13th September 2025

• New Prime Minister: Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki (first woman CJ; now first woman PM of Nepal).
• Appointment: By President Ram Chandra Poudel after dissolution of Parliament.
• Elections announced: March 5, 2026.
• Trigger: Fall of K.P. Sharma Oli’s government on September 9, 2025 following Gen Z–led protests.
• Casualties: At least 19 killed during protests against Oli’s government.
• Protesters’ demand: Dissolution of Parliament + new leadership outside mainstream parties.
• Army’s role: Acted as key facilitator; ensured order during transition.
  Karki’s background:
  
  •  A (Political Science, BHU, Varanasi)
  • Law degree (Tribhuvan University, Nepal)
  • Acting CJ: April–July 2016
  • CJ: July 11, 2016 – June 7, 2017 Known for anti-corruption stance.

• Collapse of Oli’s government amidst violent protests.
• Growing disillusionment with traditional political elites.
• Direct intervention of Gen Z campaigners demanding clean politics.

•  Exercised discretion in appointing PM and dissolving Parliament.
• Consultation with legal experts + Army presence shows extra-constitutional balancing act.

• Army acted as stabilizer, not power-seeker →unusual in South Asian context.
• Ensured “semblance of calm” but raises concerns about democratic civilian control

• Some experts questioned legality of appointment & dissolution.
• Bipin Adhikari: Appointment seen as “remedial measure during crisis”, unlikely to be challenged.

• Gen Z–led movement: tech-savvy, social-media driven, anti-corruption.
• Heavy use of digital platforms until government imposed a ban.
• Represents new generational assertion in Nepalese politics.

• Restoring law & order after violent protests.
• Conducting free and fair elections (2026).
• Investigating September 8 violence (state killings + arson by protesters).
• Constitutional reforms for accountability and democracy.

FIRECRACKER BAN:CJI 

• Supreme Court (CJI B.R. Gavai): Ban on firecrackers should not be Delhi-specific; air pollution is a pan-India problem.
• Right to Pollution-Free Air = part of Right to Life under Article 21.
• Query: Why should only Delhi’s citizens enjoy cleaner air while others suffer?

•  Ban already imposed in Delhi & NCR (April 2025) on sale, manufacture, and bursting of firecrackers.
• Licences valid till 2028 were revoked → industry concerns.
• Pollution peak in winter due to multiple factors: stubble burning, inversion layer, firecrackers, vehicular emissions.

•  Citizens: Suffer health consequences (especially poor, street vendors, daily wage workers).
• Industry & Workers: Firecracker industry employs lakhs (e.g., Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu). Ban affects livelihoods.
• Government & CAQM: Expected to frame a pan India uniform policy.

•  Article 21: Right to life includes clean environment.
• Article 48A: State must protect environment.
• Article 51A(g): Fundamental duty of citizens to protect environment.
• Judicial Activism vs Policy Domain: Balancing environmental protection with livelihood concerns.
• Green Crackers: Court earlier noted ban could be reconsidered only if proven they cause minimal pollution.

• Equity: Air pollution not just an “elite issue”; disproportionately affects vulnerable sections.
• Livelihood vs Sustainability: Classic development dilemma.
• Pan-India Policy Need: Regional bans ineffective due to mobility of goods & winds.

•  Retail inflation in India is measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
• It reflects the rise in prices of goods and services consumed by households.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) uses CPI as the main anchor for its monetary policy.

• Retail inflation rose to 2.1% in August 2025, breaking a 9-month declining streak (July: 1.55%).
• This is within RBI’s comfort band of 2-6%, but just above the lower bound.
• Inflation has been falling consistently since November 2024 until this reversal..

• Centres of Excellence: To provide infrastructure for chip design, testing, and innovation.
• Workforce Development: Training of 1,000 engineering students in semiconductor-related skills under a workforce programme.

• Food & Beverages: 0.05% inflation (very low compared to 5.3% last year).
• Vegetables (-15.9%) and Pulses (-14.5%) are dragging inflation down.
• Oils still high at 21.2% (global price rise + low base effect).
• Clothing & Footwear: 2.67% (stable).
• Housing: 3.06% (stable).
• Fuel & Light: 2.9% (sharp rise from 1.4% in July).

Reasons for Low/Stable Inflation

• Food prices have softened due to good supply of vegetables & pulses.
• Global commodity trends: Oil prices remain high →pushing edible oils upward.
• GST rate cuts on essential items may reduce inflation in coming months.

Monetary Policy Linkage

• RBI targets 4% CPI inflation (±2%) under the flexible inflation targeting framework (Amendment to RBI Act, 2016).
• Current inflation (2.1%) is well within this band →RBI likely to pause rate changes in near term.
• Possibility of rate cuts (25–50 bps) from December 2025 if growth slows and U.S. Fed eases aggressively.

Static Data

• CPI is released by: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• Base Year of CPI: 2012 (for both Rural & Urban).
• Weightage of CPI (as per RBI study material):
  •  Food & Beverages – 45.9% (highest)
  • Housing – 10.1%
  • Clothing & Footwear – 6.5%
  • Fuel & Light – 6.8%
  • RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC): 6 members, chaired by RBI Governor; meets every 2 months

Exam Pointers

• Inflation directly impacts monetary policy stance and interest rates.
• CPI vs WPI: UPSC often asks difference; WPI excludes services while CPI includes them.
• Trends in inflation are linked with growth, fiscal deficit, and global shocks.
• GST rate cut effect shows how indirect taxes influence inflation

THE RTT’s SHIFT TO A ‘RIGHT TO DENY INFORMATION’

• Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI)
• Premised on: Government holds information in trust for citizens.
• Default Rule: Information must be shared, unlessv exempted.
• Section 8(1)(j): Allowed denial of personal information only if:
• Not related to public activity, OR
• Unwarranted invasion of privacy,
• Unless disclosure served larger public interest.
• Proviso: Info that cannot be denied to Parliament/State Legislature cannot be denied to citizens.

What Changed? – DPDP Act Amendment

• Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 amended Sec 8(1)(j).
• Now reduced to a few words: “personal information” is exempt.
• Problem: “Personal Information” not defined clearly.
• Narrow View → only natural persons.
• DPDP View → includes firms, HUFs, companies, associations, even State. If broader definition applied → almost everything = personal.
• Penalties under DPDP: up to ₹250 crore for wrongful disclosure → Public Information Officers (PIOs) will prefer denial over disclosure.

Constitutional Linkages

• RTI = Fundamental Right (Article 19(1)(a), Freedom of Speech & Expression).
• Reasonable Restrictions (Article 19(2)): sovereignty, security, decency, morality.
  Right to Privacy = Fundamental Right (K.S. Puttaswamy Case, 2017).
  Conflict: Transparency vs Privacy → Needs proportionality test.

Why This is Problematic

1.Transparency weakened

• Over 90% of records could be denied.
• Example: Rajasthan exposed ghost pensioners by publishing lists. Such disclosures may now stop.

2.Corruption facilitated

• Ghost employees, forged contracts, misuse of funds → hidden under “personal information. ”

3.PIOs fear penalties

• Safer to deny than risk fines.
• RTI becomes Right to Deny Information (RDI).

4.Public Interest Clause (Sec 8(2)) ineffective

• Rarely applied (<1% cases).
• Burden unfairly shifted on citizens.

Static Data / Reports

• RTI Usage: ~60 lakh applications annually (DoPT).
• CIC Report (2023): ~3 lakh pending cases.
• Second ARC (2006): RTI = “master key to good governance. ”
• Global Press Freedom Index 2023 (RSF): India ranked 161/180 → transparency weakening.

Way Forward

• Public awareness + citizen engagement.
• Political accountability → manifesto commitments to protect RTI.
• Balance privacy with proportional disclosure.
• Apply proportionality & harm test (as SC jurisprudence).

PROPERTY RIGHTS,TRIBAL AND THE GENDER PARITY GAP

• International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: Observed on 9th August, it highlights the need to protect the rights of indigenous communities.
• Recent Supreme Court Judgment (Ram Charan & Ors. vs Sukhram & Ors., July 2025): Held that exclusion of daughters from ancestral property violates Article 14 (Right to Equality).

