9 PM UPSC Current Affairs Articles 26 March 2025

Mains Oriented Articles

GS PAPER - 2

Judicial misconduct needs transparent and accountable investigation

Source: The post Judicial misconduct needs transparent and accountable investigation has been created, based on the article “How is an in-house inquiry conducted?” published in “The Hindu” on 26th March 2025

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2- Governance-Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

Context: A fire at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi High Court on March 14 led to the discovery of large piles of burnt cash. This incident triggered a preliminary inquiry, which led the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to initiate a deeper investigation through an in-house procedure.

In-house procedure for probing judges

1. Purpose and Background: The in-house procedure was developed by the Supreme Court in 1999 to handle complaints of misconduct against higher judiciary judges. It was made public in 2014.
2. Initial Scrutiny by CJI: When a complaint is received, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) decides whether it is frivolous or serious. If it is serious, the judge’s response and the view of the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court are taken.
3. Constitution of Inquiry Committee: If a deeper probe is needed, the CJI forms a three-member committee:
   • For a High Court judge: two Chief Justices of other High Courts and one High Court judge.
   • For a Chief Justice of a High Court: one Supreme Court judge and two Chief Justices of other High Courts.
   • For a Supreme Court judge: three Supreme Court judges.
4. Inquiry Process: The committee reviews the facts and gives a recommendation.
   • If misconduct is not serious: the judge is informed.
   • If serious: the judge is asked to resign. If the judge refuses, the report is sent to the President and Prime Minister for removal through Parliament under the Constitution.

Concerns with the collegium system of judge appointments

1. The collegium system protects judicial independence but lacks transparency and accountability.
2. It is opaque and does not involve wider public or institutional participation.
3. This lack of openness may allow misconduct to go unnoticed, as seen in the Justice Yashwant Varma case.
4. The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) was struck down in 2015 for violating the basic structure of judicial independence.
5. There is need to revisit the NJAC with a broad-based structure headed by the CJI and including members from the legislature, lawyer associations, and academia.
6. This can improve transparency without compromising independence, like South Africa’s Judicial Service Commission.

Reforms needed in this process

1. Lack of Transparency: The in-house inquiry findings are confidential, reducing public trust in the judicial system.
2. No Accountability: Despite being found guilty of misconduct, no judge has faced criminal punishment, undermining the effectiveness of the in-house procedure.
3. Example of Better Practice: The UK has a transparent system through its Judicial Conduct Investigations Office. India should create a similar independent body under the CJI. This will ensure both accountability and independence in handling judicial misconduct, unlike the current process which lacks public disclosure and legal consequences.

Question for practice:

Examine the limitations of the in-house procedure for probing judicial misconduct in India and suggest reforms to enhance transparency and accountability.

Vaccine Safety Concerns in India and Required Policy Reforms

Source: The post Vaccine Safety Concerns in India and Required Policy Reforms has been created, based on the article “A bad omen for public trust in vaccines” published in “The Hindu” on 26th March 2025

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2- Governance-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.

Context: In recent years, several petitions have been filed in Indian courts concerning vaccine safety and regulation. While most relate to COVID-19 vaccines, some address issues with the rabies and rotavirus vaccines. These petitions highlight growing concerns over how vaccines are approved, monitored, and administered in India.

For detailed information on Vaccine Regulations In India read this article here

Reasons for Filing Petitions About Vaccines in India

1. Deaths and Adverse Events: A petition in Kerala cited deaths linked to the anti-rabies vaccine.
2. Transparency Issues: Concerns over the opacity in the vaccine approval process by CDSCO and undisclosed conflicts of interest among decision-makers.
3. Inadequate Information Disclosure: Incomplete information on vaccine side-effects and poor public access to clinical trial data.
4. Compensation for Harm: Legal action, like in Sayeeda v. Union of India (2022), seeks government policies on compensating vaccine-related harms.
5. Ineffective Monitoring: Weak implementation of the system for tracking adverse events following immunization (AEFI).

Problem highlighted by these petitions

1. Courts are poorly equipped to address vaccine issues due to their complex scientific nature.
2. Legal proceedings are lengthy and often result in unsatisfactory and poorly reasoned orders.
3. For example, courts have granted exparte interim injunctions to vaccine manufacturers against critics, which can stifle necessary public debate.
4. Judicial handling can detract from the credibility of vaccine manufacturers and does not resolve underlying public health concerns.
5. Effective resolution of these issues lies in policy reform and regulation by health authorities, not litigation.

