Madras High Court’s Verdict on FIR Registration Under SC/ST Act
▪ The Madras High Court delivered a landmark ruling regarding FIR registration under the
SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
▪ The Court held that no preliminary inquiry is allowed before FIR registration in such cases.
▪ Section 18A (1) (a) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which was introduced through the 2018 amendment.
▪ Supreme Court in Lalita Kumari v. Govt. of U.P. (2014), which held that registration of FIR is
mandatory in cognisable offences and that any delay violates Article 21.
▪ The constitutional mandate of social justice and equality are:
✓ Article 15(2) – prohibition of discrimination on grounds of caste,
✓ Article 17 – abolition of untouchability,
✓ Article 21 – right to life with dignity,
✓ Article 46 – Directive Principle to protect SCs/STs from social injustice and exploitation.
National Cooperation Policy 2025
▪ Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah unveiled the National Cooperation Policy 2025 on 24 July, 2025.
▪ Aim: Inclusive, member-centric, tech-driven cooperative development.
▪ New Sectoral Focus: Tourism, Taxi services (launch soon), Insurance (launch soon), Green
energy.
Core Focus Areas
▪ Marginalised Communities: Dalits, Adivasis, and women placed at the core of the policy
▪ Inclusivity Goal: Aimed at inclusive development of 130 crore Indians
Significance
▪ Only the second cooperation policy since Independence (First in 2002 by Vajpayee government)
Strategic Goals by 2034
▪ Triple the cooperative sector’s contribution to GDP
▪ 50 crore active members in the cooperative sector
▪ 30% increase in cooperative societies
▪ At least one cooperative society in every village/panchayat
▪ Five model cooperative villages in every tehsil
Six Pillars of the Policy
▪ Strengthening the foundation
▪ Promoting vibrancy in cooperatives
▪ Preparing societies for the future
▪ Enhancing inclusivity & expanding reach
▪ Expanding into new sectors
▪ Youth participation in cooperative development
Rural Economic Impact
▪ Profits from new ventures to reach PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies)
▪ Cooperatives seen as a tool for aspiration fulfilment in rural India
Long-Term Outcomes
▪ Cooperative sector at par with corporate sector
▪ Target: A Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047
▪ Enhanced role of cooperative exports, branding, and seed production
▪ Promotes self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) and economic dignity
“India Targets 90% 5G Coverage by 2030”
▪ National Telecom Policy 2025 (NTP-25) draft released by Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
▪ Builds on the progress of the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP), 2018.
▪ Coverage Goals by 2030:
✓ 100% population coverage with 4G
✓ 90% population coverage with 5G
▪ Economic Objectives:
✓ Double the telecom sector’s contribution to India’s GDP.
✓ Attract annual investments worth ₹1,00,000 crore.
▪ Boost to Telecom Exports and Startups:
✓ Double exports of telecom products and 5G services.
✓ Double the number of telecom startups in the country.
▪ Strategic Framework: Draft policy outlines 10 strategic objectives to be met by 2030.
▪ Technology Focus: 5G/6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Quantum
Communications, Satellite Networks, Blockchain.
POSH Act 2013
▪ A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court demanding that political parties also follow the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (POSH Act) 2013.
▪ Women involved in politics are excluded from receiving protection under the POSH Act. This is contrary to Articles 14, 15, 19, and 21 of the Indian Constitution.
Employment in India Rises to 64.33 Crores
▪ In India, while the number of employed people was 47.5 crores in 2017-18, this number has
increased to 64.33 crores in 2023-24.
▪ Women’s workforce participation has increased from 28.7% in 2019-20 to 40.3% in 2023-24.
▪ The unemployment rate has declined from 6% to 3.2%.
▪ Youth unemployment has decreased from 17.8% to 10.2%.
