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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

Monthly DNA

26 Jan, 2023

28 Min Read

Indianisation of the Judiciary

GS-II : Governance Judicial reforms

Indianisation of the Judiciary

  • The Chief Justice of India (CJI) recently announced that the Supreme Court's decisions will henceforth be translated into four languages: Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, and Odia, at the launch of online e-inspection software.
  • It is a step toward the judicial system becoming more Indian.

What is the Indianisation of the Judiciary?

  • The world's oldest judicial system is found in India. Our history as a legal and judicial system goes back 5,000 years. In actuality, no other legal system has a more illustrious and illustrious history than Bharat-Varsh.
  • Courts must put the interests of litigants first, and the delivery of justice must be made as simple as possible. For the average person, our legal system frequently presents numerous obstacles. The way courts operate and are structured does not fit well with India's complexity.
  • Due to their colonial roots, our systems, practices, and laws might not be the most appropriate for the requirements of the Indian community.
  • Our judicial system has to be "Indianized" in order to become more "litigant-centric”, easy to understand, in simple language, and non- lengthy procedures and judgments.
  • Indianization refers to the need to adapt the justice delivery system to the day-to-day operations of our society.

Need for the Indianisation:

Colonized System:

  • It is not acceptable to allow judicial reasoning to be constrained by references to English law or, for that matter, any other foreign law.
  • The decisions of the Supreme Court themselves demonstrate that the Indian legal system had consciously begun to do away with the "crutches" of colonial influence.
  • India's legal system has developed through legislation and the Supreme Court's precedents, which are enforceable under Article 141 of the Constitution. The system of public interest litigation is uniquely Indian.

Assimilating with Indian heritage:

  • The highest court has not engaged in "continued disdain" of the legal luminaries of ancient India. Since the 1980s, the writings of Manu and Kautilya have been mentioned in several decisions.
  • Even in India's historic and sacred literature, a well-developed feeling of private is discernible, according to Justice (retired) S.A. Bobde in the privacy ruling. He mentions that the Kautilya Arthashastra forbids entering another person's home without that person's permission.

Judgments – acknowledging classical texts:

  • The Manusmriti, Chapters 4.1346 and 8.3527, specify punishment for individuals who are addicted to having extramarital affairs by punishments which create horror, followed by exile, according to the court's Joseph Shine verdict decriminalising adultery.
  • Menstruating women have been viewed as polluting the environment in these "old religious scriptures and rituals," the court notes in the Sabarimala case, citing the Manusmriti.
  • Menstruating women's capacity to obtain the freedom of movement, the right to education, the right of admittance to places of worship, and, finally, their access to the public sphere are limited by practices that legitimize menstruation taboos because of ideas of "purity and contamination."

Huge pendency of the case:

  • Pendency increased across all courts by 2.8% yearly between 2010 and 2020. Over 4.5 crore cases were still outstanding in India's courts as of September 15, 2021. Of these, 12.3% were pending in high courts and 87.6% were in lower courts.
  • This suggests that if no new cases were submitted, it would take the courts 1.3 years for the Supreme Court and three years for the High Courts and subordinate courts, respectively, to resolve all the cases that are currently outstanding.

Related Recommendations:

  • The Malimath Committee (2000) recommended that a Schedule Code be published in all regional languages so that the accused is aware of his or her rights, how to assert them, and who to contact if such rights are denied.
  • Commission on Law, 1958: The 14th report of the Law Commission, published in 1958, made the initial recommendation for the All India Judicial Services (AIJS).
  • According to a Law Commission assessment from 1987, India should have 50 judges per million people instead of 10.50 judges (then).

What steps have been taken to enhance the judicial system?

  • Video Conferencing (VC): During the shutdown, video conferencing has been the staple.
  • The Delhi High Court is the only court that has conducted the most VC hearings.
  • SUPACE is an acronym for Supreme Court Portal for Assistance in Court's Efficiency, which was created using artificial intelligence (AI) in May 2020. Its goal is to help judges conduct legal research.
  • Justice Delivery and Legal Reform National Mission:
  • The Mission has been pursuing a coordinated strategy for the phased liquidation of backlogs and pendency in the administration of justice, which includes, among other things, improved court infrastructure, including computerization, a strengthening of the subordinate judiciary, policy and legislative measures.
  • Since the start of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for the Development of Infrastructure Facilities, Rs. 9291.79 crores have been given to improve the infrastructure for judicial officers of district and subordinate courts.
  • The number of courthouses has likewise greatly expanded.
  • Utilizing information and communication technology (ICT): To provide district and subordinate courts with information and communication technology, the government has been executing the e-Courts Mission Mode Project across the entire nation.
  • There are currently 18,735 district and subordinate courts that are computerized.