Steps Needed to Ensure Informed Consent and Public Safety

1. Clear and Timely Information: Ensure that information about vaccine side-effects is provided clearly and directly to recipients at the time of vaccination, not merely posted on websites.
2. Strengthening AEFI Guidelines: Transition the current Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) guidelines into a robust legal framework to enhance data collection and transparency.
3. Public Disclosure of Trial Data: Mandate the public disclosure of all clinical trial data and the CDSCO’s internal analysis to build public trust in vaccine approvals.
4. Compensation Policy: Implement a government policy for compensating those adversely affected by vaccines, as directed by the Kerala High Court in Sayeeda v. Union of India (2022). This policy should clarify the circumstances under which vaccine manufacturers or the government is liable, depending on indemnity clauses which are currently not public.

Conclusion

Except for compensation, most vaccine-related concerns are policy matters. The Health Ministry should respond with legal and regulatory reforms instead of leaving them to be settled in courts.

Question for practice:

Examine the concerns raised in recent petitions regarding vaccine safety and regulation in India and suggest policy measures to address them.

India rethinks ties with Taliban in Afghanistan

Source: The post India rethinks ties with Taliban in Afghanistan has been created, based on the article “The ‘Great Abandonment’ of Afghanistan” published in “The Hindu” on 26th March 2025

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-International Relations-India and its neighbourhood- relations.

Context: The article analyzes India’s evolving engagement with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal. It examines the shift from support for democratic Afghan governments to reluctant dealings with the Taliban, raising concerns about abandoning democratic allies, human rights, and the long-term strategic risks for India.

For detailed information on India-Afghanistan Relations read this article here

U.S. approach to Ukraine remind Afghans past

1. Similarities in Withdrawal: The U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, which led to the fall of the elected government and the rise of the Taliban, is paralleled by a perceived reduction in U.S. commitment to Ukraine, as suggested by recent interactions between U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
2. Direct Negotiations with Adversaries: Just as the U.S. initiated talks directly with the Taliban in 2018 without involving the Afghan government, there is a concern that similar diplomatic moves could happen in Ukraine, undermining the local government’s position.
3. Impact of U.S. Policy Shifts: The Doha Accords of 2020, favoring the Taliban without securing commitments for a political process or human rights, remind Afghans of possible similar outcomes in other regions where the U.S. modifies its foreign policy stance.

Taliban’s return changed life inside Afghanistan

1. Taliban 2.0 (2021-present) holds tighter control over Afghanistan and treats women more harshly than before.
2. Girls are banned from schools, colleges, workplaces, and even public view.
3. This reverses gains from 2001–2021, when women worked in many sectors and one even ran for President.
4. The regime remains unrecognized globally, but countries like Russia, China, and Pakistan have embraced it diplomatically.
5. The U.S. and Europe have disengaged, cutting aid and support.
6. Economic mismanagement and the freezing of USAID and Chabahar access have deepened the crisis, worsening life for ordinary Afghans.

India’s Shifting Stance

1. Initially, India closed its embassy in Kabul and avoided formal recognition of the Taliban regime. But by 2022, it had reopened a technical mission.

2. In 2025, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri publicly met the Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister.
3. Reports suggest India may now allow a Taliban-appointed ambassador in Delhi and expand engagement to resume development work.

Reasons for India’s Outreach

1. Pragmatism and Realpolitik: Officials argue the Taliban’s prolonged control makes engagement necessary, though the regime’s internal divisions and governance failures challenge its permanence.
2. Aid Delivery Argument: It is claimed that working with the Taliban is required to help Afghans, but historical precedents show aid can be routed through other agencies.
3. Strategic Space: Some fear India may lose influence as other regional powers deepen ties. However, the Taliban’s ideological hostility and past attacks on Indian interests suggest this may not yield real strategic gains.

Way Forward

1. India should not isolate exiled Afghan democrats.
2. It should raise concerns about women’s rights, support platforms for political opposition, and remain engaged across the political spectrum.
3. Rebuilding ties with democratic forces is important for long-term relevance and regional stability.

Question for practice:

Examine how India’s approach towards the Taliban regime has evolved since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the strategic factors influencing this shift.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Equalisation Levy

News- The government has proposed the abolition of the 6% Equalisation Levy on online advertising in the Finance Bill 2025. This move will benefit advertisers on digital platforms like Google, X and Meta.

About Equalisation Levy

• The Equalisation Levy was introduced in India through the Finance Act, 2016, to tax digital transactions—specifically, income earned by foreign e-commerce companies from Indian sources.
• It is aimed at taxing business-to-business transactions.
• It is also often referred to as the “Google Tax.
• It is a direct tax, which is withheld at the time of payment by the service recipient.
• Conditions for Equalisation Levy Applicability:
  • The payment should be made to a non-resident service provider;
  • The annual payment made to one service provider exceeds Rs.1,00,000 in one financial year.
• Services covered under Equalisation Levy:
  • Online Advertisement Services (Effective from June 1, 2016).
  • Any provision for digital advertising space or facilities/services or selling goods to Indian residents, or users accessing services/goods through Indian IP addresses (Effective from April 1, 2020).
  • It was also mentioned during the introduction of the levy that as and when any other services are notified, these will be included with the aforesaid services.
• Equalisation Levy Exclusion:
  • The non-resident service provider has a permanent office in India, and the requested service is linked to that permanent office/establishment.
  • The total consideration amount to be paid for the specific service payable or received is less than Rs.1 lakh.
  • The service described is not intended to be used to pursue a profession or work.
  • An exemption under section 10(50) of the Act is provided to avoid double taxation for any income arising from specified services provided on which equalisation levy is chargeable.
  • An income chargeable to tax as fees or royalties for technical services will not be included as income for the equalisation levy purposes.
• Tax Rates under Equalisation Levy:
  • For specified digital services, such as online advertising, the rate is 6% of the gross consideration.
  • For e-commerce transactions, such as online sale of goods or services, the rate is 2% of the gross consideration.

