DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 22nd July – 2025

Category: POLITY

Context:  The Supreme Court of India strongly criticized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for misusing its powers to pursue political battles

The court emphasized that:

• ED should not be used as a political tool.
• Officers are “crossing all limits” in their conduct.
• The SC firmly reminded the ED to uphold constitutional values, not act as a tool for political vendetta, and maintain judicial fairness and professionalism.

Learning Corner:

Enforcement Directorate (ED)

About:
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is a law enforcement and economic intelligence agency under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Key Functions:

• Enforces the following laws:
  • Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002
  • Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999
  • Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018

Main Objectives:

• Investigate cases of money laundering, foreign exchange violations, and financial fraud.
• Attach and confiscate properties derived from illegal means.
• Prosecute offenders in special courts under PMLA.

Powers:

• Conduct search and seizure, arrest, and summon individuals.
• Attach proceeds of crime.
• File prosecution complaints (charge sheets) under PMLA.

Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Category: INTERNATIONAL

Context: British Royal Navy’s F-35B Fighter Jet Set to Fly Out from Kerala.

Background:

• The F-35B, from the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, had to land in Kerala due to an emergency.
• The situation has now been resolved and the jet will rejoin its fleet.

Key Details:

• Repairs were carried out by Air India’s MRO facility.
• A 14-member UK engineering team assisted with the assessment and safety checks.
• The aircraft was supported logistically by a UK Airbus A400M Atlas, which will take the team back.

Learning Corner:

F-35B Lightning II

• Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin (USA)
• Type: Stealth multirole fighter (Variant of F-35)
• Operator: U.S. Marines, U.K. Royal Navy, Italy, and others
• Key Feature: Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) capability – can operate from aircraft carriers without catapults
• Speed: ~1.6 Mach
• Avionics: Advanced sensor fusion, helmet-mounted display, AESA radar
• Stealth: Designed to evade radar detection using stealth shaping and coatings
• Armament: Air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground bombs, internal gun, and external pylons

Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft – Key Features

These are the most advanced class of fighter jets currently in service globally.

Core Features:

• Stealth Technology: Radar-evading design and materials
• Advanced Avionics: Integrated sensors, electronic warfare systems, and sensor fusion
• Supercruise: Ability to cruise at supersonic speeds without afterburners (in some variants)
• Maneuverability: High agility using thrust-vectoring and fly-by-wire systems
• Network-Centric Warfare: Real-time data sharing with other platforms and command centers
• Situational Awareness: Helmet-mounted displays, 360° battlefield view

Examples of Fifth-Generation Jets:

• F-22 Raptor (USA)
• F-35 Lightning II (A/B/C variants) (USA)
• Chengdu J-20 (China)
• Sukhoi Su-57 (Russia)
• HAL AMCA (India – under development)

Source:  THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Category: POLITY

Context : The Supreme Court is examining if the right to vote, amid Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, is a constitutional, statutory, or fundamental right.

Legal Provisions:

• Article 326:
  Gives every citizen above 18 the right to vote based on adult suffrage.
• Section 62, Representation of the People Act, 1951:
  Lays down conditions under which a citizen is allowed or denied the right to vote (e.g., not in prison, being ordinarily resident, etc.).

What the Courts Have Said:

• N.P. Ponnuswami case (1952):
  Right to vote is a statutory right, subject to limitations by law.
• Jyoti Basu case (1982):
  Reaffirmed that voting is not a fundamental or common law right.
• PUCL case (2003):
  Called it a ‘constitutional right’, if not fundamental.
• Kuldip Nayar case (2006):
  Reaffirmed it as a statutory right.
• Rajbala case (2015):
  Upheld the statutory nature of voting right.
• Anoop Baranwal case (2023):
  Majority reaffirmed the statutory view.
  Justice Ajay Rastogi (dissenting opinion):
  Argued that right to vote is an expression of choice under Article 19(1)(a) — linking it to freedom of speech and expression.

Learning Corner:

Types of Rights Explained:

1. Natural Rights:
   • Inherent and inalienable (e.g., right to life, liberty).
   • Not always directly enforceable unless recognized in fundamental rights.
2. Constitutional Rights:
   • Guaranteed by the Constitution but not part of Fundamental Rights.
   • Enforceable under Article 226 or 32 (e.g., right to property, right to vote under Article 326).
3. Statutory Rights:
   • Granted by laws made by Parliament or State Legislatures (e.g., MGNREG Act, Forest Rights Act).
   • Can be changed or repealed by ordinary legislation.

