LEGAL NEWS
Supreme Court Reaffirms Ban on Forced Narco-Analysis Tests
• The Supreme Court overturned the Patna High Court’s permission for a compulsory narco test, reasserting that involuntary narco-analysis is unconstitutional.
• A narco test involves administering sedatives such as Sodium Pentothal to lower mental resistance, often compared with polygraph and brain-mapping techniques.
• Relying on Selvi v. State of Karnataka (2010), the Court reiterated that such investigative methods require free and informed consent of the accused.
• The ruling struck down the Patna HC decision in Amlesh Kumar v. State of Bihar (2025), holding that forced testing violates Article 20(3) against self-incrimination.
• The Court further held that compulsory narco tests infringe Article 21, affecting bodily autonomy, personal liberty and the right to privacy.
• Emphasising the Golden Triangle doctrine (Articles 14, 19 and 21) from Maneka Gandhi, the Court stressed that investigation methods must be fair, just and reasonable.
• It clarified that consent must be voluntary, documented before a magistrate, and supported by medical and legal safeguards.
• The Court noted that narco-test outcomes do not establish guilt on their own and need independent corroboration; even voluntary requests under Section 253 of BNSS are subject to judicial discretion.
AWARDS
A’ja Wilson Named TIME’s Athlete of the Year 2025
• TIME magazine honoured A’ja Wilson as Athlete of the Year 2025, recognising her record-breaking impact in women’s basketball.
• She created history by clinching the championship, Finals MVP, League MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in a single season, a first across both WNBA and NBA.
• Wilson also secured the scoring title and became the fastest player to reach 5,000 career points in the North American women’s elite league.
• With four MVP awards before turning 30, she entered an elite club alongside Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James.
• She spearheaded the Las Vegas Aces’ dramatic revival, marked by a 16-match winning streak and a dominant 4–0 Finals sweep.
• The season culminated in her third WNBA championship, further cementing her legacy, along with an Olympic MVP honour at Paris 2024.
• Beyond performance, TIME highlighted her leadership off the court, where she influenced debates on league expansion, player rights and equity, alongside being named AP Female Athlete of the Year.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES
Launch of Sujalam Bharat App: Strengthening Digital Rural Water Governance
• The Sujalam Bharat App was launched on 10 December by the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil, marking a key digital reform in the water sector.
• It aims to modernise rural drinking water management by offering real-time, transparent data access to citizens and government institutions.
• Developed with technical support from BISAG-N, the platform enables geo-tagging, monitoring, and management of schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• The initiative promotes transparency, accountability, and community participation in the operation of rural water supply systems.
• Each water supply scheme and service area will be mapped with a unique Sujal Village ID, clearly linking households to their respective water sources.
• The app integrates water sources, infrastructure assets, quality data, supply reliability, and O&M details into a single digital registry.
• With PM Gati Shakti GIS integration, nationwide participation of States/UTs, and structured training, the database will support long-term planning and sustainability of rural water networks.
SPORTS
Germany Clinches Historic 8th FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Title
• Germany lifted a record eighth Men’s Junior World Cup, reinforcing their dominance in junior international hockey.
• The final, held in Chennai on 10 December, saw Germany defeat Spain via shoot-out (3–2) after a closely fought contest.
• The match ended 1–1 in normal time, pushing the title clash into a tense shoot-out.
• Appearing in their 10th World Cup final, Germany added another trophy to their rich tournament legacy.
• Justus Warweg opened the scoring for Germany, while Nicolas Mustaros equalised for Spain during regulation play.
• Despite early shoot-out misses, Germany showed composure, with goalkeeper Jasper Ditzer making decisive saves to seal the win.
• The tournament ran for 13 days from 28 November, hosted in Chennai and Madurai, with India securing their first-ever bronze after defeating Argentina.
MISCELLANEOUS
Italian Cuisine Gets UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Status
• Italy’s traditional food culture has been granted UNESCO recognition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, acknowledging its living culinary legacy.
• The honour highlights recipes and food practices transmitted across generations, rooted in everyday life and community bonding.
• Italy initiated the UNESCO nomination in 2023, presenting its cuisine as a shared social tradition linking families and regions.
• The decision was announced during the 20th UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage session, hosted at Delhi’s Red Fort.
• To strengthen its claim, Italy showcased regional specialities such as Lombardy’s ossobuco and Puglia’s orecchiette with turnip greens.
• Italian cuisine now stands alongside global food traditions like France’s gastronomic meals, Mexico’s ritual cuisines, Korea’s kimchi culture, and Japan’s Washoku.
• The same session also approved the inclusion of Diwali celebrations and Iceland’s swimming-pool social culture, reflecting UNESCO’s three ICH lists for protection, representation, and safeguarding practices.
