municipal bond market in India has gained significant traction in recent years, especially since FY2018. 
• Approximately 17 municipal bonds worth ₹2,600 crore have been issued since FY2018, with an average bond size of ₹150 crore.

Key takeaways

• Municipal bonds are debt instruments issued by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to raise funds for urban infrastructure development.

Growth of the Municipal Bond Market in India

• Since FY2018, the total amount raised through municipal bonds has exceeded ₹2,600 crore, a significant rise compared to less than ₹1,000 crore raised between FY1998-FY2005.
• Government Initiatives:
  • In 2015, SEBI introduced the “Issue and Listing of Debt Securities by Municipalities” Regulations, defining the status of municipal bonds and increasing investor interest.
  • In FY2018, the Government of India (GoI) launched an incentive scheme, offering ₹13 crore per ₹100 crore bond issuance, encouraging ULBs to adopt this financing mechanism.
• Credit Ratings & Payment Security:
  • All municipal bonds issued since FY2018 have had strong structured payment mechanisms, helping them secure an AA rating, despite varying credit profiles of ULBs.
  • The structured mechanisms have ensured timely repayment and enhanced investor confidence.

Challenges in the Municipal Bond Market

• High Dependence on Government Grants: ULBs still rely heavily on state and central grants.
• Lack of Financial Transparency: ULBs struggle with timely financial disclosures and proper documentation, affecting investor confidence.
• Liquidity & Secondary Market Absence: Municipal bonds lack a secondary market, limiting their tradability and attractiveness to investors.
• Regulatory Compliance: The high compliance burden makes it difficult for smaller ULBs to issue bonds.
• Weak Credit Quality: Many ULBs lack robust financial management, making them less creditworthy in capital markets.

Source: Livemint

Q1.) Consider the following statements regarding the Collegium system in India:

1. The Supreme Court collegium is headed by the President of India.
2. The government has the power to reject collegium recommendations if it disagrees with them.
3. The collegium system was established through constitutional amendments.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 3 only
(D) None of the above

Q2.) Okjökull Glacier, recently in the news, is significant because:

(A) It was the first glacier to be declared “dead” due to climate change.
(B) It is the largest glacier in Iceland.
(C) It is the world’s first glacier to completely regenerate after melting.
(D) It is located on the Arctic ice shelf and has experienced the fastest ice growth in history.

Q3.) Which of the following statements regarding municipal bonds in India is/are correct?

1. Municipal bonds are issued by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
2. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regulates municipal bonds in India.
3. Municipal bonds in India have been in existence since 2018.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 1, 2, and 3

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  Today’s – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) – b

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – d