UPSC Key—11 August, 2023: Election Commission of India, Ethical aspects of celebrity endorsement and Sponge city

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- The government introduced a Bill in Rajya Sabha Thursday that seeks to replace the Chief Justice of India with a Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister in the committee for selection of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. It also makes the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha a member of the selection committee.

• The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023-Know the key provisions

• Quick Recall-In March 2023, the Supreme Court stepped in to check what it called the “pernicious effects of the exclusive power being vested with the Executive to make appointment to the Election Commission” and ordered that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) shall be appointed on the advice of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Chief Justice of India. Ruling on petitions seeking an independent mechanism to appoint the CEC and ECs, a five-judge Constitution Bench presided by Justice K M Joseph said where no Leader of Opposition is available, the committee will include the leader of the largest Opposition party in Lok Sabha in terms of numerical strength.

• So, what changes now?

• For Your Information-According to SY Quraishi, the Bill now proposed by the Union government, seeks to replace the CJI with a Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister. However, it proposes a welcome addition — a search committee, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, with two other members not below the rank of secretary to the government, to prepare a panel of five members for the consideration of the Selection Committee. Another positive feature of the Bill is that the CEC and other ECs will be appointed from “amongst persons who are holding or have held a post equivalent to the rank of secretary and shall be persons of integrity, who have knowledge of and experience in the management and conduct of elections”. Earlier, there was no rule prescribing the qualifications for appointment to the posts, which was a major matter of concern with the risk of appointment from some other catchment area.

• “Over the past few years, the EC’s credibility is increasingly being called into question, with allegations of bias in the scheduling of elections and arbitrary deletion of names of registered voters, ignoring blatant violations of the model code”-Comment

• Election Commission of India and Article 324 of the Constitution-Know in detail

• Who appoints Chief Election Commissioner of India?

• Do You Know- As of now, the CEC and ECs are appointed by the government as per Article 324(2) of the Constitution which states: “The Election Commission shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner and such number of other Election Commissioners, if any, as the President may from time to time fix and the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament, be made by the President”.

• The independent and impartial functioning of the Election Commission-How it is ensured?

• Election Commission of India- Powers and Functions

• Chief Election Commissioner and the two other Election Commissioners have equal powers-True or False?

• In case of difference of opinion amongst the Chief election commissioner and/or two other election commissioners, the matter is decided by the Supreme Court of India-Right or Wrong?

• Can the Parliament undo a decision of the Supreme Court?

• Do You Know-Parliament has the power to nullify the effect of a Court ruling by addressing the concerns flagged in the judgement. The law cannot simply be contradictory to the ruling.
In this case, the arrangement prescribed by the Supreme Court was specifically because the Court noted that there was a “legislative vacuum.” Filling that vacuum is well within the purview of the Parliament. However, the idea of an independent body that conducts elections permeates through the judgement. The Court repeatedly stated that to be the objective of the framers of the Constitution. The composition of the Selection Committee in the Bill raises questions on whether the process is now independent or still rigged in favour of the Executive. With the PM and a Cabinet Minster nominated by the PM in the three-member panel, the LoP is outvoted even before the process begins.

• “One extremely important provision of the Bill is that it seeks to protect the two Election Commissioners from removal, bringing them on par with the CEC”-How was the things before?

• What are the criticisms with the recent proposed Bill?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍The EC’s guardrails

📍The CEC-ECs Bill, and how it overturns the effect of an SC order

📍THE CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER AND OTHER ELECTION COMMISSIONERS (APPOINTMENT, CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND TERM OF OFFICE) BILL, 2023

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

📍With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations on the constitutional powers under Article 142. It could mean which one of the following? (UPSC GS1, 2019)
(a) The decisions taken by the Election Commission of India while discharging its duties cannot be challenged in any court of law.
(b) The Supreme Court of India is not constrained in the exercise of its powers by laws made by the Parliament.
(c) In the event of a grave financial crisis in the country, the President of India can declare a Financial Emergency without the counsel from the Cabinet.
(d) State Legislatures cannot make laws on certain matters without the concurrence of the Union Legislature.

