UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelim Bits 08-02-2025

Governor’s Role in Lawmaking

Why in News?

The Supreme Court recently continued to hear petitions filed by the Tamil Nadu government raising questions on the scope of the Governor’s powers in the legislative process.

• The Constitution envisages the office of the Governor as an apolitical entity.
• Governor is under Article 168 a part of the legislature and is bound by the constitutional regime.
• Over the years, the SC in several rulings has limited the Governor’s exercise of the powers in a permissive manner.
• Broadly, the Governor is bound to act on the aid and advice of a state’s Council of Ministers.
• However, there are a few exceptions to this.
• Exceptions
  • Article 356- Recommending the imposition of the President’s rule
  • Article 200- Granting assent to Bills.
• Article 200 - After a Bill has been passed by a state Assembly, it is presented to the Governor for her assent. Article 200 envisages 3 scenarios where the Governor can
  1. Give assent to the Bill, in which case it becomes state law.
  2. Withhold assent to the Bill and send it back for reconsideration by the state Assembly.
  3. Reserve the Bill for consideration by the President of India.
• If the Governor withholds assent and sends the Bill back for reconsideration, the Assembly can amend the Bill or pass it again as is.
• When the particular Bill is presented to the Governor again, she shall not withhold assent therefrom, mandating the Bill’s passage.
  • Exception - In cases where the Bill, in the opinion of the Governor, could derogate from the powers of the High Court.
• In that case, the Bill shall be reserved for the President’s consideration.

Tamil Nadu dispute

• RN Ravi was appointed as Governor in September 2021.
• Since then, the TN government has repeatedly raised concerns about the Governor withholding assent and delaying the passage of Bills passed by the state assembly.
• In November 2023, the state government moved the SC, claiming that Governor Ravi had been withholding assent on several Bills, the earliest of which had been pending since January 2023.
• The SC replied that Governors cannot be oblivious to the fact that they are not elected representatives of the people.
• Around two weeks later, the Tamil Nadu Assembly re-enacted the pending Bills.
• However, Governor Ravi referred two of these Bills to the President for her consideration, and withheld assent for the rest.

Reference

The Indian Express | TN govt-Governor dispute case

Dibru Saikhowa National Park

Why in News?

Recently the Environment Ministry’s forest advisory committee recommended the R&D proposal on Extended Reach Drilling technology subject to the condition that it will be used purely for research purposes

• Dibru Saikhowa National Park is a national park and biosphere reserve located in Assam.
• It is the largest salix swamp forest in northeast India.
• It is an identified Important Bird Area (IBA).
• The area was declared as Dibru Reserved Forest in 1890. In 1929, Saikhowa Reserve Forest was declared.
• It was declared as wildlife sanctuary in 1995. In 1997, Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere Reserve was declared.
• Originally created to help conserve the habitat of the rare white-winged wood duck.
• Rivers - The park is bounded by the Brahmaputra and Lohit Rivers in the north and Dibru River in the south.
• Forest type - Dibru-Saikhowa comprises of semi-evergreen forests, deciduous forests, littoral and swamp forests and patches of wet evergreen forests.
• The Park is renowned for natural regeneration of Salix trees. It is famed for Ferral horses.
• Fauna - 36 species of mammals have so far been recorded.

• Birds – It have more than 382 species of Birds.

References

1. The Indian Express |  Dibru Saikhowa National Park
2. Assam Govt | Dibru-Saikhowa National Park

National Commission for Safai Karamcharis

Why in News?

Union Cabinet has recently approved the extension the tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) for 3 years beyond 2025.

Safai Karamchari means a person engaged in, or employed for, manually carrying human excreta or any sanitation work.

• The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) was constituted on 12^th August, 1994 as a statutory body, for a period of 3 years.
• It was subsequently extended up to 2002 and 2004 and extended so many times until recently in 2025.
• The Commission is acting as a Non-Statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment from 2004.
• National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993, was enacted in September, 1993 and a statutory National Commission for Safai Karmcharis was first constituted in August, 1994.
• Functions - Recommend to the Central Government specific programs of action towards elimination of inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities of Safai Karmacharis.
• Study and evaluate implementation of the programmes and schemes relating to the social and economic rehabilitation of Safai Karmacharis and scavengers in particular.
• Investigate specific grievances and take suo-motu notice of matter relating to non-implementation of
  • Programmes or schemes in respect of any group of Safai Karmacharis,
  • Decisions, guidelines etc. Aimed at mitigating the hardships of Safai Karmacharis;
  • Measures for the social and economic upliftment of Safai Karmacharis etc,
• Study and monitor the working conditions, including those relating to health safety and wages of Safai Karmacharis,
• Make reports to the Central or State Government on any matter concerning Safai Karmacharis, taking into account any difficulties or disabilities being encountered by Safai Karmacharis; and
• Any other matter which may be referred to it by the Central Government.
• Under the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act 2013), NCSK shall perform the functions namely:
  • To monitor the implementation of the Act
  • To enquire into complaints regarding contravention of the provisions of this Act and to convey its findings to concerned authorities with recommendations requiring further action;
  • To advice the Central and State Govt for effective implementation of the provisions of this Act; and
  • To take suo-motu notice of matter relating to non-implementation of this Act.
• It is the only body keeping track of sewer deaths in India.

Reference

PIB | National Commission for Safai Karamcharis

Rhododendron Wattii

Why in News?

Researchers have identified the last tree which is standing in a popular trekking destination in Nagaland.

• Rhododendron Wattii – It is a small tree attaining a maximum height of 25 feet.

Rhododendron has more than 1,000 species of worldwide and the northeastern region has 129 of the 132 taxa recorded in India.

• It is an evergreen plant, and leaf renewal occurs throughout the year.
• 1^st identified by – Sir George Watt from Nagaland’s Japfu Hill range during his 1882-85 survey.
• Located in – Dzukou Valley, Nagpur which extends into the adjoining Manipur.
• Habitat – It grows on rocky hill slopes with other Rhododendron species, dwarf bamboo, mosses, and ferns.
• Distribution – Endemic to Manipur and Nagaland.

• Seed – They are fusiform and winged, which retain viability for about one year when stored at normal temperature and humidity.
• No seedlings were observed in its natural habitat.
• Seeding capacity – It produces numerous seeds after the flowers are pollinated mainly by the fire-tailed sunbird and bumble bees.
• Leaves – They are obovate to oblong, apex rounded, apiculate, base rounded, glabrous above, with a sparse whitish felted indumentum beneath.
• Flowers – It present in trusses of 18-25 flowers are tubular-campanulate, corolla 6-lobed, pink with darker flecks and purplish basal patches.
• Flowering period – End of February to April.
• Fruit – It is a capsule that is oblong, grooved, and dehisce from the top by longitudinal slits.
• Fruiting period – April to December.
• Factors responsible for disappearance
  • Poor seedling survivability
  • Anthropogenic activities
  • Wildfires in a Dzukou valley burnt for 2 weeks in 2020-21.
• Conservation status – IUCN status – Vulnerable.

References

1. The Hindu| Rhododendron Wattii Tree in Nagaland
2. Threatened Taxa| Rhododendron Wattii