August 27, 2025

Current Affairs

Salwa Judum Judgement

Context: Recently, the Union Home Minister of India accused Opposition’s Vice-Presidential candidate Justice B Sudershan Reddy (retd) of aiding Naxalism by delivering the landmark Supreme Court judgment that banned Salwa Judum in 2011.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Salwa Judum; Salwa Judum Judgement.

Mains: Government approach to counter the challenges posed by LWE.

Justice B Sudershan Reddy, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, headed the Bench that in 2011 delivered the landmark ruling in Nandini Sundar v State of Chhattisgarh, which ended Salwa Judum.

What was Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh?

Salwa Judum was a state-backed vigilante movement launched to counter Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh. Tribal youth were recruited as Special Police Officers (SPOs), popularly called Koya Commandos.
Recruitment was voluntary for those 18 and above, with character verification and preferably Class 5 education. Preference was given to victims of Maoist violence who wished to resist them.
Recruitment was done under the Chhattisgarh Police Act, 2007, which gave wide powers to the Superintendent of Police.
Most SPOs were young tribal men from Naxal-affected villages. They were armed for self-defence but also used in counter-insurgency operations with police and paramilitary forces.
Their duties included guiding forces in forests, translating, gathering intelligence, and spotting Maoist movements. Each SPO received about ₹3,000 per month as honorarium.
The government justified Salwa Judum as both a security measure and a livelihood source for local youth.

In 2007, sociologist Nandini Sundar, historian Ramachandra Guha, and former IAS officer EAS Sarma filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging the practice of Salwa Judum.

Salwa Judum Judgement 2011:

In Nandini Sundar v. State of Chhattisgarh (2011), the Supreme Court held that Salwa Judum violated Articles 14 (equality) and 21 (right to life with dignity), and therefore ordered its disbandment.
The SC found that SPOs were poorly educated and inadequately trained, yet expected to perform duties of regular police, making it discriminatory. Arming such youth exposed them to life-threatening risks, which could not be justified as livelihood.
The SC criticised the state for treating citizens as expendable instruments of counter-insurgency, undermining their dignity. It directed that only trained police and paramilitary forces should conduct such operations.

Gopal ‘Paantha’ Mukherjee and Direct Action Day

Context: As ‘Bengal Files’ Film brings the Great Calcutta Killing back into debate, the figure of Gopal ‘Paantha’ Mukherjee re-enters the spotlight.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About Gopal ‘Paantha’ Mukherjee and his role in Direct Action Day.

Who Was Gopal ‘Paantha’ Mukherjee?

Born in 1916 in Kolkata’s Bowbazar area, Gopal Mukherjee was part of a middle-class Bengali Hindu family.
His family ran a meat shop on College Street, which earned him the nickname Paantha (goat, in Bangla).
Known for his fearless personality, long hair, and commanding presence, he led a local gang that grew into one of the city’s most formidable street organisations by the mid-1940s.
When Direct Action Day violence broke out, Gopal and his group of over 800 young men mobilised to protect Hindu neighbourhoods from Muslim League mobs. In his own later words, he took up arms “to save the women of his area, to save the people.”
Family members describe him as inspired by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, involved in revolutionary groups like the Atma Unnati Samiti, and determined to resist what he saw as the forced incorporation of Bengal into Pakistan.
However, critics point out that Gopal’s “army” was not a patriotic militia but an extension of Calcutta’s underworld sustained by wrestlers, gamblers, and street enforcers.

In 1947, Mahatma Gandhi visited Calcutta to restore peace and asked people to surrender their arms. Gopal Mukherjee was summoned to meet him. Though he eventually went, he refused to surrender his weapons, telling Gandhi’s aides: “With these arms I saved the women of my area, I saved the people. I will not surrender them.”

Direct Action Day:

On 16 August 1946, the All-India Muslim League called for “direct action” to push their demand for Pakistan, after the British exit from India.
In Bengal, where the League was in power under the Chief Minister H. S. Suhrawardy, the call took a violent turn (the Great Calcutta killings).
What began as a hartal and rally at the Ochterlony Monument (today’s Shahid Minar) spiralled into four days of riots across Calcutta. Between 5,000 and 10,000 people were killed, and thousands more injured.

ISRO holds Air Drop Test for Gaganyaan Mission

Context: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out its first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-1) at Sriharikota, a critical milestone in preparations for Gaganyaan Mission- the country’s maiden human spaceflight programme.

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about Gaganyaan Mission.

Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT)

The first Integrated Air Drop Test was conducted for an end-to-end demonstration of the parachute-based deceleration system for the Gaganyaan Mission.
The IADT is a specialised trial to ensure the parachute system designed for the Gaganyaan crew module performs reliably in real-world conditions.
- During the test, a dummy crew capsule weighing around 5 tonnes was lifted up through the air by a Chinook helicopter, and then dropped.
- As it descended through a few kms, its main parachutes had to open in a specific sequence to decelerate the capsule to a safe splashdown speed.
During an actual flight with astronauts, the main parachutes will have to deploy after the capsule has re-entered the atmosphere and has been slowed first by the heat shields and drogue parachutes.

Significance:

The ascent, descent, and post-splashdown phases of the Gaganyaan mission are expected to be the most risky for the astronauts. The successful conduction of the first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01) is vital to ensure the safety of astronauts in the upcoming Gaganyaan Mission.

