Daily Current Affairs

August 18, 2025

Current Affairs

Election Commission Appointments: Independence under Question

Context: The Election Commission of India (ECI) plays a pivotal role in conducting free and fair elections, regarded as the bedrock of Indian democracy. Recent legal and legislative changes have brought the independence and impartiality of ECI under scrutiny.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key facts about Article 324; Election Commission of India.

Mains: Issues in appointment of Election Commissioners.

Appointment of Election Commissioners

  • Article 324 of the Constitution vests the superintendence, direction and control of elections to Parliament, state legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President in the Election Commission of India.
  • Article 324 does not provide a clear mechanism for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs). As per Article 324(2), the appointment method is left subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament.
  • Traditionally, appointments are made by the Executive, raising concerns about bias and autonomy.

Landmark Case: Anoop Baranwal vs. Union of India (2023)

  • The Constitution Bench interpreted Article 324 of the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of Election Commissioners.
  • It held that exclusive executive control over appointments compromises the independence of the ECI.
  • To prevent a pliable ECI, the Court directed that appointments must be made by a Selection Committee comprising:
    • Prime Minister of India
    • Leader of Opposition
    • Chief Justice of India 

Parliament’s Reaction: The Chief Election Commissioner and Other ECs Act, 2023

  • The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023 was enacted to nullify the Baranwal verdict. 
  • The Act removed the CJI from the Selection Committee and added a Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM.
  • So, effectively the government dominates the Committee (2:1 majority: Prime Minister + Cabinet Minister vs Leader of Opposition).
  • Criticism: This ensures that the ECI is under the control of the ruling regime.

The Act was challenged in multiple writ petitions. Petitioners sought an interim stay before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

However in Dr. Jaya Thakur & Ors. v. Union of India (2024), Supreme Court refused to grant stay, citing the principle of “presumption of constitutionality” of laws.

Issues and Concerns: 

  • The exclusion of the judiciary from the appointment process raises concerns about the independence of the ECI.
  • Executive control over appointments increases the risk of biased or partisan decision-making.
  • Exclusion of the judiciary from the selection committee weakens the system of checks and balances.
  • Public trust in the electoral process may decline if the ECI is perceived as partisan. 

Global Comparison

  • Many modern constitutions have created independent “fourth branch institutions” (in addition to the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary which are autonomous and independent of the ruling dispensation) to safeguard democracy from executive dominance.
    • E.g., Constitution of South Africa envisages a cluster of state institutions for “supporting constitutional democracy”. The Chapter Nine institutions (as they are called) include the Electoral Commission of South Africa.

The Supreme Court’s judgment in Anoop Baranwal can be seen as an attempt to transform the ECI into such an institution by insulating it from executive control. However, the enactment of the 2023 Act and the refusal of the Court to stay its implementation have weakened this progress.

The independence of the Election Commission of India is central to preserving democratic legitimacy. Hence, there is a need to revisit the appointment mechanism for the Election Commission of India. The inclusion of the Chief Justice of India or another independent authority in the Selection Committee would strengthen the neutrality of the process.

India’s Strategic Engagement with Namibia 

Context: Namibia is a valued and trusted African partner with which India is seeking to boost bilateral cooperation and partnerships. 

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: India’s engagement in Africa; India-Namibia bilateral relations; Global South diplomacy. 

India’s Engagement with Namibia

India and Namibia have a shared anti-colonial heritage and enjoy warm and cordial relations.

Diplomatic Engagement: 

  • India was among the first nations to raise the question of Namibian independence in the UN in 1946. 
  • At the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit, India offered full diplomatic recognition to SWAPO (South West Africa People's Organisation), which led Namibia’s liberation struggle, accompanied by material assistance and military training.
  • The first SWAPO Embassy (South West Africa People’s Organisation led Namibia’s liberation struggle) abroad was established in New Delhi in 1986. 

Bilateral Trade & Investment: 

  • Bilateral trade has grown from less than $3 million in 2000 to almost $800 million in 2025, supported by a $12 billion development partnership across Africa. 
  • Indian companies have invested in mining, manufacturing, diamond processing and services in Namibia.

Digital Infrastructure & Capacity building: 

  • Namibia became the first country in Africa to adopt India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI). 
  • India’s targeted investments in capacity-building include, India-Namibia Centre of Excellence in IT at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, and the ‘India Wing’ funded by a $12 million grant. These efforts leverage India’s strengths in IT and respond to Namibia’s youthful population and digital readiness.
  • Namibia’s recent accession to the Global Biofuels Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) aligns with India’s global vision of resilient infrastructure. 

Translocation of Cheetahs

  • Eight cheetahs from Namibia were translocated to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh in 2022, the world’s first intercontinental translocation of a major carnivore species.
image 17

Significance of Namibia to India: 

  • Namibia’s rich mineral resources, particularly Uranium, Copper, and rare earth metals, can meet strategic critical mineral requirements to India. 
  • Gateway in Southern Africa: Namibia’s ports and connectivity provide India with an entry point into southern Africa’s markets.
  • Global South Diplomacy: Namibia is a key collaborator in the Global South’s broader effort to reshape international rules and usher reforms in global governance. This is in line with India’s advocacy for rules-based international order. 

