- Lokpal Under Scrutiny: Decline in Anti-Corruption Filings
SUBJECT: POLITY
- The Lokpal institution records a sharp drop in complaints, from 2,469 in 2022-23 to only 233 in 2025, despite the activation of its Prosecution Wing in January.
- Experts attribute the decline to public disillusionment and procedural delays in inquiry disposal.
- The Central Vigilance Commission pushes for mandatory annual integrity reports from public authorities under the Lokpal Act, 2013.
- A parliamentary panel reviews the need for suo motu powers for Lokpal to initiate probes without formal complaints.
- Concepts: Article 124(2) – Appointment of Supreme Court judges; Lokpal’s independence mirrors judicial autonomy.
- Doctrine of Constitutional Morality – Ensures institutional integrity in anti-corruption mechanisms.
2.ECI Orders Special Revision of Tamil Nadu Electoral Rolls
SUBJECT: POLITY
- The Election Commission directs a week-long Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across Tamil Nadu starting November 1, 2025, ahead of 2026 Assembly polls.
- Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to verify 6.2 crore voters using Aadhaar-linked EPIC validation.
- Special focus on newly eligible 18-year-olds and migrant worker inclusion in urban constituencies.
- Political parties demand live webcasting of Form 6, 7, 8A processing to ensure transparency.
- Concepts: Article 326 – Adult suffrage and electoral roll integrity.
- Basic Structure Doctrine – Electoral fairness as a non-amendable feature.
3.New IT Rules Mandate Executive Accountability for Platforms
SUBJECT: POLITY
- Amended IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules, effective November 15, 2025, require CEOs/CROs of social media firms to certify content moderation compliance quarterly.
- Non-compliance attracts personal liability under Section 79(3) of the IT Act.
- Grievance Appellate Committees (GACs) to be expanded with retired High Court judges.
- Tamil Nadu government seeks state-level digital ethics panels for regional language content.
- Concepts: Article 19(2) – Reasonable restrictions on free speech in digital public squares.
4.ASEAN Summit: India Pushes Act East 2.0 in Kuala Lumpur
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL
- PM Modi addresses 47th ASEAN-India Summit, unveiling ‘Act East 2.0’ with $1 billion line of credit for digital and green infrastructure.
- India-ASEAN trade crosses $130 billion; target set at $200 billion by 2030.
- East Timor formally joins as 11th ASEAN member, with India supporting its maritime capacity building.
- Joint statement condemns terrorism in all forms, implicitly referencing cross-border threats.
- Concepts: UNCLOS High Seas Treaty – India’s 2025 ratification enables deep-sea mining regulation.
5.Global Debt Forum Launched at UNCTAD16
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL
- Sevilla Forum on Sovereign Debt, co-chaired by India and Brazil, proposes a UN Debt Workout Mechanism for middle-income countries.
- India advocates 10-year moratorium on external commercial borrowings for climate-vulnerable nations.
- G20 Common Framework criticized for slow progress; only 4 of 73 eligible countries restructured debt by 2025.
- RBI Governor represents India, pushing for crypto-asset regulation in debt transparency frameworks.
- Concepts: Article 51(c) – Respect for international law in economic diplomacy.
