Afternoon edition
Daily current affairs for UPSC, BPSC, State PCS and PSC exams.
Why in news?
The Supreme Court issued comprehensive guidelines for the protection of young women trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation (CSE).
Key points
- Guidelines established for government and competent authorities to protect CSE survivors.
- Focus on a uniform victim protection protocol for survivors of CSE.
- Trafficking is described as an affront to constitutional dignity.
- The petition highlighting the issue was filed by NGO Prajwala in 2004.
Background & context
Human trafficking, particularly for commercial sexual exploitation, remains a significant challenge in India. Existing laws and support systems have been found to be inadequate in providing comprehensive protection and rehabilitation to victims. The Supreme Court's intervention aims to address these lacunae.
★ Prelims fact capsule
The NGO Prajwala filed the petition highlighting the lack of laws and protective mechanisms for young girls trafficked into prostitution in 2004.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper I (Social Issues), GS Paper II (Governance, Social Justice)
Why in news?
The Supreme Court has mandated a three-month deadline for High Courts to pronounce judgments after reserving them.
Key points
- High Courts must pronounce judgments within three months of reservation.
- Bail orders should ideally be pronounced the next day and communicated to jail on the same day.
- Undertrials to be released the same day or the next day after getting bail.
- The operative part of a judgment must be announced in Court, with reasons uploaded within a week.
- Failure to follow guidelines may lead to case allocation to another Bench.
Background & context
There is no specific statutory timeline for judges to deliver reserved judgments, leading to significant delays in the judicial process. The convention of delivering judgments within a 'reasonable time' (2-6 months) has often been exceeded, with some judgments being reserved for over a year. This delay contributes to pendency and affects justice delivery.
★ Prelims fact capsule
High Courts are now mandated to pronounce judgments within three months of reservation.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper II (Governance, Judiciary)
Why in news?
The Uttar Pradesh government is prioritizing water quality testing in rural areas through a community-driven approach, empowering women with Field Testing Kits (FTKs) under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Key points
- Focus on preventing water-borne diseases in rural areas through community participation.
- Women trained to test water quality using Field Testing Kits (FTKs) for early detection of contamination.
- Aims to strengthen local community ownership of rural water quality monitoring.
- Ensures safe drinking water supply under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
- Promotes women's empowerment and self-sufficiency by enhancing technical skills.
Background & context
The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims to provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to all rural households. Ensuring the quality of this supplied water is crucial. This initiative in Uttar Pradesh leverages community participation, particularly empowering women, to monitor water quality, which is a sustainable and effective approach.
★ Prelims fact capsule
Women in over 97,000 villages in UP have been trained to test water quality using Field Testing Kits (FTKs) under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper I (Social Issues), GS Paper II (Government Policies & Interventions), GS Paper III (Health)