Challenges

  • Lack of Consistent Engagement: India’s developmental ambitions in Africa are often criticised for uneven implementation and long lapses. This is evident in the recent visit to Namibia by an Indian head of government, the first in nearly three decades.
  • Lack of major agreement or strategic framework to access Namibia’s critical mineral reserves. 

To further the engagement, India needs to overcome structural and operational issues by consistent engagement matched by sustained investment and institutional coherence. The upcoming India-Africa Forum Summit could serve as a vital platform to formalise and solidify these diplomatic efforts through institutional cooperation.

India's first Sustainable Aviation Fuel Plant

Context: Indian Oil's Panipat refinery has received ICAO ISCC CORSIA certification for producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from used cooking oil. became the first company in India 

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: India’s indicative blending Target for SAF; CORSIA framework.

Mains: Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Advantages & Challenges. 

India's first Sustainable Aviation Fuel Plant

  • IOC will have the capacity to produce 35,000 tonnes per year of SAF from used cooking oil by the end of 2025. 
  • Feedstock: The used cooking oil will be sourced by engaging aggregators from large hotel chains, restaurants, and sweets and snacks majors, which is otherwise discarded after use. 
  • The capacity (35,000 tonnes per year) will be sufficient to meet the country’s 1% SAF blending requirement (for international flights) by 2027. 

IOC has become the first company in India to receive the ISCC CORSIA certification for SAF production at its Panipat refinery in Haryana. 

ISCC CORSIA Certification System:  

  • ISCC CORSIA is a certification system for compliance with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) criteria for SAF. It is a prerequisite for commercial SAF production. 
  • The certification sets a benchmark for other domestic refiners and industry players to scale up SAF production.

About Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

  • SAF is a biofuel that is produced from sustainable feedstocks. SAF has chemistry and properties similar to conventional aviation turbine fuel (ATF) or jet fuel (derived from crude oil) but with a smaller carbon footprint. 
  • It can be blended at different levels with limits between 10% and 50%, depending on the feedstock and how the fuel is produced. 
  • Sources of SAF: 
    • Oil seeds, other fats, oils, and greases
    • Agricultural residues, Forestry residues, Wood mill waste
    • Municipal solid waste streams, Wet wastes (manures, wastewater treatment sludge)
    • It can also be produced synthetically via a process that captures carbon directly from the air. 

Advantages of SAF: 

  • Engine compatibility: Existing aircraft engines can easily use the SAF-ATF blend (up to 50% blend) without modification. 
  • Fewer greenhouse gas emissions: It is estimated that SAF alone is likely to account for over 60% of the global aviation industry’s decarbonisation efforts.
  • Sustainable: Raw feedstock does not compete with food crops or water supplies, or is responsible for forest degradation. 
  • More flexibility: SAF is a replacement for conventional jet fuel, allowing for multiple products from various feedstocks and production technologies.

Challenges Associated with SAF:  

  • SAF is about three-four times more expensive than the price of regular jet fuel.
  • SAF success will require using a greater diversity of feedstock and production methods.

Moreover, collection of SAF would be a challenge. While it is easy to collect from large hotel chains, a solution needs to be found for collection from small users, including households. 

Key Facts:

  • International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions from international civil aviation.
  • To mitigate the environmental impact of aviation, ICAO has set several aspirational goals:
    1. Two Percent Annual Fuel Efficiency Improvement: Targeted through 2050.
    2. Carbon Neutral Growth: Striving for no net increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from international aviation. 
    3. Net Zero CO2 Emissions from aviation by 2050. 
  • These goals are encompassed under two major initiatives: Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and the Long-Term Aspirational Goals (LTAG). 

CORSIA Implementation Phases: 

CORSIA will be implemented in three phases:

  1. Pilot Phase (2021-2023): Voluntary participation by States.
  2. First Phase (2024-2026): Also voluntary, but with expanded participation.
  3. Second Phase (2027 onwards): Mandatory for all ICAO member states, including India.

India’s indicative blending Target for SAF: 

  • In line with the CORSIA framework, India’s National Biofuel Coordination Committee (NBCC) has set the initial indicative targets for blending of SAF with jet fuel 2027 onwards, starting with international flights. The indicative targets are:
    • 1% SAF indicative blending target in 2027 (Initially for International flights)
    • 2% SAF blending target in 2028 (Initially for International flights)
    • 5% by 2030. 

The success of SAF will require using a greater diversity of feedstock and production methods. This includes areas such as investing in carbon offset programmes and the diversification of SAF feedstocks. 

IOC is also working to set up units based on the alcohol-to-jet pathway, which involves using ethanol as a feedstock to make SAF. 

Trending now

India Invokes Emergency Powers to Secure LPG Supply Amid West Asia Tensions
China’s New Antarctic Law and Implications for Global Polar Governance
India–EU Deepen Partnership in Peaceful Nuclear Science and Fusion Energy
Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026: Strengthening India’s Waste Governance Framework