1. A wish list for reform in India’s higher judiciary
- Page 6.
- GS 2, Judiciary, Constitution.
- It is generally assumed that the senior most judge of the Supreme Court should be the Chief Justice of India, but we may pause to consider whether this is what the law mandates, and whether it is wholly wise. As to the first, the Constitution mandates no such thing. Article 124 merely states that the President will appoint every judge of the Supreme Court, and this includes the Chief Justice, and each of these judges shall hold office until they attain the age of 65 years. The requirement about appointing the senior most judge to be the CJI is a sleight of hand devised in the Second Judges case (1993) and the consequent Memorandum of Procedure which is an obvious and naked usurpation of the President’s power and a blatant attempt to rewrite the Constitution. It has no constitutional legitimacy.
2. Progress without limits
- Page 6.
- GS 3, Growth and Development, Technology.
- The Union Cabinet last week cleared the decks for the first auction of radio spectrum to facilitate the roll-out of 5G telecommunication services. The Government has underscored that its primary motivation is to boost digital connectivity, a laudable objective given that the rapid growth of wireless telephony has perceptibly helped improve the delivery of services such as mobile banking, online education and telemedicine.
3. A new global standard for AI ethics
- Page 7.
- GS 3, Technology, Growth and Development.
- Artificial intelligence (AI) is more present in our lives than ever. From predicting what we want to see as we scroll through social media to helping us understand weather patterns to manage agriculture, AI is ubiquitous. AI algorithms can also be partially credited for the rapidity with which vaccines were developed to tackle COVID-19. The algorithms crunched complex data from clinical trials being undertaken in all corners of the world, creating global collaborations that could not have been imagined even a decade ago.
4. Analysing spectrum auction
- Page 7.
- GS 3, Technology, Growth and Development.
- The Union Cabinet has cleared a mega auction of radio spectrum in various bands for commercial mobile services. Based on the recommendation of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the government is planning to auction spectrum in the sub-GHz bands of 600, 700, 800 and 900 MHz; in the mid-bands of 1,800, 2,100, 2,300, 2,500 and 3,300 MHz, and in the high frequency band of 26 GHz.
5. The absurdity of the anti-defection law
- Page 9.
- GS 2, Constitution, Polity.
- The anti-defection law was included in the Constitution to combat the “evil of political defections”. The main purpose was to preserve the stability of governments. The law stated that any MP or MLA would be disqualified from their office if they voted on any motion contrary to the directions issued by their party.
6. 5G to account for 39% of India’s subscriptions by 2027: Ericsson
- Page 14.
- GS 3, Technology, Growth and Development.
- The number of subscriptions to India’s 5G services, which are likely to be rolled out from later this year, is expected to reach about 500 million, or 39% of all subscribers, by 2027, telecom equipment maker Ericsson said in a report on Tuesday. while India presented significant opportunities, it also held challenges for service providers. It pointed out that average revenue per user for telcos remained low despite a recent increase in the price of data. “Moreover, India has some of the highest prices for spectrum in the world, constraining service providers’ ability to invest in infrastructure,” the company said.
7. Nonbank PPI issuers can’t load via credit
- Page 14.
- GS 3, Economy.
- The Reserve Bank has asked nonbank prepaid payment instrument (PPI) issuers not to load their wallets and cards from credit lines or pre-set borrowing limits. PPIs are instruments that facilitate purchase of goods and services, financial services, and remittance facilities, against the value stored therein.