Way Forward

Rule Localization and Simplicity:

  • The executive must match these efforts by simplification of the associated rules.
  • Most significantly, the executive and legislative branches should work together to implement the Constitution's goals.
  • Only in this circumstance will the court be left with the only responsibility of applying and interpreting the laws rather than being forced to act as a lawmaker. The idea that it is the court's job to make the law needs to be refuted.

Enable People to Understand Justice System:

  • It is necessary to improve the judicial infrastructure while also strengthening the legal outreach programs.
  • The highest court has decided to start a nationwide legal education campaign in the upcoming week.
  • The activities of legal services institutions are restricted by a lack of resources and infrastructure, which lowers the number of beneficiaries.

Alternative dispute resolution processes:

  • Mediation and conciliation would significantly cut down on unnecessary litigation and save money.
  • It is untrue that the average person prefers to have their conflicts resolved in posh courtrooms with black-robed judges and dressed-up attorneys. People who are experiencing troubles, like those who are experiencing pain, want respite, and they want it as soon as they can.

Overcoming Patriarchal Mindset:

  • By allowing more women into the higher courts and making the judiciary more inclusive and gender-neutral.

Source: The Hindu

Eklavya Model Residential Schools

GS-II : Governance Policies and Programmes

Eklavya Model Residential Schools

  • Tableau in the Republic Day Parade created by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs demonstrates how Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRs) promotes tribal wellbeing by providing high-quality education.

More about the news:

  • The Ministry's focus on "Nari Shakti," a symbol of girl education that ensures equal enrollment of tribal boys and girls at EMRSs, was highlighted in the tableau's front section.
  • Eklavya's bow and arrow-shaped archetypal pen, representing learning, depicts the one-eyed mission with which tribal students of EMRSs construct their future and achieve their ambitions.

About Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRs)

  • The EMRS program creates model residential schools for Scheduled Tribes (ST) in India. It began in the years 1997 and 1998.
  • The CBSE curriculum is used in the EMR School.
  • To provide tribal students with a high-quality education, Eklavya Model Residential Schools are being built, with a focus on the holistic development of indigenous pupils as well as academic education.
  • Currently, there are 384 operational schools located all over the nation that were built to the same standards as Navodaya Vidyalaya with a focus on unique, cutting-edge facilities for conserving regional art and culture in addition to offering instruction in sports and skill development.

Coverage:

  • In accordance with the 2010 EMRS Guidelines, at least one EMRS must be installed in each Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) or Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) where there is a minimum of 50% ST population.
  • According to the budget for 2018–19, an Eklavya Model Residential School will be present by the year 2022 in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal members.

What are the EMRS goals?

  • Comprehensive growth of every student enrolled in every EMRS in terms of their physical, mental, and socially relevant skills.
  • Enable children to make a difference starting in their school, then in their homes, then in their village, and then in a larger context.
  • To meet their unique demands, place a differential emphasis on the educational support that should be made accessible to students in Standards XI and XII compared through those in Standards VI to X.
  • Support the annual operating costs in a way that provides fair compensation for the workforce and maintenance of the facilities.
  • Encourage the development of infrastructure that meets students' physical, environmental, and cultural demands.

Challenges faced by tribal students:

  • Diverse Cultures & Languages: Each tribal community has its own cultures, traditions, values, customs, practises, beliefs, and lifestyles.
  • They use natural resources to suit their wants and requirements and speak many languages.
  • Poverty & lack of financial resources: The indigenous groups are experiencing serious financial issues.
  • They use the barter system, live in situations of poverty, and lack access to financial resources.
  • Tribals' Unwillingness: Because tribal groups are largely illiterate, they frequently show reluctance to send their kids to school.
  • Teachers' mentality toward tribal kids: Teachers don't put much effort into raising the academic standards of tribal children.
  • Lack of Proper Guidance: Due to their ignorance and backwardness, tribal communities do not provide their children with the proper guidance.

