20 June 2026

• The Supreme Court (Justice P.S. Narasimha) declared the Right to Walk on demarcated and well-maintained footpaths as a Fundamental Right.
• Judgment arose from a case involving the death of a five-year-old child in a road accident while walking to school.
• The Court held that the right of pedestrians overrides the privilege of motorized vehicles on public roads.
• The Court directed the Union Government to consider a legal framework for protecting pedestrian rights and establishing a regulatory mechanism.

Key Points

• Safe walking on demarcated footpaths is an essential component of:
  • Article 21 (Right to Life and Dignity)
  • Article 19(1)(d) (Freedom of Movement)
• The Court emphasized that:
  • Every road should have a properly demarcated footpath.
  • Municipal authorities have an enforceable duty to provide and maintain footpaths.
  • Public spaces cannot be monopolized by motorized vehicles.
• The Court suggested:
  • A dedicated legislation on pedestrian rights.
  • Establishment of a specialized regulatory authority. 
  • Quick grievance-redress mechanisms for violations.
• The judgment expands the scope of rights-based urban governance and sustainable mobility.

Static Linkages

Constitutional Provisions

• Article 19(1)(d) – Freedom to move freely throughout the territory of India.
• Article 21 – Protection of Life and Personal Liberty.
• Article 32 – Constitutional Remedies.
• Article 38 – Promotion of welfare of the people.
• Article 39(e) – Protection of health and strength of citizens.
• Article 47 – Improvement of public health.

Local Governance

• 74th Constitutional Amendment Act,
• 1992Constitutional status to Urban Local Bodies.
• Twelfth ScheduleUrban planning.
• Roads and bridges.
• Public amenities.
• Urban infrastructure.

Related Legislations

• Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (Accessibility in public infrastructure)

Value Addition for Mains

Judicial Expansion of Fundamental Rights under Article 21 The Supreme Court has expanded Article 21 to include:

• Right to Privacy (K.S. Puttaswamy Case)
• Right to Clean Environment
• Right to Livelihood
• Right to Shelter
• Right to Education (before Article 21A)
• Right to Legal Aid
• Right to Health
• Right to Safe Mobility (present judgment)

Significance Governance

• Strengthens citizen-centric urban governance.
• Imposes accountability on municipal bodies.

Social Justice

• Benefits:
  • Children
  • Elderly
  • Women
  • Persons with Disabilities
  • Urban Poor

Sustainable Development

• Encourages non-motorized transport.
• Reduces dependence on private vehicles.
• Supports climate-resilient urban planning
• Road Safety
• India records one of the world’s highest road accident fatalities.
• Improved pedestrian infrastructure can reduce road deaths.

Challenges

• Encroachment of footpaths.
• Poor urban planning.
• Weak municipal capacity.
• Lack of dedicated pedestrian laws.
• Funding constraints for urban local bodies.
• Fragmented responsibility among agencies.

Way Forward

• Enact a dedicated Pedestrian Rights Law.
• Adopt “Complete Streets” approach.
• Mandatory pedestrian audits in cities.
• Universal accessibility standards.
• Strengthen urban local body finances.
• Integrate pedestrian infrastructure under:
  • Smart Cities Mission
  • AMRUT
  • PM Gati Shakti
• Establish independent urban mobility regulators.

HC UPLOADS CURBS ON TELKEGRAM

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Context

• Delhi High Court upheld the Centre’s temporary blocking of Telegram under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
• The action was linked to the alleged use of Telegram channels for circulation of leaked NEET-UG 2026 examination material and operation of organised cheating networks.
• The Court held that repeated content-specific takedowns had failed due to creation of mirror channels and backup groups.
• Separately, the Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing on petitions challenging the NEET-UG 2026 re-test scheduled on 21 June 2026.
• The original examination was cancelled following allegations of a nationwide paper leak.

Key Highlights

Delhi High Court Judgment

• Upheld emergency blocking order issued by the Central Government.
• Held that Telegram falls within the scope of a computer resource under the IT Act.
• Accepted that platform-level blocking may be justified in exceptional circumstances.
• Observed that the measure satisfied the test of
  proportionality.

Government’s Stand

• Channel-specific removals were ineffective.
• Fraudulent networks repeatedly created:
  • Mirror channels
  • Backup groups
  • Successor accounts
• Temporary platform-level restriction was considered necessary to maintain examination integrity.

NEET-UG 2026

• Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
• Cancelled due to alleged paper leak.
• Investigation entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
• Approximately 22 lakh candidates affected.

