17 April 2023

• Panchayati Raj: National Panchayat Awards Week began (17-21 April), with the President distributing awards to high-performing panchayats.
• Polity: A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court began hearings on 21 petitions seeking legal recognition for same-sex marriage. The Centre maintained only Parliament can create new institutions like marriage.
• Judiciary: The Supreme Court agreed to hear pleas against communal violence during Ram Navami processions in March.
• Sudan: India began diplomatic efforts to arrange evacuation corridors as the SAF-RSF conflict entered its third day.

GS area: Polity (Local governance, Panchayati Raj)

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj observed National Panchayat Awards Week from 17 to 21 April 2023, with the President addressing the inaugural session and presenting awards to exemplary panchayats.

• Why 24 April is Panchayati Raj Day: The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act was enacted in 1992 and came into force on 24 April 1993. Every 24 April is observed as National Panchayati Raj Day, making the awards week around 17-21 April a lead-up event.
• 73rd Amendment: Added Part IX to the Constitution (Articles 243 to 243O). It constitutionalised the three-tier panchayat system: village panchayat (gram panchayat), intermediate panchayat (panchayat samiti), and district panchayat (zila parishad).
• Eleventh Schedule: Added by the 73rd Amendment. Lists 29 subjects that states may devolve to panchayats, including agriculture, rural housing, roads, minor irrigation and social forestry.
• Reservations: At least one-third of seats (later increased to one-half in many states) and one-third of chairperson positions are reserved for women. Seats are also reserved for SCs and STs in proportion to population.
• Award criteria: The National Panchayat Awards assess panchayats against the Sustainable Development Goals. Categories include Governance, Health, Education, Agriculture, Clean Water, Sanitation, Child Welfare and Women Empowerment.
• Limitations: While the constitutional framework exists, actual devolution of functions, funds and functionaries (the three Fs) varies widely across states. Many states have not transferred all 29 subjects to panchayats.

Static linkage: Panchayati Raj, local governance, 73rd Amendment.

GS area: Polity (Judiciary, Fundamental rights, Family law)

A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court began hearing 21 petitions seeking legal recognition for same-sex marriage. The bench was headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.

• The legal framework: Same-sex sexual conduct was decriminalised by the Supreme Court in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018), which struck down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. That ruling did not address marriage rights.
• Special Marriage Act 1954: The main law petitioners sought to read down. The SMA allows civil marriage between persons of any religion or faith. Petitioners argued "person" and "spouse" in the SMA should be interpreted gender-neutrally.
• Government's position: The Centre argued before the Court that marriage is a social institution embedded in personal law and cultural practice. Redefining it requires legislative action by Parliament, not judicial reinterpretation. The Centre invoked the separation of powers.
• Precedents cited: KS Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017) recognised the right to privacy including decisional autonomy over one's relationships. Navtej Johar (2018) held that sexual orientation is an intrinsic part of identity. Petitioners argued these rulings implicitly support marriage recognition.
• The spectrum of petitions: Some sought recognition only under the SMA (civil marriage). Others sought amendment of the Hindu Marriage Act, Muslim Personal Law and other personal laws. The Court focused on the SMA first.
• Eventual outcome: The Supreme Court ultimately declined to legalise same-sex marriage in October 2023, holding it was a legislative matter.

Static linkage: Judiciary, fundamental rights, family law, LGBTQ rights.

GS area: Polity (Judiciary, Communal harmony)

The Supreme Court heard the Ram Navami violence pleas on 17 April. The bench, headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, agreed to examine the petitions and issued notice to the state governments.

• The legal issue: Whether state governments failed their constitutional obligations under Article 355 (duty of the Union to protect states against internal disturbance) and Article 256 (obligation of states to ensure compliance with central laws).
• The platform in question: The role of social media platforms in spreading inflammatory content before and during processions was raised. CERT-In was already monitoring for content violating the IT Rules.
• Bulldozer controversy: In several cases, state governments ordered demolition of properties of those alleged to be involved in violence, without following due process. The Supreme Court later addressed this practice separately.
• Article 14 and due process: Demolitions without notice or hearing violate natural justice. The Court's scrutiny of the practice reflects Article 14's guarantee of equal protection and Article 21's due process requirement.

Static linkage: Communal harmony, judicial review, fundamental rights.

GS area: Disaster Management, Society

The heat stroke deaths at a public function in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai on 16 April (covered on 17 April) prompted review of India's heat action plans.

• What happened: Thirteen people died and over 100 were hospitalised after attending an outdoor civic awards ceremony in direct sunlight without adequate water, shade or medical facilities.
• Heat stroke mechanics: Heat stroke occurs when core body temperature exceeds 40-41 degrees Celsius within 10 to 15 minutes of exposure. It is distinguished from heat exhaustion (which is milder) by loss of consciousness and central nervous system dysfunction.
• Wet bulb temperature: The combination of high temperature and high humidity raises wet bulb temperature. When wet bulb exceeds 35 degrees Celsius, the human body cannot lose heat through sweating regardless of heat exposure duration. This threshold is becoming relevant in parts of India's coastal belt.
• NDMA guidelines: The National Disaster Management Authority's heat wave guidelines require government-organised outdoor events to provide water, ORS packets, shade and medical standby. The Kharghar event failed each of these requirements.
• Heat Action Plans: Ahmedabad (Gujarat) was the first Indian city to implement a formal Heat Action Plan in 2013 after a severe 2010 heat wave. The model has been adopted by other cities but implementation remains inconsistent.

Static linkage: Disaster management, climate change adaptation, public health.

• INS Sumedha deployment: India began deploying INS Sumedha, a fleet tanker, towards the Red Sea and Port Sudan area as the Sudan conflict grew. Formal evacuation (Operation Kaveri) would begin on 24 April.
• Animal Birth Control Rules 2023: The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying notified new Animal Birth Control Rules, replacing the 2001 ABC (Dog) Rules. Local bodies must sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 provides the legal basis.
• Svamitva scheme progress: The Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas scheme had mapped over 2.6 lakh villages using drone technology by April 2023. Property cards issued to rural residents build a foundation for credit access and dispute resolution.