📍Consider the following statements (UPSC GS1, 2017)
1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.
2. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.
3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 3 only

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India? (UPSC GS2, 2018)

Adhir suspended until privileges panel decides

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-In a surprise move, Lok Sabha Thursday suspended Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of the Congress in the House, for “repeated misconduct” pending an investigation by the privileges committee. Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied to the discussion on the no-confidence motion, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a resolution for Chowdhury’s suspension, saying he disturbs the House whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ministers speak or a debate is underway. The resolution was passed by a voice vote.

• What are parliamentary privileges?

• The parliamentary privileges do not extend to the president who is also an integral part of the Parliament-True or False?

• Parliamentary privileges can be classified into two broad categories-What are those two categories?

• For Your Information-Parliament and its Members (MPs) have certain rights and immunities that enable them to function effectively in their legislative roles. These are called parliamentary privileges. When the Constitution framers made our founding document, it provided that parliamentary privileges would be those specified in a law made by Parliament. And until the national legislature made such a law, privileges would be those enjoyed by the House of Commons, the lower House of the United Kingdom’s Parliament. In 1978, Parliament deleted the reference to the House of Commons by a constitutional amendment. And it is yet to make any law specifying these privileges. Parliamentary privileges are, therefore, a mix of provisions in the Constitution, statutes, House procedures and conventions. For example, the Constitution specifies that MPs have freedom of speech and immunity from judicial proceedings against anything they say or votes they cast in Parliament. Also, the Code of Civil Procedure protects them from arrest and detention under civil cases during a parliamentary session, and for a specified period before it begins and after it ends. Parliamentary rules specify that authorities should immediately inform the Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairman of Rajya Sabha about MPs’ arrests, releases and convictions. Accompanying the question of privilege is the concept of Contempt of the House. An authority on parliamentary functioning, the book Erskine May defines contempt as “…any act or omission which obstructs or impedes either House of Parliament in the performance of its functions, or which obstructs or impedes any member or officer of such House in the discharge of his duty, or which has a tendency, directly or indirectly, to produce such results may be treated as a contempt even though there is no precedent of the offence.”

• Collective Privileges vs Individual Privileges-Compare and Contrast

• How does Parliament act on breach of privilege?

• What kinds of cases come to the committee?

• What does the committee decide in breach of privilege cases against MPs?

• ‘Breach of privilege’ and ‘contempt of the House’-are both same?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Lok Sabha suspends Congress’s Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: How Privileges Committee works

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

📍With reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parliamentary Committees scrutinizes and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws, etc. conferred by the Constitution or delegated by the Parliament are being properly exercised by the Executive within the scope of such delegation ? (UPSC GS1, 2018)
(a) Committee on Government Assurances
(b) Committee on Subordinate Legislation
(c) Rules Committee
(d) Business Advisory Committee

📍Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament? (UPSC GS1, 2014)
(a) The Committee on Public Accounts
(b) The Committee on Estimates
(c) The Committee on Public Undertakings
(d) The Committee on Petitions

Eye on inflation, RBI keeps repo rate unchanged

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-ON EXPECTED lines, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Thursday left the repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent for the third time in a row amid concerns over rise in inflation. The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) revised its FY’24 consumer price index (CPI) inflation projection to 5.4 per cent from an estimate of 5.1 per cent announced in June, even as it retained its forecast for real gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 6.5 per cent.

• What exactly RBI said?

• Why repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent for the third time in a row?

• For Your Information-“The MPC decided to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent with preparedness to act, should the situation so warrant. The MPC remains resolute in its commitment to aligning inflation to the 4 per cent target and anchoring inflation expectations,” said RBI Governor Shaktikanata Das while announcing the monetary policy. The MPC, in a 5:1 majority, decided to remain focused on withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation progressively aligns with the target, while supporting growth. The RBI directed banks to maintain an incremental cash reserve ratio (I-CRR) of 10 per cent for banks in order to manage surplus liquidity in the banking system. The measure, which is temporary, will suck out above Rs 1 lakh crore of excess liquidity from the banking system. The central bank has been mandated by the government to keep consumer price index-based inflation (CPI) at 4 per cent with a band of +/- 2 per cent. After easing to a low of 4.3 per cent in May, retail inflation accelerated to 4.81 per cent on the back rise in prices of vegetables and pulses.

