In News:

The Union cabinet has recently approved the "One Nation, One Election" proposal, facilitating the conduct of simultaneous elections in India. This initiative follows a report submitted in March by a high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, which unanimously recommended synchronizing Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections, along with local body polls, within 100 days.

What are Simultaneous Polls?

Simultaneous polls aim to align the timing of Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections across all states, thereby reducing the frequency of elections. Historically, simultaneous elections were held during the first four general election cycles (1952, 1957, 1962, and 1967), but this practice ended in 1959 after the dismissal of the Kerala government. Since then, due to premature dissolutions of various Assemblies, elections have been staggered. Currently, only four states—Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim—hold simultaneous elections with the Lok Sabha.

Arguments For and Against

Proponents argue that simultaneous elections can significantly reduce election-related costs, which amounted to approximately ?3,870 crore during the 2014 general elections. They also highlight that the Model Code of Conduct triggers twice in a five-year cycle, leading to extended periods of governance downtime.

Opponents caution that this approach may favor larger political parties with national reach, potentially sidelining smaller regional parties. A 2015 study found that the likelihood of a party winning both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections when held simultaneously is 77%, dropping to 61% if elections are spaced six months apart.

Implementation Process

The committee proposed a two-step implementation:

1. Simultaneous Elections: Conduct elections for both the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies together.
2. Synchronizing Local Elections: Hold elections for municipalities and panchayats within 100 days following the general elections.

Following the announcement of the "appointed date," the terms of all State Assemblies constituted after that date would end with the Lok Sabha's term. This could lead to most State governments not completing their five-year terms, even if they maintain a majority.

Required Constitutional Changes

Several amendments to the Constitution have been proposed:

1. Introduction of Article 82A: This would require all Legislative Assemblies elected after the appointed date to conclude with the Lok Sabha’s term.
2. Amendment of Article 327: Expanding Parliament's powers to include the conduct of simultaneous elections.
3. Revisions to Articles 83 and 172: Defining the five-year term as the "full term" and any remaining period after premature dissolution as the "unexpired term."
4. Introduction of Article 324A: Empowering Parliament to ensure that municipality and panchayat elections occur alongside general elections.
5. Amendments for Union Territories: Ensuring that Assembly elections in Union Territories align with simultaneous elections.
6. Single Electoral Roll: Proposing a common electoral roll for all elections, to be managed by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

State Ratification

Under Article 368, amending the Constitution may require ratification by state legislatures. The panel believes that syncing Assembly elections with Lok Sabha elections will not need state ratification, but amendments for a common electoral roll and synchronization of local elections will require cooperation from the states. The ruling BJP, currently in power in several states, will need to navigate upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand to secure this support.

Conclusion

The "One Nation, One Election" initiative aims to streamline India's electoral process, potentially enhancing governance and reducing costs. However, its success depends on achieving political consensus and implementing necessary constitutional amendments, which will require collaboration among various political parties and state governments.

In News:

The PM Modi-led Union Cabinet has approved several ambitious space initiatives, marking a significant leap for India's lunar and space exploration programs.

Chandrayaan-4 Mission

• Objective: The fourth lunar mission aims to collect lunar samples, return them safely to Earth, and analyze them.
• Timeline: Expected completion within 36 months post-approval, with a budget of ?2,104 crore.
• Significance: This mission will build foundational technological capabilities for a manned Moon landing planned by 2040.
• Remarks: ISRO Chairman S. Somanath emphasized that the mission's highlight is its low-cost execution and the step-by-step approach to developing the necessary technology.

Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) and Gaganyaan

• BAS Development: Approval for the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, targeted for launch by 2028, with full completion by 2035.
• Gaganyaan Program: The program’s budget has been revised to ?20,193 crore, with an additional funding of ?11,170 crore to enhance its scope and include precursor missions for BAS.
• Mission Plan: Eight missions are envisaged by 2028, including four under the ongoing Gaganyaan program, development of BAS-1, and four additional missions for technology demonstration and validation.

Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM)

• Launch Timeline: Scheduled for March 2028, VOM will explore Venus's atmosphere, geology, and generate extensive scientific data.
• Budget: The Cabinet approved ?1,236 crore for VOM, with ?824 crore allocated for the spacecraft.
• Research Focus: The mission will provide insights into Venus's transformation and how different planetary environments evolve.

Next-Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV)

• Development Approval: A reusable NGLV has been greenlit with a budget of ?8,240 crore.
• Capabilities: The new rocket will have three times the payload lifting capability compared to existing vehicles (10 tonnes to 30 tonnes to Low Earth Orbit) and will be cost-effective and commercially viable.
• Features: The NGLV will include reusability options and modular green propulsion systems, enhancing India's capacity for satellite launches.

In News:

• Advance tax payments from corporates and personal taxpayers have risen by 22.6%, surpassing ?4.36 lakh crore. This increase is driven by a 39.2% rise in Personal Income Tax (PIT) receipts and an 18.2% uptick in corporate taxes.