The Problem

• Customary laws in Scheduled Five Area States (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, etc.) do not grant land inheritance rights to women.
• Agricultural Census 2015-16: Only 16.7% of ST women own land compared to 83.3% of ST men.
• Arguments against women’s rights in tribal property:
• Fear of land alienation if women marry outside tribe.
• Belief that land is communitarian property, not individually owned.
• But in practice, sale/acquisition benefits rarely go to Gram Sabha.

Important Judicial Developments

• Madhu Kishwar vs State of Bihar (1996): SC upheld male-preference customary succession; feared chaos if changed.
• Prabha Minz vs Martha Ekka (Jharkhand HC, 2022): Held Oraon women entitled to inheritance as no valid custom proved against them.
• Kamala Neti vs Special Land Acquisition Officer (SC, 2022): First positive step toward gender parity in tribal property rights.
• Ram Charan vs Sukhram (SC, 2025): Denial of inheritance rights to tribal women = negation of equality.

Why the Issue Matters

• Women Empowerment: Land ownership improves decision-making, reduces poverty, ensures food security.
• Tribal Welfare: Critical for inclusive development; linked to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reducing Inequalities).
• Governance in Scheduled Areas: Need to balance respect for tribal customs with fundamental rights.

The Way Forward

• Codification of Tribal Succession Laws – Similar to Hindus and Christians, ensuring gender equality.
• Special Tribal Succession Act – Suggested as Hindu Succession Act excludes STs.
• Awareness & Sensitisation – Among tribal communities on women’s rights.
• Strengthening Gram Sabhas (PESA Act, 1996) – Ensure community-based consent in land transactions, including women’s voices.
• Policy Integration – Link women’s land rights with welfare schemes (PMAY, MGNREGA, etc.) to enhance impact.

DOUBLESPEAK

• The U.S. has invited Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and the Indian trade team to Washington to
  resume FTA (Free Trade Agreement) talks, after earlier tensions.
• This comes despite U.S. pressure on India to halt Russian oil imports, linking it to trade concessions.

Key Issues in India–U.S. Trade Relation

1.High Tariffs on Indian Export

• India and Brazil face the highest average U.S. tariffs (50%).
• Impact: Textile exporters see order cancellations.
• CEA’s estimate: Possible 0.5% GDP loss and job cuts.

Oil Imports and Energy SecuritY

• India imports ~85% of its crude oil (static data).
• Russia became India’s largest supplier of crude oil in 2023–24 due to discounted prices.
• U.S. demands a halt to Russian oil imports, similar to earlier demands on Iran and Venezuela, but this is diplomatically more complex.

Geopolitical Dimension

• U.S. seeks India’s cooperation in Quad and IndoPacific strategy against China.
• Yet, pressure tactics (trade sanctions, oil diktats) undermine trust.
• Reports suggest the U.S. even urged the EU to impose 100% sanctions on India and China.

Static Linkages for Exam

1.India–U.S. Trade

• Bilateral trade (2024–25): $190+ billion, U.S. is India’s largest trading partner.
• Key Indian exports: textiles, gems & jewellery, pharmaceuticals,
• IT services. Imports from U.S.: crude oil, aircraft, electronics.

2.Energy Dependence:

• Crude oil import dependency: ~85%.
• Natural gas import dependency: ~50%.
• Renewable target: 50% of installed capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030 (India’s NDC.

3.Strategic Relations:

• India maintains strategic autonomy: balancing U.S. partnership (Quad, technology) and Russian ties (defence, energy).
• Past example: India halted Iranian oil imports in 2019 under U.S. sanctions.

Way Forward

• Diversify Export Markets: Strengthen trade with EU, ASEAN, Africa to reduce dependence on U.S. market.
• Energy Security Strategy: Invest in renewables, diversify import basket, expand SPR (Strategic Petroleum Reserves).
• Firm but Balanced Diplomacy: Continue engaging
  U.S. in trade/technology while safeguarding ties with Russia.
• Leverage Multilateral Forums: Use WTO and G20 platforms to resist unilateral tariff hikes.

SCAM SPACE

• A recent case in Hyderabad highlighted how a retired doctor lost over ₹20 lakh after watching a deepfake video of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.  endorsing a fake investment scheme.
• This brings attention to AI-generated deepfakes, cryptocurrency scams, and weak regulation of digital.