• What happened in the previous two monetary policies?

• How this unchanged monetary policy will provide relief to home, vehicle and other retail borrowers from an increase in equated monthly instalments (EMIs)?

• What happens when repo rate is increased?

• Repo rate is the rate at which central bank of a country (in our case Reserve Bank of India) lends money to whom?

• In reverse repo rate is the rate at which the central bank of a country (Reserve Bank of India in case of India) borrows money from whom?

• ‘Repo rate at 6.50 per cent’-What do you understand by this?

• If Repo Rate is increased or say decreased then it impacts common people?

• Who decides the repo rate and reverse repo rate?

• How repo rate and reverse repo rate are decided?

• What is the difference between repo rate and interest rate?

• If repo rate or reverse repo rate is increased or decreased, then how it impacts savings?

• What Marginal Standing Facility?

• What is the meaning of withdrawal of accommodation?

• What does accommodative stance mean with respect to monetary policy?

• Will RBI retain its policy stance?

• Will RBI change its inflation forecast?

• Will the growth projection be changed?

• Will there be any change in lending and deposit rates?

• What is Monetary Policy Framework?

• What is Monetary policy?

• What is the primary objective of the monetary policy?

• There are two aspects to any monetary policy-What are they?

• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is a Statutory Body-True or False?

• Under Section 45ZB of the amended (in 2016) RBI Act, 1934, the central government is empowered to constitute a six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)- What is the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)?

• Do You Know-Monetary policy essentially deals with the supply and cost (interest rates) of money in an economy. The RBI’s MPC meets every two months to assess the state of monetary activities, and may tweak the repo rate — the interest rate at which the RBI lends to commercial banks — in a manner that reduces price fluctuations in the economy while keeping the inflation rate (the rate at which the general price level in the economy grows) at a reasonable level.

• What is the composition of Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)?

• Try to Comprehend-In any economy, the main role of the central bank is to maintain price stability. In other words, the primary goal is to contain inflation. The inflation rate for any period (month, quarter or year) is the rate at which the general price level has gone up. If the overall price level — typically calculated by an index (such as the Consumer Price Index) that has the prices of different commodities — in a particular month is 5% more than what it was in the same month last year, then inflation rate is said to be 5%. The targeted level of inflation varies from one country to another. In the US, this target is 2%. In India, the law demands RBI to target 4%. But apart from the exact target, the law also provides a comfort zone — 2% to 6% — within which the inflation can stray. These numbers are decided based on research that suggests the ideal rate of inflation most conducive to sustained economic growth. since late 2019, the RBI has rarely come close to the target rate. Worse still, the headline inflation has stayed outside the upper limit for the better part of the past 14 months.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Shoring up resistance

📍AN EXTENDED PAUSE

📍With inflation set to remain above 5%, rate cut unlikely this fiscal

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

📍With reference to the Indian economy, consider the following statements: (UPSC GS1, 2022)
1. If the inflation is too high, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to buy government securities.
2. If the rupee is rapidly depreciating, RBI is likely to sell dollars in the market.
3. If interest rates in the USA or European Union were to fall, that is likely to induce RBI to buy dollars.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

📍In India, which one of the following is responsible for maintaining price stability by controlling inflation? (UPSC GS1, 2022)
(a) Department of Consumer Affairs
(b) Expenditure Management Commission
(c) Financial Stability and Development Council
(d) Reserve Bank of India

📍If the RBI decides to adopt an expansionist monetary policy, which of the following would it not do? (UPSC GS1, 2020)
(1) Cut and optimize the Statutory Liquidity Ratio
(2) Increase the Marginal Standing Facility Rate
(3) Cut the Bank Rate and Repo Rate
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

📍When the Reserve Bank of India reduces the Statutory Liquidity Ratio by 50 basis points, which of the following is likely to happen? (UPSC GS1, 2015)
(a) India’s GDP growth rate increases drastically
(b) Foreign Institutional Investors may bring more capital into our country
(c) Scheduled Commercial Banks may cut their lending rates
(d) It may drastically reduce the liquidity to the banking system

📍With reference to inflation in India, which of the following statements is correct? (UPSC GS1, 2015)
(a) Controlling the inflation in India is the responsibility of the Government of India only
(b) The Reserve Bank of India has no role in controlling the inflation
(c) Decreased money circulation helps in controlling the inflation
(d) Increased money circulation helps in controlling the inflation

📍The Reserve Bank of India regulates the commercial banks in matters of (UPSC GS1, 2013)
(1) liquidity of assets
(2) branch expansion
(3) merger of banks
(4) winding-up of banks
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
(a) 1 and 4 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

GOVT & POLITICS

Disclaimer must for endorsing health products: Govt

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies IV: Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- CELEBRITIES, INFLUENCERS and virtual influencers presenting themselves as health experts while endorsing products must give clear disclaimers, according to additional guidelines issued by the government on Thursday. Even medical practitioners, health and fitness experts must disclose that they are certified experts while endorsing products, according to the fresh guidelines. The guidelines were released by the Department of Consumer Affairs, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

• What Department of Consumer Affairs, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said regarding the same?

• Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022-Know its provisions

• For Your Information-The guidelines were released by the Department of Consumer Affairs, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. “These guidelines are an important extension to the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022 released on 9th June 2022, and in lieu of the ‘Endorsement Know-hows!’ guide booklet released on 20th January 2023,” the ministry said . “The Additional Influencer Guidelines for Health and Wellness Celebrities, Influencers and Virtual Influencers has been developed after detailed discussions with all stakeholders, including Ministry of Health, Ministry of Ayush, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI),” it said. The additional guidelines aim to deal with misleading advertisements, unsubstantiated claims and ensure transparency in health and wellness endorsements, the ministry said. “Celebrities, influencers and virtual influencers presenting themselves as health experts or medical practitioners, when sharing information, promoting products or services or making any health-related claims, must provide clear disclaimers, ensuring the audience understands that their endorsements should not be seen as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment,” it said.

• The guidelines exempt certain categories of health advice-what are they?

• Why need such policy?

• What are the ethical aspects of celebrity endorsement?

• Should celebrities be responsible for the products they endorse?

• Is celebrity endorsement morally justifiable?

• What is the effect of celebrity endorsement on public?

• Is celebrity endorsement ethical or unethical in brand building?

• Why is it desired for Celebrities to be ethically responsible?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍In fact: Draft Bill targets celeb endorsers for misleading ads — or does it?

EXPLAINED

CHINA’S SPONGE CITIES

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies I: Urbanisation, their problems and their remedies.

• General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests,

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-China has been hit by devastating floods in recent weeks, inundating cities and causing deaths and infrastructural damage, as well as raising questions about the effectiveness of its 2015 “sponge city” initiative aimed at reducing urban flood risks.
The initiative was launched to boost flood resilience in major cities and make better use of rainwater through architectural, engineering and infrastructural tweaks. But cities remain vulnerable to heavy rain. In July alone, floods and related geological disasters caused 142 deaths and disappearances, destroyed 2,300 homes and caused direct economic losses of 15.78 billion yuan ($2.19 billion), China’s emergency ministry said on Monday. Following is an explainer about the sponge city scheme.

• What is ‘Sponge city’?

• Why Was the initiative launched?

• What has been done so far?

• What are the limitations of Sponge Cities?

• What does water-logging mean?

• There are different types of water logging that happen due to different conditions in an area-What are they?

• What are the causes of urban water-logging?

• Water-logging is a prelude to urban flooding-Do you agree with this?

• Issues related to urban stormwater management

• What do you understand by “Concretisation”?

• ‘Concretisation’ a by-product of urbanisation which has almost engulfed major cities in India-know it’s impact?

• ‘Concretisation’ and water logging-Connect the dots

• ‘Concretisation’ is turning the city into an urban heat island with threats of water logging and urban floods in metro cities”-how far you agree with this statement?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Floods in China and Slovenia: Can extreme flooding be prevented?

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