Source :  THE HINDU

Category: POLITY

Context: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21, 2025, citing health reasons. His resignation, effective immediately under Article 67(a) of the Constitution

Constitutional Process & Impact

• Until a new Vice President is elected, Deputy Chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh will preside over the Rajya Sabha under Article 91.
• A new Vice President must be elected within 60 days (by September 19, 2025).
• The election will follow the proportional representation system with a single transferable vote, involving an electoral college of 788 MPs.

Learning Corner:

Vice President of India

Constitutional Position:

• The Vice President of India is the second-highest constitutional office in the country.
• Defined under Articles 63 to 71 of the Constitution.

Key Functions:

• Ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States).
• Acts as President of India in case of vacancy (due to death, resignation, removal, or absence) until a new President is elected (for a maximum of 6 months).
• Does not perform executive functions unless acting as President.

Election Process:

• Elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (including nominated members).
• Voting method: Proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote and secret ballot.
• No separate state-level representation (unlike Presidential election).

Eligibility Criteria:

• Must be an Indian citizen,
• At least 35 years old,
• Qualified to be a member of the Rajya Sabha,
• Must not hold any office of profit under the Government.

Term and Vacancy:

• Term: 5 years, but continues until successor takes office.
• Can resign (under Article 67) by writing to the President.
• In case of resignation or vacancy, Article 91 allows the Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha to perform duties as presiding officer.

Notable Facts:

• The Vice President is not subordinate to the President but has a distinct role.
• India’s first Vice President was Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.
• The Vice President can be removed by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by an absolute majority and agreed to by the Lok Sabha.

Source: THE HINDU

Category: GEOGRAPHY

Context: SAIL Powers Zojila Tunnel with Over 31,000 Tonnes of Steel.

The Zojila Tunnel, set to be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel, will span over 30 km at an altitude of 11,578 feet, connecting Srinagar to Leh via Kargil and Dras. It will provide crucial all-weather connectivity, vital for civilian and military logistics.

Learning Corner:

Zojila Tunnel Project

The Zojila Tunnel is an ambitious all-weather road tunnel project being constructed in the Union Territory of Ladakh, aimed at enhancing connectivity between Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir) and Leh (Ladakh) via Dras and Kargil.

Key Features:

• Length: Over 30 km, it will be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel once completed.
• Altitude: Located at 11,578 feet in the challenging terrain of the Western Himalayas.
• Route: Connects Baltal (near Sonamarg) in Jammu & Kashmir to Minamarg in Ladakh.

Significance:

• Ensures all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh (Zojila Pass remains closed ~6 months due to snow).
• Boosts civilian and military logistics in a strategically sensitive region.
• Promotes economic development and tourism in remote Himalayan regions.

Construction & Timeline:

• Being executed by Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd. (MEIL).
• Scheduled for completion by 2027.
• Over 31,000 tonnes of steel supplied by SAIL, showcasing public sector involvement.

Strategic and National Importance:

• Enhances border infrastructure.
• Critical for defense preparedness.
• Symbol of engineering excellence and nation-building in tough Himalayan terrain.

Source: PIB

Introduction (Context)

Recent U.S. court rulings in Bartz vs Anthropic (2025), and Kadrey vs Meta (2025) have clarified aspects of AI and copyright laws. Discussing them with implications on India.

AI and Copyright issue

• Generative AI models are trained on massive datasets, often scraped from the internet, including copyrighted material.
• It can also produce outputs that closely resemble or duplicate original works from their training datasets, hence raises ethical and legal concerns about infringement.
• Concerns arise when Copyright owners allege infringement of reproduction, adaptation, or derivative rights.

The use of such data is governed by:

• Intellectual Property (IP) law – protects creators’ rights over their work.
• Contracts – terms agreed upon for using data or content.
• Privacy laws – protect personal data from misuse.

What is copyright?

Copyright law protects original literary, artistic, musical, and dramatic works, granting authors:

• Economic rights (reproduction, distribution, adaptation).
• Moral rights (attribution and integrity).

Legal uncertainties

• There is legal ambiguity in determining whether the training of AI using IP-protected data, and the generated outputs constitute IP infringements. 
• Whether copying originals for training constitutes infringement or qualifies as fair use (in the U.S.) or as a text and data mining exception (in the EU and U.K).

Some countries allow:

• Fair use (limited use without permission for learning or research).
• Text and data mining exceptions (especially in the EU and UK for research purposes).
• Temporary copying during technical processes.