Way Forward

  • To inform the tribal groups of the value of education, it is essential to establish a thorough awareness campaign.
  • Recruiting Local Teachers and Female Teachers: It is advised that tribal communities hire more female teachers and teachers from the local tribes.
  • Teachers in tribal areas should carefully evaluate the environmental, ethnic, cultural, and psychological features of the tribal children.

Source: PIB

BharOS Software

GS-III : S&T Indigenization of Technology

BharOS Software

The BharOS was recently created by a startup.

About BharOS:

  • Although iOS and Android are two of the most well-known mobile operating systems, BharOS is a new Indian competitor in the space.
  • BharOS, which is supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), aims to serve India's 100 crore or so mobile phone subscribers.
  • Like Android or iOS, it is a native mobile operating system (OS). It emphasises security and privacy.
  • A mobile operating system, such as Android by Google or iOS by Apple, is a piece of software that serves as the main user interface on a smartphone and makes it easier for users to interact with their device and access its functions while maintaining their safety.
  • By providing a secure OS environment for users located in India, BharOS in particular aims to contribute to the idea of an independent India, or "Atmanirbhar Bharat."
  • On readily available commercial handsets, the OS can be installed.
  • Currently, BharOS Services are being offered to businesses with tight privacy and security standards, whose employees handle sensitive data that necessitates secret conversations using limited mobile apps.
  • Such consumers require private 5G networks with access to private cloud services.

Feature:

  • BharOS seems to be more specialised than Android and iOS, which cater to more consumer- and business-oriented use cases.
  • BharOS would provide Native Over the Air (NOTA) updates, which means that bug fixes and security patches will be installed automatically. Users are not required to manually download and install updates.
  • Users of this mobile operating system don't have to keep or use the pre-installed apps because BharOS has the No Default Apps (NDA) setting.
  • No Default Apps (NDA) is essential because many of the pre-installed programs that come with other smartphones today can bog down the device or drain the battery by functioning as bloatware.
  • It was planned for BharOS to have an NDA design since it will provide customers more flexibility over the mobile apps they instal and the type of data they save on their devices.
  • BharOS will make use of a mechanism called Private App Store Services (PASS), which will inspect and select only user-safe apps.

Significance:

  • The project seeks to encourage the adoption of locally created technology while reducing reliance on foreign operating systems in cellphones.
  • The development of an indigenous environment and an independent future represents a giant step forward.
  • It aims to put India on par with the select few nations that already have these capabilities.

What Sets BharOS Apart from Google Android?

  • BharOS resembles Google Android in certain ways because it is built on the Android Open-Source Project (AOSP). However, unlike standard Google Android phones, it does not come preloaded with Google services. Therefore, BharOS users are not compelled to download any programs; rather, they are free to do so.
  • Chrome is frequently set up as the default browser on Android devices running stock OS. The creators of BharOS want to work with DuckDuckGo as its primary browser.
  • DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused browser with a number of privacy-focused features like Privacy Grade and anonymous surfing mode.

Source: The Hindu

Skyglow

GS-III : S&T Health

Skyglow

  • Skyglow's brightness has recently been found to have increased by 9.2-10% annually between 2011 and 2022 as a result of artificial lighting, with serious ecological, health, and cultural implications.
  • Researchers looked at a global database that indicated the dimmest star that could be viewed from a certain location and comprised more than 51,000 entries supplied by citizen scientists.

WHAT is SKYGLOW?

  • The Skyglow is a continuous sheet of light that covers the night sky above and around cities and can obliterate all but the brightest stars.
  • Streetlights, security floodlights, and outdoor decorative lights are to blame for the lightening of the night sky over inhabited areas.
  • This light also rushes into the sky and disrupts their direction, blinding the Nocturnal (active at night).
  • One element of light pollution is “skyglow.”

Consequences of light pollution:

  • Lighting that shines when and where it is not needed, or that emits too much light, is inefficient and a waste of money and energy.
  • Energy waste has negative effects on the economy and environment.

Effects of Light Pollution on Human Health:

  • Similar to the majority of life on Earth, humans also have a circadian rhythm, or biological clock, that is governed by the day-night cycle. Artificial light can be used at night to end that cycle.
  • According to a small 2009 study, night shift workers had a 40% increased risk of breast cancer because of circadian disruption, which can be caused by altered melatonin levels.

What does the Skyglow scenario entail?

