Daily Current Affairs – 20-07-2025
International News
China Begins World’s Largest Dam on Brahmaputra Near India
China has started building the world’s largest dam on the Brahmaputra River (known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet).
The construction is in Tibet, near India’s Arunachal Pradesh border. Scale & Cost: The project is estimated to cost $167.8 billion and is designed to be larger than the Three Gorges Dam. It aims to produce over 300 billion kilowatts of electricity annually, sufficient for 300 million people.
The dam could disrupt the water flow into India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam) and Bangladesh. Sudden water release by China could cause severe flooding in India’s northeastern states. The dam is being built in a seismically active (earthquake-prone) zone.
Existing Cooperation: An expert-level group between India and China has been in place since 2006 to share data on trans-boundary rivers during flood seasons.
Arunachal shares international borders with Bhutan, Tibet (China) and Burma (Myanmar). Internally, Arunachal borders the states of Assam and Nagaland.
Arunachal is called the “orchid state of India” and “dawn-lit mountain/Land of Dawn/Land of Dawn-Lit Mountains”.
India-EFTA Trade Agreement to be Implemented from October 1: Central Government
Implementation Date: The trade agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) will come into effect on October 1, 2024.
EFTA Members: The EFTA bloc consists of four countries: Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.
Investment Commitment: EFTA nations have committed to investing ₹8.5 lakh crore ($100 billion) in India over the next 15 years.
Job Creation: The agreement is projected to create 10 lakh (1 million) new jobs in India within the next 10 years.
India’s Concessions: India will gradually phase out customs duties over ten years on certain EFTA products, including high-quality Swiss watches, clocks, chocolates, and biscuits.
Market Access for India: India will gain access to provide services and investments in numerous sectors across the EFTA nations, including IT, R&D, accounting, and auditing.
Market Access for EFTA: EFTA countries will gain access to invest and provide services in 105 sectors in India, such as healthcare, business services, and computer services.
National News
President’s Questions: Hearing on July 22nd
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Tuesday (July 22) the 14 key questions raised by President Droupadi Murmu regarding the Supreme Court’s order setting a time limit for approving bills.
A five-judge Constitution bench comprising Chief Justice of India P.R. Gavai and Justices P.S. Narasimha, Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, and Atul S. Santosh will hear the matter. The court has taken up the questions raised by the President under Article 143(1) of the Constitution, which empowers the President to seek the opinion of the Supreme Court.
This hearing is considered to be one of the most significant constitutional matters in recent years as it will examine whether a time limit can be set for the President to decide on bills through a court order.
Background of the Case: A controversy arose after Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi delayed his assent to 10 bills passed by the state assembly, including bills on the appointment of vice-chancellors to universities and removing the Governor from the post of Chancellor of universities, and forwarded them to the President. In a case filed by the Tamil Nadu government on this issue, the Supreme Court set a deadline for the Governor-President to decide on the bills.
Furthermore, using its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court itself approved the 10 bills that were withheld by the Tamil Nadu Governor.
3-Month Deadline: The Supreme Court order stated that the Governor should decide on the bills sent by the state legislature within 30 days to 3 months. It also stated that the President should decide on the bills sent by the Governors for the first time within three months. The order also mentioned that if the President withholds a bill sent by the Governor without taking any decision, the state governments can directly approach the Supreme Court. This verdict was widely welcomed by the opposition-ruled states.
Article 142 of the Constitution of India, 1950 (COI)
Article 142 of COI provides for enforcement of decrees and orders of Supreme Court and orders as to discovery.
Article 142 (1) provides that the Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it, and any decree so passed or order so made shall be enforceable throughout the territory of India in such manner as may be prescribed by or under any law made by Parliament and, until provision in that behalf is so made, in such manner as the President may by order prescribe.
Article 142 (2) provides that subject to the provisions of any law made in this behalf by Parliament, the Supreme Court shall, as respects the whole of the territory of India, have all and every power to make any order for the purpose of securing the attendance of any person, the discovery or production of any documents, or the investigation or punishment of any contempt of itself.
Over the years this provision has been used for primarily used for two purposes : firstly, to do “complete justice” in a given case and secondly to fill what the Court perceives as the legislative gaps.
Landmark Cases Prem Chand Garg vs. Excise Commissioner, U.P., Allahabad (1962) Union Carbide Corporation vs. Union of India (Bhopal Gas Tragedy Case) (1991)