Key Details:

• Overall net direct tax receipts have reached approximately ?9.96 lakh crore, reflecting a 16.1% increase, though this marks a slowdown from the 22.5% growth recorded as of August 11.
• As of September 17, corporate tax collections grew by 10.5%, while inflows from PIT increased by 18.9%.
• Securities Transaction Tax collections nearly doubled to ?26,154 crore, and refunds surged by 56.5% to ?2.05 lakh crore, according to data from the Income Tax Department.
• Personal taxes continue to outpace corporate taxes, contributing 51.7% of net direct tax receipts for the year.
• Gross tax collections, before accounting for refunds, have risen by 21.5%, totaling ?12.01 lakh crore.

In News:

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the continuation of the PM-AASHA scheme to provide remunerative prices to farmers and control price volatility of essential commodities for consumers.
• Total Financial Outlay: ?35,000 crore during the 15th Finance Commission Cycle, up to 2025-26.

Scheme Integration

• The government has merged the Price Support Scheme (PSS) and Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) into PM-AASHA to enhance efficiency.
• Components of PM-AASHA:
  • Price Support Scheme (PSS)
  • Price Stabilization Fund (PSF)
  • Price Deficit Payment Scheme (PDPS)
  • Market Intervention Scheme (MIS)

Procurement Details

• MSP Procurement: Starting from the 2024-25 season, procurement of notified pulses, oilseeds, and copra at Minimum Support Price (MSP) will be on 25% of national production.
• Exceptions for 2024-25: 100% procurement of Tur, Urad, and Masur will be implemented.
• Government Guarantee: The existing government guarantee for procurement has been enhanced to ?45,000 crore.

Consumer Protection Measures

• The extension of the PSF scheme will help protect consumers from extreme price volatility by maintaining strategic buffer stocks of pulses and onions.
• Procurement of pulses at market prices will be handled by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) when prices exceed MSP.

Enhanced State Participation

• PDPS Coverage: The coverage for the Price Deficit Payment Scheme for notified oilseeds has been increased from 25% to 40% of state production.
• Implementation Period: Extended from 3 months to 4 months, with compensation limited to 15% of MSP.

Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) Adjustments

• The MIS has been extended to provide remunerative prices for perishable horticultural crops.
• Coverage for MIS has increased from 20% to 25% of production, with an option for direct differential payments to farmers.
• For TOP (Tomato, Onion, Potato) crops, the government will cover transportation and storage costs to ensure price stability.

In News:

Fast-track special courts (FTSCs) are much more efficient than other courts in handling rape cases and those related to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, a report released by the India Child Protection.

Key Details:

West Bengal's Performance

• West Bengal recorded less than a 2% disposal rate for rape and POCSO cases, the lowest in India.
• Only five out of 123 earmarked FTSCs are currently functioning in the state.

Overview of the India Child Protection (ICP)

• Established in 2005, the ICP is dedicated to combatting child sexual abuse and related crimes, including:
  • Child trafficking
  • Exploitation of children in the digital space
  • Child marriage

Efficiency of FTSCs

• The ICP report titled "Fast Tracking Justice" highlighted that FTSCs disposed of 83% of cases in 2022, compared to 10% by conventional courts.
• As of August 2023, 755 out of 1,023 earmarked FTSCs were operational.
• Among these, 410 FTSCs are exclusively for POCSO cases.

Historical Context

• The FTSC scheme was launched by the Centre in October 2019, following a Supreme Court directive for ensuring the swift disposal of cases, related to rape and those coming under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme.
• Implemented by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice.

Case Disposal Statistics

• FTSCs have disposed of 52% of the 4,16,638 rape and POCSO cases since the scheme's inception.
• Disposal rates improved from 83% in 2022 to 94% in 2023.

State-wise Disposal Rates

• Top Performing States:
  • Maharashtra: 79.5%
  • Punjab: 71.3%
  • Kerala (Southern India): 69.5%
  • Karnataka: 62.2%
  • Tamil Nadu: 58.4%
• Lowest Performing States:
  • West Bengal: 1.6%
  • Jammu and Kashmir: 25%
  • Meghalaya: 26.6%
  • Delhi: 28.3%

Note: No data was available for Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and Sikkim.

Need for Additional FTSCs

• The ICP report states that India needs at least 1,000 more FTSCs to manage the backlog effectively.
• The backlog of pending cases rose from 2,81,049 in 2020 to 4,17,673 by the end of 2022.

Advocacy for Reform

• Bhuwan Ribhu, a child rights activist, emphasized the urgent need for FTSCs to ensure justice for victims:
  • Investment in the safety and security of women and children is crucial.
  • All pending cases should be resolved within the next three years.
  • Rehabilitation and compensation for victims should be prioritized.
  • Time-bound policies for case disposal across all courts are necessary.

Funding and Resource Utilization

• The ICP report recommends optimizing the Nirbhaya Fund, created after the 2012 Delhi gang rape, to support additional FTSCs.
• There is currently ?1,700 crore unutilized, while the requirement for operationalizing new FTSCs is ?1,302 crore.