Current Affairs 26th February 2025
Current affairs 26th February 2025 by Saurabh Pandey Sir
Article 191 in Constitution of India
191. Disqualifications for membership
(1) A person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being, a member of the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council of a State
(a) if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State specified in the First Schedule, other than an office declared by the Legislature of the State by law not to disqualify its holder;
(b) if he is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court; e -> if he is an undischarged insolvent;
(d) if he is not a citizen of India, or has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign State, or is under any acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence to a foreign State;
(e) if he is so disqualified by or under any law made by Parliament. Explanation. For the purposes of this clause, a person shall not be deemed to hold an office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State specified in the First Schedule by reason only that he is a Minister either for the Union or for such State.
(2) A person shall be disqualified for being a member of the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council of a State if he is so disqualified under the Tenth Schedule
Indian Navy’s Stealth Frigate Tamal: A New Era in Naval SelfSufficiency
Overview of the Tamal Frigate
Arrival in St. Petersburg: The Indian Navy crew for the stealth frigate Tamal arrived in St. Petersburg for training before its commissioning in early June.
🚢 Significance: Tamal will be the last warship commissioned outside India, highlighting a shift towards domestic warship design and construction.
Commissioning Crew: Comprising around 200 personnel, the crew will oversee trials post-training, moving to Kaliningrad for this purpose Details of the Frigate Deal
Inter-Governmental Agreement: Part of a deal for four additional stealth frigates signed in October 2016, with two ships imported and two manufactured in India.
💰 Financials: A $1 billion deal was signed for the direct purchase of two frigates, with Tamal undergoing State Committee Trials and set for delivery acceptance trials.
🔫 Weapons Testing: The ship’s weapons will be tested before commissioning, following a series of trials lasting 45 to 50 days Historical Context and Future Implications
🌍 INS Tushil: The first ship from this deal, commissioned on December 9, 2024, has traveled over 12,500 nautical miles, visiting eight countries. Summary: The Indian Navy’s Tamal frigate, the last to be commissioned outside India, is set for trials and commissioning in June, reflecting India’s growing naval selfsufficiency.
Simultaneous Elections Bill Overview
⚖ Legal Concerns Former Chief Justice U.U. Lalit expressed doubts about the Bill’s ability to withstand a Supreme Court challenge. Concerns focus on provisions that curtail Assembly tenures, potentially violating the Constitution’s Basic Structure
📅 Bill Overview The Constitution (One Hundred and TwentyNinth Amendment) Bill, 2024 aims to empower the Election Commission. Introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17, 2024, to facilitate simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and Assemblies
🗳 Election Synchronization The Bill allows the President to set an “appointed date” for a new electoral cycle. This leads to simultaneous elections after adjusting the tenure of Assemblies.
🔄 Staggered Approach Suggested Justice Lalit recommended a staggered approach for disbanding Assemblies. Emphasized the importance of preserving the substantial term of Assemblies.
💰 Cost Efficiency Argument Ritu Raj Awasthi, former Law Commission Chairperson, supported the Bill. Argued that simultaneous elections could reduce costs and improve governance by addressing policy paralysis and excessive electionrelated expenditures Opposition Concerns Opposition members, including Congress MP Manish Tewari, raised concerns. The Bill is seen as undermining the equal constitutional status of State legislatures compared to Parliament.