1.What is a Deepfake?

AI-generated manipulation of images/videos to create realistic but false content.

2.Cryptocurrency Regulation in India

• No comprehensive law; regulated indirectly through:
• RBI’s stance: Not legal tender. Finance Act 2022: 30% tax on Virtual Digital
• Assets (VDA).
• Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002: Crypto transactions brought under it in 2023.

3.Digital India & Cyber Literacy

• National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) aims to digitally empower 6 crore rural households.
• India has 750+ million smartphone users, but technical literacy remains low, leaving space for scams.

4.Social Media Regulation

• Governed by IT Act, 2000 and IT Rules, 2021.
• Platforms are “intermediaries” required to remove flagged content, but proactive monitoring is limited.

Current Challenges Highlighted

• Low digital literacy → Citizens cannot identify manipulated content.
• Weak crypto regulation → Fraudulent platforms exploit legal grey areas.
• Cross-border nature of frauds → Police limited by jurisdiction.
• Passive role of social media platforms → Content removal is slow, detection weak.

Implications

• Economic: Loss of savings, reduced trust in digital economy.
• Social: Erosion of public trust in leaders due to deepfakes.
• Governance: Regulatory gap → criminals operate freely.

Way Forward

1.Stronger Regulation

• Clear classification of cryptocurrencies as assets/securities.
• International cooperation for tracking fraud across borders.

2.Digital Literacy as Policy Priority

• Expand NDLM with focus on AI deepfake detection awareness.
• Make digital hygiene part of school curriculum.

3.Accountability of Social Media Platforms

• Proactive detection of deepfakes using AI tools.
• Penalties for failure to remove fraudulent content swiftly.

4.Public Awareness & Reporting

• Continuous campaigns (like RBI’s “RBI Kehta Hai” initiative against digital frauds).
• Encourage public reporting through simplified grievance redressal portals.

VESSEL BAN AT ADAMI PORT MAY HIT CRUDE SUPPLIES FROM RUSSIA 

• Adani Ports and SEZ (APSEZ), India’s largest private port operator (27.8% market share), announced it will not allow vessels sanctioned by the U.S. OFAC, EU, or U.K. to dock at its ports.
• This directly affects crude oil imports, especially from Russia, which supplies more than one-third of India’s total crude oil imports (2025 data).
• The ban particularly impacts Mundra Port, Gujarat,which alone handles ~10% of India’s crude oil imports and is a key hub for Russian oil.

Why This Matters for India

1.Energy Security Angle

• India imports ~85% of its crude oil needs (Static Data: Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas).
• Russian oil, discounted after the Ukraine war, became India’s top source, replacing West Asian suppliers.
• Mundra Port: Handles ~4,00,000 barrels/day crude, >50% of which is Russian.
• Ban → Could disrupt supply chain for refiners like HMEL (HPCL-Mittal Energy) and Indian Oil.

2.Geopolitical Pressures

• Western sanctions target Russian oil shipments.
• By banning sanctioned vessels, Adani aligns with global compliance frameworks, reducing risk of secondary sanctions on India’s private entities.
• But, this indirectly narrows India’s strategic room to maneuver between the West and Russia.

Economic & Refinery Impact

• Nayara Energy’s Vadinar Refinery (sanctioned by EU in July 2025) has already faced supply disruptions.
• Indian refiners may face higher freight costs and reduced access to discounted Russian crude.
• Possible shift back towards West Asian oil suppliers (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE), though at higher prices.

Data

• India’s Crude Import Sources (2024–25, approximate
  share):
     Russia: ~35%
     Iraq: ~18%
     Saudi Arabia: ~16%
     UAE & USA: ~10% (combined).
• India’s Energy Dependence: ~85% crude oil, ~50% natural gas imported
• Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR): ~5.33 million tonnes (Mangalore, Visakhapatnam, Padur).

Key Takeaways for Exam

• Adani’s ban shows private sector decisions can shape national energy security.
• Highlights India’s vulnerability as a crude-import dependent economy
• Reflects geopolitical pressures influencing India’s energy supply chain.
• May accelerate push for:
• Diversified oil sourcing
• Expansion of SPR capacity.
• Stronger investment in renewables and domestic exploration (ONGC, NELP, HELP policies).