BHIM 3.0

News- NPCI BHIM Services Ltd. (NBSL), a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), introduced BHIM 3.0.

About BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money)

• It is Unified Payments Interface(UPI) based payment interface application that allows real time fund transfer.
• It was launched in 2016.
• Developer: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
• Purpose: To promote cashless transactions and digital payments
• Bank Connectivity: Works with 170+ member banks via IMPS infrastructure
• Key Features:
  • Direct bank-to-bank transfers (unlike mobile wallets)
  • Available 24/7, including holidays
  • Supports Aadhaar-based authentication
  • Available in 20+ Indian languages
  • Works in areas with low or unstable internet connectivity
  • Ensures security with three-factor authentication (3FA)
  • Transaction Limit:
    • Maximum ₹40,000 per transaction (subject to change)
    • Daily limit of ₹1,00,000

Key features of BHIM 3.0

• Split Expenses: Users can now easily divide bills for shared costs such as rent, dining, and group purchases, enabling instant settlement.
• Family Mode: This feature allows users to add family members, monitor shared expenses, and assign specific payments for improved financial management.
• Spends Analytics: A newly introduced dashboard provides a detailed analysis of monthly expenses, automatically categorizing them to simplify budgeting.
• Action Needed Alerts: BHIM 3.0 offers timely reminders for pending bills, UPI Lite activation, and low balance alerts, ensuring users stay informed.
• BHIM Vega: Merchants can now accept in-app payments directly within the BHIM app, eliminating the need for third-party applications and enhancing transaction efficiency.

Vikramshila University

News– The government is planning the revival of another ancient center of learning in Bihar—Vikramshila University.

About Vikramshila University

• Location:- It was located in Bhagalpur, Bihar, along the banks of the Ganges River.
• Founder: It was established by King Dharmapala of the Pala Dynasty in the late 8th to early 9th century AD. It was founded to address the declining academic standards of Nalanda University.
• Significance:
  • Vikramshila became a major center for Tantric and Vajrayana Buddhism, playing a crucial role in propagating these traditions.
  • Unlike Nalanda, which had a more comprehensive curriculum, Vikramshila was known for its emphasis on tantric and and occult studies.
  • Under King Dharmapala’s rule, Vikramshila exerted considerable influence over Nalanda, showcasing its prominence in academic and administrative matters.
  • With an enrollment of over 1,000 students and 100 teachers, the university attracted scholars from different parts of India and beyond.
  • It produced notable scholars, including Atisa Dipankara, who played a key role in spreading Buddhism in Tibet.
• Features:
  • The university featured a central stupa surrounded by 208 cells, which served as living quarters for student-monks engaged in study and meditation.
  • It housed a well-equipped library with an innovative cooling system that used water from a nearby reservoir to protect delicate manuscripts.
  • The academic curriculum covered diverse subjects, including theology, philosophy, grammar, metaphysics, logic, and tantras.
• Decline: It was destroyed by the forces of Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji around 1193.

Black Sea

News- US and Russian officials are in Saudi Arabia and holding talks on Ukraine War and Black Sea Ceasefire. The Black Sea ceasefire agreement aims to restore free navigation for shipping.

About Black Sea

• Location– It is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia.
• Bordering region:
  • West: The Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe.
  • East: The Caucasus Mountains.
  • North: The East European Plains, including Russia and Ukraine.
  • South: Anatolia in Turkey, part of Western Asia.
• Bordering countries:
  • North: Russia and Ukraine.
  • South: Turkey.
  • West: Bulgaria.
  • East: Georgia.
  • Romania also has access to the Black Sea.

Other Geographical features: 

• The Black Sea connects to the Aegean Sea (Mediterranean) through the Bosporus Strait, Sea of Marmara, and Dardanelles Strait.
• The Kerch Strait links it to the Sea of Azov.
• Russia has the longest coastline (2,300 km), followed by Turkey (1,329 km) and Ukraine (1,282 km).
• The Crimean Peninsula extends into the Black Sea from the north.
• Major rivers flowing into it include the Danube, Dnieper, Southern Bug, Rioni, and Dniester.