RIGHT TO PROTEST
News – Should immigrants have the same right to protest as citizens?
- Right to Protest in India is derived from the Fundamental Rights
- Mentioned under – Article 19
- It involves these 3 articles-
- Article 19(1)(a): Right to freedom of speech and expression.
- Article 19(1)(b): Right to assemble peaceably and without arms.
- Article 19(1)(c): Right to form associations or unions.
- This right is available – Only to Indian Citizens
- Immigrants do not hold right to protest
- However, they are subject to – Reasonable Restrictions by the state
- Right to Protest doesn’t include – Right to Strike
SPECIAL STATUS
News – Bihar raises special status demand before Finance Commission
- Special Status of states – are provisions to address unique circumstances faced by certain states
- Grounds for granting special status-
- Geographical challenges
- Socio-economic backwardness
- Cultural distinctiveness
- Strategic location
- Administrative needs
- Key Examples-
- Article 370 granted special autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir
- Articles 371-A to 371-J – provide special provisions to states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Nagaland, Assam and others.
CURFEW
News – Curfew relaxed in parts of Nagpur; 69 arrested
- Curfew – is a government-imposed restriction that requires people to stay indoors during specific hours
- Purpose – to maintain public order or address emergencies
- Extremeness – it imposes complete restriction on public movement even essential activities
- Condition of imposition of curfew-
- Public Unrest or Riots
- Natural Disasters
- Terror Threats
- Imposed by – District Magistrate
- Imposed under –
- Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973,
- Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897
GPS SPOOFING
News – Govt. confirms 465 GPS spoofing cases
- About – GPS spoofing refers to the act of broadcasting false GPS signals to deceive GPS receivers, causing them to compute incorrect location, navigation, or timing data
- Concern – The receiver then provides inaccurate location data, which can mislead users.
- Applications and Risks-
- Cyberattacks – misdirect vehicles, ships
- Fraud: Manipulates location-based services
- Security Threats: Undermines critical infrastructure
UNIFIED PENSION SCHEME
News – Unified Pension Scheme for Central govt. staff notified
- Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) is a new pension framework introduced by the Indian government.
- Applicable for – Central government employees.
- Implementation from – April 1, 2025
- Key Features-
- Guaranteed Pension: 50% of the average basic pay
- Minimum Pension: at least 10,000 Rs, per month
- Contributory Nature – Employee- 10%, Govt- 18.5%
- Family Pension: In case of the pensioner’s death
- Inflation Adjustment: of pension from time to time
WINDFALL TAX
News – No windfall tax on oil firms after new law: Puri
- About – windfall tax is a one-time tax imposed by the government on companies that earn unexpectedly high profits due to external factors
- Factors – Market Shocks, Favorable Policy Changes, surge in global prices
- These profits are not a result of the company’s own efforts
- Purpose of Windfall Tax-
- To redistribute unexpected gains
- To generate additional revenue for the government.
- Example – Imposed on oil and gas companies during Russia-Ukraine war
MCQs
1. “Right to Protest” comes under which article?
A. Article – 14
B. Article – 19
C. Article – 32
D. Article – 124
2. Right to Protest is available to?
A. Citizens Only
B. Foreigners Only
C. Both Citizens and Foreigners
D. None of the Above
3. Curfew is imposed by?
A. Chief Minister
B. District Magistrate
C. Chief Secretary
D. Home Ministry
4. Unified Pension Scheme is for?
A. State govt employees
B. Central govt employees
C. Private Gig Workers
D. Casual Labourers
5. “The act of broadcasting false GPS signals” is called?
A. Malware Attack
B. Spamming
C. Hacking
D. GPS Spoofing