  • A 2016 study found that 19.5% of India’s population – the lowest fraction among G20 countries experiences a level of skyglow that would at least keep the Milky Way galaxy out of sight and at most render “dark adaptation for human eyes” impossible.
  • The activation of cone cells in the human eye, which is only possible in well-lit situations, is one of the outcomes.
  • According to a 2003 report, lit beaches deter sea turtles from coming ashore to nest.
  • A 2006 review found that skyglow keeps trees from sensing seasonal variations.
  • A 2017 study found that young burrow-nesting seabirds don’t take flight unless the nesting site becomes dark.
  • A 2019 study reported that clownfish eggs don’t hatch when exposed to artificial light at night, killing the offspring.
  • A 2020 study found that it affects every aspect of insect life and lengthens the bug predators' hunting season.
  • A 2020 study found that using artificial light at night can impair the body's capacity to create melatonin, a vital hormone that affects sleep, mood, and cognition.

Way Forward

  • The International Dark-Skies Association has certified over 130 "International Dark Sky Places," where artificial lighting has been altered to reduce skyglow and light trespass. However, the bulk is in industrialized countries in the northern hemisphere.
  • Less developed places are often both species-rich and now less light-polluted, thus there is an opportunity to implement lighting solutions there before animals there suffer significantly.
  • Using light sources that project light at an angle below the horizon, limiting their emissions, and regulating their output based on the general brightness of the region being illuminated.

Source: The Hindu

Circular Economy

GS-III : Economic Issues Growth, Development and Employment

Circular Economy

As part of its initiative to promote sustainability, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiated a campaign to develop an inclusive circular economy.

Important aspects of the campaign:

  • To create a sustainable paradigm for plastic waste management in India, the project is an expansion of an already-existing cooperation under UNDP's flagship Plastic Waste Management Programme.

Managing plastic trash from beginning to finish by encouraging:

  • Waste separation at the source
  • Gathering of the separated garbage
  • Establish Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to recycle various types of plastic waste.
  • Collaboration with the private sector
  • Additionally, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) would aid in enhancing urban local bodies' abilities to adopt MRFs or Swachhata Kendra
  • Collaborations: Municipalities, businesses, Safai Saathis, and the general public are working together on the project to create cleaner, greener cities.
  • 100,000 families will be impacted by the project, which aims to end segregation at its source.

What is circular economy?

  • Waste management in India is thought to have a $15 billion market potential.
  • 25% of India's total trash production consists of recyclable dry waste components.
  • This recyclable garbage can be used as a source of raw materials after being improperly collected and deposited into landfills. It can be a very lucrative source of cash generation if correctly separated out and processed further.
  • An economic system called a "circular economy," also referred to as "circularity," handles problems like pollution, waste, biodiversity loss, and climate change.
  • The 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) and material refurbishing, recovery, and repair are prioritised in a circular economy.
  • The circular economy so aims to increase production through resource usage that is more efficient and hence has a minimal impact on the environment.
  • All facets of manufacturing, consumption, and design are built on sustainability.

What Advantages Does the Circular Economy Offer?

  • Environmental defence by cutting back on emissions, utilising less resources, and producing less waste.
  • Promoting business models that use recycled waste from the neighbourhood as a source of raw materials has advantages for the local economy.
  • Encourages the creation of a fresh, innovative, and cutting-edge industrial model that boosts the economy and creates jobs.
  • According to NITI Aayog, the circular economy has the potential to create 1.4 crore jobs and lakhs of new enterprises over the course of the next five to seven years.
  • Reduces the need for imported raw materials, promoting the autonomous utilisation of resources.
  • Potential for Greater Economic Growth: According to the UNCTAD, India may embrace circular concepts in only three industries—cities and construction, food and agriculture, and transportation and vehicle manufacturing—to create $200+ billion in new economic value by 2030 and $600+ billion by 2050.
  • Reduced Negative Externalities: Customers will also receive products that are more creative and durable, improving their quality of life and allowing them to accumulate savings over time.

Conclusion

  • The circular economy is a viable alternative to the linear economy. By maximizing the value of resources throughout the product life cycles of the items that include them, adverse consequences on the environment, the economy, and society associated with product life cycles can be reduced.
  • Because of this, the circular economy offers a straightforward answer that meets current policy goals. The circular economy's contribution to the world economy has a lot of space to increase.

Source: Economic Times

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