DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 26th March 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: Mumps, an acute viral infection which historically affects children, has been spreading like wildfire in Kerala, for the past few months.

Background:-

• Not just Kerala, a resurgence in cases was being reported from several States, including Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as well. Cases which began appearing sporadically around November 2023 in the Malappuram and Kozhikode districts of Kerala, have since then spread to Palakkad and Thrissur too, resulting in major community outbreaks.

About Mumps

• Mumps is a self-limiting, airborne viral disease and presents as fever and headache in mostly children and adolescents, with painful swelling of the salivary glands (parotid glands) on both sides of the face.
• There is no specific treatment and the patient recovers with rest and symptomatic management in about two weeks.
• With only half of the infected children developing the classical disease and close to 30% remaining asymptomatic, cases mostly go unreported, indicating that the reported cases are a gross underestimation of the actual cases in the community.
• From the view point of public health, measles, which can cause significant morbidity and mortality, has always been considered a priority, rather than mumps.
• Despite being a vaccine-preventable disease, mumps has never been a part of the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) because of the disease’s no-mortality profile and the perception that it has low public health significance.
• Health officials maintain that creating public awareness about the disease and the importance of isolation is the most important tool in bringing down the transmission of the disease.
• Transmission of the disease begins before the symptoms actually manifest and isolation of the patient for a full three weeks is necessary to limit the spread of the disease.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2

Context: Recently the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Rahul Gandhi for hurting the sentiments of Hindus through his remark on ‘shakti’. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), in turn, filed a counter complaint against the Prime Minister for appealing to religious sentiments during his campaign on the same issue.

Background:

• There have been innumerable instances in the past where various parties and its leaders have blatantly appealed for votes in the name of religion. There are leaders across political parties against whom cases have been registered under the RP Act and the Indian Penal Code in this regard. However, the only notable leader who was convicted by the Supreme Court for this corrupt electoral practice was Bal Thackeray of Shiv Sena in the year 1995. The ECI on such occasions at best bars leaders from campaigning, for violation of the MCC, for a short period of two to three days.

How is Campaigning in the name of religion dealt with?:

What does the law say?

• Section 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RP Act) provides that appeals by a candidate, or any other person with the consent of a candidate, to vote or refrain from voting on the ground of his religion, race, caste, community or language is a corrupt electoral practice. Section 123(3A) denounces any attempt by a candidate to promote feelings of enmity or hatred among citizens on these grounds during elections.
• The RP Act further provides that anyone found guilty of corrupt electoral practice can be debarred from contesting elections for a maximum period of up to six years.

What does the MCC provide?

• The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the guidance of political parties and candidates is a set of norms which has evolved with the consensus of political parties. It binds them to respect and observe it in its letter and spirit.
• This code, which began to be implemented strictly in the 1990s, provides that no party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes, religious or linguistic communities.
• It also provides that there shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes.
• Mosques, churches, temples or other places of worship shall not be used as a forum for election propaganda.
• Though the MCC does not have any statutory backing, it has come to acquire strength in the past three decades because of its strict enforcement by the ECI.

History

• It is pertinent to note that before 1961, Section 123(3) of the RP Act provided that ‘systemic’ appeal by a candidate on the grounds of religion, race, caste or community will amount to a corrupt electoral practice.
• However, in order to curb communal, fissiparous and separatist tendencies, the word ‘systemic’ was omitted through an amendment in 1961. This meant that even a stray appeal for success in the elections on the ground of one’s religion or narrow communal affiliation would be viewed with disfavour by the law.

Ruling of the Supreme Court

• In Abhiram Singh versus C. D. Commachen (2017) a seven-judge Bench by a majority of 4:3 held that candidates shall not appeal for votes on the basis of not just his/her religion but also that of the voters.
• The majority view provided a ‘purposive interpretation’ to Section 123(3) rather than just a literal one thereby rendering any appeal in the name of religion of even the voters as a corrupt electoral practice.
• The elections to Parliament or State legislatures are a secular exercise; constitutional ethos forbids the mixing of religious considerations with the secular functions of the State. Religion should remain a matter of personal faith.

Source:The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has approved the Chandrayaan-3 landing site name ‘Shiva Shakti’.

Background:

• The announcement defined the origin of the name as, a “compound word from Indian mythology that depicts masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) duality of nature; Landing site of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram Lander.

About International Astronomical Union (IAU)

• International Astronomical Union (IAU) is a significant body that governs international professional astronomical activities worldwide.
• It was established in 1919 as the first of a series of international unions for the advancement of specific branches of science.
• The headquarters of the IAU is in Paris, France.
• Its mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education, and development, through international cooperation.
• The IAU is made up of various divisions, commissions, and working groups representing the various areas of astronomical research, teaching, and other endeavours.
• It is the only organization recognized professionally for the naming of astronomical bodies, which it does solely on the basis of merit, history, or discoverer’s privilege.
• The IAU holds a general assembly every three years in varying parts of the world at which professional astronomers meet to discuss research, new cooperative ventures, and similar matters of professional interest.
• The IAU also works to promote research, education, and public outreach activities in astronomy for the public.

Source: Business Today

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: According to Navy Chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act has played a pivotal role in enhancing the Indian Navy’s effectiveness during its 100-day operation known as ‘Operation Sankalp’.