But these exceptions have not been tested properly in court for AI training.

There is no single international law for AI and IP rights.

What did the U.S. judgments state?

• Anthropic case
  • In the Anthropic case, Judge ruled that using copyrighted data for training AI software was transformative, comparing the model’s training to a writer learning from prior works. 
  • However, the judge held that Anthropic must face trial over its use of pirated copies to develop its library of material.
• Meta case

• • In the Meta case, Judge ruled in Meta’s favour, concluding that the plaintiffs had not established that the company’s use of their works would result in market dilution by generating AI outputs like the originals. 
  • Meta’s actions were considered to be covered under the ‘fair use’ provision. 
  • But the judge said that tech companies making money off the AI boom ought to figure out ways to share the wealth with companies that hold copyrights.

Implications for India

• Under the Copyright Act, 1957, copyright owners enjoy exclusive economic rights including reproduction, adaptation, and translation, which require permissions for commercial use unless an exception under Section 52 (fair dealing) applies. 
• However, growing litigation globally signals need for:

• • Clear AI-IPR policies balancing innovation and creator rights.
  • Guidelines on data usage transparency and consent for AI training.

Way Forward

• Policy clarity on AI authorship and copyright exceptions
• Creator compensation mechanisms for training data use
• Ethical AI frameworks ensuring transparency and accountability
• Global harmonisation to reduce legal uncertainties

Conclusion

U.S. courts have interpreted AI and copyright issue in broader way, yet global rule on them are missing, 

India must proactively adapt its IPR framework to address AI-induced legal ambiguities, ensuring innovation does not erode foundational rights of original creators.

Mains Practice Question

The increasing use of generative AI models has posed complex challenges to existing intellectual property rights regimes globally. Discuss. (250 words, 15 marks)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/what-have-courts-ruled-with-respect-to-ai-and-copyright-explained/article69839851.ece

Introduction (Context)

Recently, the Bombay High Court acquitted all accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case, raising serious concerns over the effectiveness and credibility of India’s criminal justice system.

Background

• On July 11, 2006, multiple bomb blasts in Mumbai local trains killed over 180 commuters and injured more than 800 people.
• In 2015 Special MCOCA court convicted 12 accused (5 death sentences, 7 life imprisonments).
• In 2025 Bombay High Court acquitted all of them due to insufficient evidence after 19 years of incarceration.

This raises a question on India’s Criminal Justice System that who killed more than 180 innocent commuters of Mumbai and left more than 800 injured.

Issues

1. Investigation Challenges

• There is immense pressure on the police for immediate detection which lead to hasty arrests under political and public pressure.
• Difficulty in Collecting concrete forensic and scientific evidence.
• Heavy reliance on confessional statements that often fail court scrutiny.
• Further linking of different individuals involved in the crime, delineating their specific roles, securing concrete proof about the conspiracy, collection of scientific and forensic evidence, are very tough challenges

2. Systemic Lacunae

• Delayed trials weaken prosecution due to fading memories and lost evidence.
• Witness protection remains weak, leading to fear and retraction of testimonies.
• Lack of advanced training and legal advice for investigators.
• Courts increasingly distrust Confessions recorded by police officers, unless backed by scientific corroboration.

Implications for Criminal Justice System

• Citizens lose faith when grave crimes remain unpunished
• Blame cannot rest solely on police; prosecution, judiciary, and legislative delays contribute equally
• Failure to convict perpetrators emboldens terror networks and undermines public safety.

Way Forward

• Strengthen Investigation Capacities by advancing forensic infrastructure and cyber intelligence.
• Government should form Fast-track courts for terror-related cases.
• Enhance Witness Protection by ensuring anonymity, relocation, and safety to secure testimonies.
• Allow NIA to function independently without political interference.
• Integrated coordination between police, prosecution, judiciary, and legislative bodies to ensure effective outcomes.
•  Training of officers to plug the loopholes and remove the inconsistencies before submitting chargesheets and taking timely legal advice may help avoid the future collapse of criminal trials of this grave magnitude. 

Conclusion

The judgment of the Bombay High Court should be treated as a clarion call for all wings of the criminal justice system to coordinate for ensuring a high quality of investigation, prosecution and timely trials.

GS Mains Question

1. Critically analyse the challenges in investigating and prosecuting terror-related crimes, and suggest measures for systemic reform.
   (15 marks, 250 words)

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/in-mumbai-train-blast-case-acquittal-19-years-later-raises-questions-about-criminal-justice-system-10140964/