Static Linkages

Information Technology Act, 2000

• Principal legislation governing cyberspace in India.
• Provides legal framework for:
  • Electronic records
  • Cyber offences
  • Intermediary regulation
• Blocking powers of government

Section 69A

• Empowers the Central Government to block public access to information through any computer resource. 
• Grounds:
  • Sovereignty and Integrity of India
  • Defence of India
  • Security of State
  • Friendly Relations with Foreign States
  • Public Order
  • Prevention of incitement to cognizable offences

Important Judicial PrecedentShreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015)

• Section 66A → Struck Down.
• Section 69A → Upheld as constitutionally valid.

Constitutional Principles

• Article 14 – Equality before Law.
• Article 19(1)(a) – Freedom of Speech and Expression.
• Article 19(2) – Reasonable Restrictions.
• Doctrine of Proportionality.
• Judicial Review.

Significance

• Highlights challenges posed by digital platforms in competitive examinations.
• Demonstrates use of emergency powers under cyber laws.
• Reinforces importance of maintaining integrity of public examinations.
• Illustrates balancing of digital freedoms and public interest.

Concerns

• Impact on legitimate users of digital platforms.
• Questions regarding extent of platform-level restrictions.
• Balancing freedom of expression with public order.
• Increasing sophistication of cyber-enabled examination fraud.

Way Forward

• Strengthen cybersecurity architecture of public examinations.
• Improve coordination between NTA, CERT-In and law-enforcement agencies.
• Develop AI-based fraud detection mechanisms.
• Ensure transparent application of blocking powers.
• Strengthen anti-paper leak and examination security protocols.
• Enhance digital governance and accountability mechanisms.

ARUNANCHAL GLACIAL LAKES EXPAND

• Satellite-based assessment of 5 glacial lakes in the Mago Chu Basin, Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh).
• Conducted using ICEYE, PlanetScope and LISS IV satellite imagery.
• Lakes are categorized as High Risk/Very High Risk by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
• 4 out of 5 lakes expanded between 2016 and 2026.
• Sanhapo Lake recorded the highest expansion.
• Raises concerns regarding Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in the Eastern Himalayas.

Key Points

• Location: Tawang District, Arunachal Pradesh.
• River System: Brahmaputra Basin.
• Most Expanding Lake: Sanhapo Lake.
• Assessment Period: 2016–2026.
• Observation: Expansion linked to glacier retreat and increased meltwater storage.
  • Risk Factors: Moraine dam failure
  • Avalanches
  • Landslides
  • Rockfalls
  • Icefalls
  • Extreme rainfall events
• Recent Example: South Lhonak Lake GLOF, Sikkim (2023).

Static Linkages

• Himalayas are known as the Third Pole.
• Glaciers act as freshwater reservoirs.
• Moraine = accumulation of glacial debris deposited by glaciers.
• GLOF = sudden release of water from a glacial lake.
• Remote Sensing and GIS are major tools for disaster monitoring.
• SAR satellites can monitor terrain irrespective of cloud cover and daylight.
• Climate change accelerates glacier retreat and glacial lake formation.

Critical Analysis

Significance

• Enables monitoring of inaccessible Himalayan regions.
• Supports early warning mechanisms. Helps identify vulnerable glacial lakes. 
• Improves disaster preparedness.

Concerns

• Lake expansion alone cannot predict GLOFs.
• Lack of continuous ground verification.
• Increasing vulnerability of downstream settlements and infrastructure.
• Extreme weather events may intensify risks.

Challenges

• Difficult terrain.
• Limited monitoring infrastructure.
• Inadequate community preparedness.
• Data gaps in high-altitude regions.

Way Forward

• Establish real-time GLOF Early Warning Systems.
• Strengthen satellite and field-based monitoring.
• Conduct periodic hazard assessments.
• Improve NDMA–State coordination.
• Promote climate-resilient infrastructure.
• Enhance local disaster preparedness.
• Expand cryosphere research in the Himalayas.

• India has over 250 GW renewable energy capacity, with about 100 GW under construction.
• More than 50 GW renewable energy projects are stranded due to inadequate transmission infrastructure. 
• Renewable projects require 12–18 months for commissioning, whereas transmission lines take 3–5 years
• India may require nearly 2,000 GW of renewable capacity by 2050 to meet rising electricity demand and decarbonisation goals.
• Experts suggest that upgrading the existing grid can unlock over 1,000 GW of renewable energy without acquiring additional transmission land.

Key Points

Why is Transmission a Bottleneck?

• Solar and wind power have become India’s cheapest sources of electricity.
• Transmission infrastructure expansion is delayed due to:
  • Land acquisition issues.
  • Environmental clearances.
  • Multi-agency approvals.
• Grid constraints are slowing renewable energy deployment.

Major Solutions Identified
1. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

• Existing renewable transmission assets are utilized only about 25% of the time.
• Storage can shift excess solar power to peak demand periods.
• Potential: ~400 GW equivalent renewable capacity.

2. Use of Coal-Based Transmission Corridors

• Several old coal plants operate at low Plant Load Factors (PLFs).
• Renewable projects can utilize their existintransmission infrastructure.
• Potential: ~100 GW additional renewable capacity.

3. Leveraging Existing Substations

• Existing substations can accommodate additional renewable connections.
• Storage integration can improve grid flexibility. 
• Potential: ~100 GW additional renewable capacity.

4. Reconductoring with HTLS Conductors

• High Temperature Low Sag (HTLS) conductors increase transmission capacity on existing towers.
• Can nearly double power transfer capacity.
• Combined potential exceeds 1,000 GW within the existing transmission footprint.

Static Linkages

• Electricity: Concurrent List (Entry 38, List III, Seventh Schedule).
• Article 48A – Protection and improvement of environment.
• Article 51A(g) – Fundamental duty to protect the environment.
• India’s target:
  • 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.
  • Net Zero by 2070.
• Green Energy Corridors Project aims to integrate renewable energy into the national grid.
• Battery Energy Storage Systems improve:
  • Grid stability.
  • Peak load management.
  • Renewable integration.

Critical Analysis

Advantages

• Faster renewable energy integration.
• Reduces renewable energy curtailment.
• No additional transmission land requirement.
• Enhances energy security.
• Supports climate commitments.
• Improves efficiency of existing infrastructure.

Challenges

• High initial investment in storage systems.
• Financial stress of DISCOMs.
• Regulatory coordination between Centre and States.
• Need for advanced grid management technologies.
• Just transition concerns in coal-dependent regions.

Way Forward

• Accelerate Battery Energy Storage deployment.
• Expand Green Energy Corridors.
• Promote HTLS conductors and smart-grid technologies.
• Develop Renewable Energy Zones with integrated transmission planning.
• Strengthen Centre-State coordination.
• Future-proof all new transmission projects with advanced technologies.
• Enhance domestic manufacturing of storage and transmission equipment 

FROM DRONE BUYS TO PARTNERSHIP

Context

• India plans to procure $2 billion worth of drones from domestic manufacturers, reinforcing Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Defence.
• The move reflects a shift from dependence on expensive conventional platforms (fighter jets, tanks) towards low-cost, attritable, and rapidly deployable drone systems.
• Recent conflicts such as the Russia–Ukraine War and West Asia conflicts have demonstrated the growing role of tactical drones in modern warfare.
• The development highlights the need to reform India’s defence procurement architecture to accommodate rapidly evolving drone technologies.

Key Points

Strategic Significance

• Promotes indigenous defence manufacturing.
• Strengthens India’s defence industrial base.
• Supports the objective of reducing defence import dependence.
• Enhances military preparedness through mass deployment of drones.

Changing Nature of Warfare

• Modern warfare increasingly relies on:
  • Swarm drones
  • FPV (First-Person View) drones
  • Loitering munitions
  • AI-enabled autonomous systems
• Drones create a cost asymmetry, where inexpensive systems can neutralize high-value military assets.

Procurement Challenges

• Traditional procurement models suit long-life platforms such as:
  • Tanks
  • Fighter aircraft
  • Warships
• Tactical drones may become obsolete within 2 3 years.
• Electronic warfare systems can quickly adapt and jam drone communication networks.
• Continuous upgrades are more important than one time acquisition.

Existing Procurement Provisions

• Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) allows procurement of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) systems.
• Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) permits financial provisions for upgrades and maintenance.
• Current framework remains largely transaction based rather than partnership-based.

Static Linkages

• Self-reliance in defence is essential for strategic autonomy.
• Defence technology is a key component of national security.
• Public procurement should ensure transparency, efficiency, and adaptability.
• Military modernization increasingly depends on emerging technologies such as AI, robotics, and autonomous systems.
• Defence-industrial ecosystems require collaboration among government, industry, and academia.

Critical Analysis

Advantages

• Reduces defence import dependence.
• Boosts domestic manufacturing and innovation.
• Improves battlefield surveillance and precision strike capability.
• Generates employment and promotes defence startups.
• Enhances strategic autonomy.

Challenges

• Rapid technological obsolescence.
• Dependence on imported electronics and semiconductors.
• Slow procurement procedures.
• Vulnerability to cyber and electronic warfare attacks.
• Limited defence-industry-academia integration.

Way Forward

• Move towards long-term capability partnerships instead of one-time procurement.
• Strengthen DRDO–industry–academia collaboration.
• Expand support through iDEX and Defence Industrial Corridors.
• Develop indigenous semiconductor and sensor ecosystems.
• Establish fast-track procurement mechanisms for emerging technologies.
• Promote AI-enabled and autonomous drone systems.
• Enhance counter-drone and electronic warfare capabilities. 

DEFECTION AS MERGER

• Six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs have sought to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.
• The group constitutes two-thirds of the party’s Lok Sabha MPs, enabling it to invoke the merger exception under the Tenth Schedule.
• Similar defections have recently occurred in other political parties, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the Anti-Defection Law.
• The issue has renewed debate on the interpretation of “merger” and the role of constitutional authorities in defection cases.

Key Points

Anti-Defection Law

• Added through the 52nd Constitutional
• Amendment Act, 1985.
• Inserted the Tenth Schedule into the Constitution.
• Objective:
  • Prevent political defections.
  • Ensure stability of elected governments.
  • Promote party discipline.

Grounds for Disqualification A legislator can be disqualified if:

• Voluntarily gives up membership of a political party.
• Votes or abstains contrary to the party whip without prior permission.

Merger Provision

• No disqualification if:
  • Not less than two-thirds of members of a legislature party agree to merge with another political party.

91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003

• Removed the one-third split provision.
• Retained only the two-thirds merger exception.
• Strengthened anti-defection provisions.

Important Judicial Position

• Kihoto Hollohan v. Zachillhu (1992)Validated the Tenth Schedule.
• Held that Speaker’s decisions are subject to judicial review.
• Shrimanth Balasaheb Patil Case (2019)Supreme Court reaffirmed judicial review over Speaker’s decisions.

Static Linkages

• Article 102(2) – Disqualification of MPs under Tenth Schedule.
• Article 191(2) – Disqualification of MLAs under Tenth Schedule.
• Article 368 – Constitutional Amendment Procedure.
• Parliamentary democracy operates on:
  • Collective responsibility. 
  • Party system.
  • Representative government.
• Constitutional amendments generally require:
  • Special majority in both Houses.
  • State ratification in specified cases.

Critical Analysis

Significance of Anti-Defection Law

• Ensures political stability.
• Prevents horse-trading.
• Protects electoral mandate.
• Strengthens party-based parliamentary democracy.

Issues

• Merger provision often used to legitimize mass defections.
• Delays in adjudication by Speakers.
• Weakens voter trust.
• Encourages opportunistic political realignments.
• Reduces accountability to electorate.

Constitutional Concerns

• Tension between:
  • Representative freedom,
  • Party discipline,
  • Democratic accountability.
• Frequent defections may alter legislative majorities without fresh public mandate.

Way Forward

• Time-bound disposal of defection petitions.
• Independent tribunal for adjudication of defection cases.
• Clear statutory definition of “merger”.
• Restrict whip to critical votes only.
• Strengthen judicial oversight.
• Electoral reforms to protect voter mandate.
• Promote constitutional morality in political conduct.

RIGHT OF WAY

• Supreme Court declared the right to walk safely on demarcated footpaths as a part of Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty).
• Judgment delivered by a Bench of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Atul S. Chandurkar.
• Case concerned the death of a five-year-old child after being hit by a tanker in Karnataka.
• Court emphasized that pedestrian safety is a constitutional obligation of the State.

Key Points

• Article 21 now includes safe pedestrian mobility and access to walkable public spaces.
• Footpaths are essential for:
  • Safety
  • Accessibility
  • Dignity
  • Freedom of movement
• Court observed:
  • Pedestrians are increasingly marginalized due to rapid motorization.
  • Most Indian cities lack continuous and obstruction-free footpaths.
• Need for:
  • Pedestrian-centric urban planning.
  • Dedicated legal framework for pedestrian rights.
  • Better municipal accountability.

Static Linkages

• Article 21 – Right to Life and Personal Liberty.
• Article 19(1)(d) – Freedom of movement throughout India.
• Article 14 – Equality before law.
• Article 38 – Promotion of welfare of the people.
• Article 39(e) – Protection against conditions harmful to health.
• Article 47 – Improvement of public health.
• 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992:
  • Urban planning.
  • Roads and bridges.
  • Public amenities.
• Twelfth Schedule – Functions of Municipalities.
• National Urban Transport Policy (2006):
  • “Moving People, Not Vehicles.”
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Critical Analysis

Significance

• Expands the scope of Article 21.
• Promotes inclusive and sustainable urban development.
• Recognizes pedestrians as primary stakeholders in urban transport.
• Supports elderly, children and persons with disabilities.

Challenges

• Absence of a national pedestrian rights law.
• Poor urban infrastructure and encroachments.
• Weak implementation by Urban Local Bodies.
• Potential conflict with livelihood concerns of street vendors.

Constitutional Dimension

• Balancing:
  • Right to Life (Article 21).
  • Right to Livelihood (Article 19(1)(g)).
• Reinforces the concept of a welfare state.

Way Forward

• Enact a comprehensive pedestrian safety law.
• Develop continuous and accessible footpath networks.
• Integrate pedestrian-first principles in city planning.
• Strengthen municipal accountability.
• Ensure coordination between urban planning and street vending policies.
• Increase investment in non-motorized transport infrastructure.