Background:

• ‘Operation Sankalp’ spanned from the Gulf of Aden to the North Arabian Sea and along the East Coast of Somalia.

About MARITIME ANTI-PIRACY ACT

• The Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, 2022 is a significant legislation enacted by India to address the menace of piracy on the high seas.
• This Act was enacted on January 31, 2023, and came into enforcement on February 22, 2023.
• It aims to give effect to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning the repression of piracy on the high seas and related matters.
• The act provides for punishment for anyone involved in acts of piracy, including those who commit, attempt, abet, or conspire to commit piracy.
• Maritime Anti Piracy Act empowers the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to board, seize and arrest pirates operating in the high seas, in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and beyond.
• Indian courts can prosecute the perpetrators with life imprisonment, fine, or both. However, the Act also considers the offence as extraditable, where India has signed such treaties with those countries. India has an agreement with Somalia where Somalian pirates have been extradited since 2017

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Polity

Context: Two electoral trusts have distributed corporate donations to political parties through the electoral bonds route.

Background:

• These details were disclosed by the Election Commission. While the electoral bonds scheme offered full secrecy to donors until the Supreme Court intervened and directed full details to be made public, electoral trusts need to disclose their donors and their donations.

About ELECTORAL TRUST:

• An Electoral Trust is a non-profit organization established to systematically collect voluntary contributions from individuals or companies. These funds are then distributed to registered political parties in India.
• The concept of Electoral Trusts aims to enhance transparency in political funding by ensuring that donations are channelled through a regulated mechanism.

Purpose and Establishment:

• Electoral Trusts serve as intermediaries between donors (individuals or companies) and political parties.
• They were introduced in 2013 to streamline the process of political funding and promote transparency.

Eligibility and Registration:

• An Electoral Trust must be a non-profit company registered under Section 29A of the Representation of People Act, 1951.
• It acts as a conduit for collecting contributions and distributing them to political parties.

Donation Distribution:

• 95% of the contributions received by an Electoral Trust in a financial year must be donated to registered political parties.
• Unlike the Electoral Bonds (EB) Scheme, which allowed anonymous donations, Electoral Trusts prioritize disclosure by reporting contributors and beneficiaries to the Election Commission of India.

Reporting and Transparency:

• Electoral Trusts are required to submit contribution reports to the Election Commission, detailing their donors and the parties they supported.
• These reports are available for public scrutiny.

Source: Times of India

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2

Context: There have been several debates regarding providing a paid Menstrual Leave policy in India.

Background:

• In the Lok Sabha, at least three attempts were made in recent years to bring in private member Bills to propose menstrual leave.The first such attempt was made in 2017, when the then Congress MP from Arunachal Pradesh, Ninong Ering, introduced the Menstruation Benefits Bill 2017, which advocated for four-day leave during menstruation.

About Menstrual Leave:

• It is a type of leave where women and trans women may have the option of taking paid leave from their workplace during the period of menstruation.

Significance of providing menstrual leave policy in India:

• Menstrual leave could be in line with Article 21 (Right to Life) and Article 14 (Right to Equality) of the Constitution. Additionally, the Constitution empowers the State to make special provisions for women and children under Article 15(3).
• Menstruation is accompanied by a variety of moderate to severe symptoms such as cramps fatigue, etc., impacting women’s daily lives. Further, the lack of proper sanitation facilities at the workplace can impact women’s hygiene and reproductive health.
• It would provide an opportunity for society and employers to reevaluate attitudes surrounding absenteeism and work ethic.
• It will help create a positive work environment and culture, enhancing overall productivity, and fostering healthier workplace dynamics.
• Discussion about menstruation among all employees may foster support for women’s reproductive health and reproductive rights.

Issues/Challenges related to menstrual leave:

• Offering specific leave for menstruation may inadvertently lead to biases or stereotypes against women, impacting hiring decisions, promotions, and overall career advancement.
• Menstrual leave may perpetuate gender stereotypes and notions of biological determinism, like assumptions that women are unfit for the workplace and, thus, justify gender discrimination in society.
• Accommodating menstrual leaves may disrupt workflow, increase workload for other team members, or create resentment among employees who do not receive similar benefits.
• Providing additional leave benefits may result in increased operational costs, affecting budgets and profitability, particularly for small businesses and startups.
• Informal workers, Freelancers, and gig workers often lack traditional employee benefits, making it difficult to extend benefits.
• Even if provided, Female employees may feel hesitant to seek benefits due to societal stigma around discussing menstrual issues in public.

Source: Indian Express

Q1.) Consider the following statements:

Statement-I:

An Electoral Trust is a non-profit organization established to systematically collect voluntary contributions from individuals or companies.

Statement-II:

95% of the contributions received by an Electoral Trust in a financial year must be donated to registered political parties.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Q2.) With reference to Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, 2022, consider the following statements:

1. The Act enacted by India to address the menace of piracy on the high seas.
2. It aims to give effect to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning the repression of piracy on the high seas and related matters.
3. It empowers authorities to arrest individuals and seize pirate ships and property on board.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q3.) Which one of the following organisations is the nodal agency for naming the landing site  on celestial objects?

1. International Astronomical Union
2. International Union for Quaternary Research
3. The Planetary Society
4. International Union for Geological Sciences

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  26th March  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – c

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – c