LEGAL NEWS

ADR Report on Criminalisation of Politics (2026)

• The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 31 Chief Ministers (28 States + 3 Union Territories).

• 14 out of 31 Chief Ministers (45%) have criminal cases registered against them. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta is the only woman Chief Minister, while women constitute only 390 of 4,123 MLAs (9%) across India.

• Educational Profile: 9 CMs (29%) are postgraduates, 7 (23%) are graduates, 6 (19%) are graduate professionals, 3 hold doctorates, and 2 studied only up to Class 10.

• Reasons for Criminalisation: Weak disqualification provisions under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, money and muscle power, low voter awareness, party preference for winnable candidates, and delays in judicial proceedings.

• Impact: Criminalisation weakens free and fair elections, increases corruption and electoral malpractices, reduces public trust in democracy, and distorts policymaking in favour of vested interests.

• Key Recommendations: The Indrajit Gupta Committee (1998) and 2nd ARC (2007) recommended partial state funding of elections; the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2002) recommended statutory audit of political parties; the Law Commission's 244th Report (2014) recommended disqualification after framing of charges for offences punishable with five years or more and fast-track courts for MPs and MLAs.

• Supreme Court Judgments: In Lily Thomas, the Court held that legislators are immediately disqualified upon conviction with a sentence of two years or more. In Public Interest Foundation, political parties were directed to disclose candidates' criminal records, and in 2020 the Court mandated publication of such details within 48 hours of candidate selection.

• The proposed 130th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2025 provides that a minister accused of an offence punishable with five years or more and detained for 30 consecutive days can be removed. It also requires the Prime Minister or Chief Minister to resign if they remain in custody for 30 consecutive days, failing which they would automatically cease to hold office on the 31st day.

APPOINTMENT

Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja Appointed DGAFMS

• Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja has been appointed as the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) with effect from 31 August 2026.

• He will succeed Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, who retires on 31 August 2026.

• Before this appointment, he was serving as the Director General Medical Services (Air).

• The DGAFMS is the senior-most medical appointment in the Armed Forces Medical Services and coordinates medical services of the Army, Navy, and Air Force under the Ministry of Defence.

• An alumnus of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, he was commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services in December 1986.

• He holds an MD in Medicine and a DM in Gastroenterology from AIIMS, New Delhi, where he received the Best DM Student Award.

• During his distinguished career, he served as Commandant of Military Hospital Pathankot, Command Hospital Lucknow, and Director & Commandant of AFMC Pune.

• As DGMS (Air), he contributed to operational medical preparedness, supported ISRO's Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight Mission, and helped operationalise the BHISHM Cube for rapid medical response.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

Mission Shakti App

• Mission Shakti App is a Government of India digital platform for women and child safety, providing access to seven integrated helpline services.

• It offers key helplines, including Women Helpline (181), ERSS (112), National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930), Child Helpline (1098), Tele-MANAS (14416), PM Poshan & PMMVY Helpline (1515), and NALSA Legal Aid Helpline (15100).

• Mission Shakti is implemented during the 15th Finance Commission period (2021–22 to 2025–26) and focuses on women's safety and empowerment.

• The scheme has two sub-schemes: Sambal (women's safety and protection) and Samarthya (women's empowerment and welfare).

• The app includes the SHe-Box module for workplace sexual harassment complaints and introduced a Pledge feature on 25 June 2026.

• It is integrated with Bhashini, enabling translation support in 22 Indian languages for greater accessibility.

• The platform provides emergency response, legal aid, cybercrime reporting, mental health support, maternity benefits, nutrition, and child protection services through a single interface.

• Mission Shakti Phase-5.0 was launched in Uttar Pradesh on 20 September 2025, focusing on women's safety, dignity, health, self-reliance, and empowerment.

Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY)

• The Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY) on 31 July 2026 to expand floating solar power capacity in India.

• The Central Sector Scheme has a total outlay of ₹5,070 crore and aims to install 5,000 MW of Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) capacity by 2030–31.

• The scheme supports floating solar projects on reservoirs and other suitable inland water bodies through Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of ₹1 crore per MW after project commissioning.

• Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) systems install solar panels on water bodies instead of land, reducing land use and water evaporation.

• The scheme includes co-located Energy Storage Systems (ESS) with a minimum storage capacity of two hours, amounting to 10,000 MWh.

• Projects will be sanctioned from FY 2026–27 to FY 2030–31, with financial assistance continuing up to FY 2032–33.

• The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) will implement the scheme, which is expected to attract around ₹28,500 crore in investment.

• According to the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), India has an estimated floating solar potential of about 102.18 GWp. The Omkareshwar Floating Solar Park (Madhya Pradesh) is one of India's largest floating solar projects.

DEFENCE

Xtreme Weather Grade (XWG) Diesel

• General Dhiraj Seth, the Chief of the Army Staff, launched the indigenously developed Xtreme Weather Grade (XWG) Diesel in New Delhi on 31 July 2026.

• XWG Diesel has been jointly developed by the Indian Army and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) for operations in extreme cold and high-altitude regions.

• The fuel is designed to operate at temperatures as low as –42°C, ensuring reliable performance of combat and logistics vehicles during severe winters.

• XWG Diesel can be used in the existing Indian Army vehicle fleet without any modifications and complies with BS-VI emission norms and IS 1460:2025 diesel specifications.

• Unlike conventional diesel, which thickens and clogs fuel filters in freezing conditions, XWG Diesel maintains fuel flow, improving mobility, safety, and mission reliability.

• BPCL has established a dedicated supply chain from its Bina Refinery (Madhya Pradesh) to strategic storage at Bathinda, Punjab, ensuring timely availability at forward locations.

• The project supports the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative by promoting indigenous defence technology and strengthening military logistics in challenging environments.

• Besides military use, XWG Diesel has potential applications in civilian transport and infrastructure operating in high-altitude and severe winter regions.