Gaganyaan Mission

ISRO’s ambitious human spaceflight mission which will carry 3 astronauts (Vyomanauts) to Low Earth Orbit (400 kilometres) for a 3-days mission, and bring them back safely to Earth by landing in Indian sea-waters.
Expected launch: Crewed launch is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
Launch Vehicle: Human Rated LVM3.
Human Space Flight Centre will coordinate the programme, and will be responsible for the implementation of the project.
Once completed, India will become the world's fourth nation to conduct independent human spaceflight after Russia, United States and China.

Components of Gaganyaan Mission:

Crew Module: A crew module and service module. The crew members have been shortlisted by the IAF and ISRO. The crew will perform micro-gravity and other scientific experiments.
Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE):
- Gaganyaan would return back to Earth. While re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft needs to withstand very high temperatures created due to atmospheric friction.
- A prior critical experiment was carried out in 2014 along with LVM3, when the CARE capsule successfully demonstrated that it could survive atmospheric re-entry.
Crew Escape System- PAT: Crew Escape System is an emergency accident avoidance measure. In 2018, ISRO completed the first successful flight ‘pad abort test’ or Crew Escape System.
Environmental Control & Life Support System ECLSS: ECLSS will:
- Maintain steady cabin pressure and air composition
- Remove carbon dioxide and other harmful gases
- Control temperature and humidity
- Manage parameters like fire detection and suppression
Vyom Mitra: ISRO’s female humanoid robot that will test-flight Gaganyaan.

Preparatory work for Gaganyaan Mission:

The major preparatory work for Gaganyaan had already been completed.

Propulsion systems for the crew module and service module have been developed and tested.
Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) engineering model has been realised.
Crew Escape System (CES): five types of motors developed and static tested.
Infrastructure had been established for the orbital module preparation facility, Gaganyaan Control Centre, Gaganyaan control facility, crew training facility, and second launch pad modifications.
After successful execution of IADT-01, ISRO will conduct two critical trials before the actual Gaganyaan Mission carrying astronauts. It includes-
- Second Test Vehicle Mission (TV-D2): will put to test the crew escape system (CES) under critical conditions.
- Uncrewed Gaganyaan-1 (G1) flight: The unmanned spacecraft will be launched aboard a human-rated LVM3 rocket. The mission will also have on board Vyommitra, the humanoid robot developed by the ISRO.

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) plays major role:

VSSC had a major role in IADT-01, being responsible for 90% of the activities alongside the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) and SDSC-SHAR.

IADT-01 successfully demonstrated the parachute-based crew module deceleration system for Gaganyaan Mission.

Stealth Frigates Udaygiri and Himgiri Commissioned

Context: Indian Navy commissioned two Project 17-A stealth frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, in Visakhapatnam. This marks the Navy's first-ever simultaneous induction of two frontline warships.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Project 17-A; INS Udaygiri; INS Himgiri.

What are Stealth Frigates?

Frigate is a medium-sized warship used by the Navy for escorting larger vessels, patrolling, and combat operations.
Stealth frigate is designed with advanced stealth technology to minimise its radar cross-section and overall visibility to enemy detection systems making it harder to detect by radar, visual, sonar, and infrared methods.

Project 17-A Stealth Frigates:

Project 17-A class (Nilgiri-class frigate) is the successor of the currently-operational Project 17 or the Shivalik-class stealth frigates.
The stealth frigates have advanced weaponry, modern sensor systems designed to execute a full spectrum of maritime operations in blue-water conditions.
The project will have 7 frigates. INS Nilgiri is the lead ship of the Project 17A stealth frigate class. Other six ships of this class include- INS Udaygiri, Himgiri, Taragiri, Dunagiri, Vindhyagiriand Mahendragiri.
- INS Udaygiri (second ship of Project 17A) is built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. in Mumbai.
- INS Himgiri is constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata.

INS Udaygiri & INS Himgiri

Enhanced capability: Both vessels are follow-on variants of the Shivalik-class frigates. They feature enhanced stealth capabilities, advanced weaponry, and modern sensor systems.
Propulsion: Both frigates are powered with combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion using diesel engines and gas turbines that drive controllable-pitch propellers, and are managed through an integrated platform management system.
The frigates are capable of dealing with both conventional and non-conventional threats. The frigates are fitted with:
- Supersonic Surface-to-Surface Missile system
- Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) system
- 76 millimetre (mm) upgraded gun
- Combination of 30 mm and 12.7 mm rapid-fire close-in weapon systems
- Anti-submarine underwater weapon systems.
Sensors suite include MF-STAR AESA radar, BEL’s HUMSA-NG sonar, the Ajanta electronic warfare system and the CMS-17A combat management system.
Protective systems include the Kavach anti-missile decoy and the Maareech torpedo decoy.
Enhanced stealth features: Radar cross-section is reduced through angled surfaces and flush-mounted weapons. Heat emissions are cut using infrared suppression systems. Noise is lowered with improved acoustic dampening. Use of composite materials contributes to making these ships less visible and less audible at sea.
Each ship can support aircraft such as the MH-60 Romeo, ALH Dhruv Mk-III or Sea King.

Significance:

Force-multiplier: With their versatile weapons and capabilities, these ships can play a crucial role in anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare. With their range and helicopter integration, they can patrol waters stretching from the Strait of Malacca to Africa, keeping sea trade routes secure.
Indigenous development: With nearly 75% indigenous content, supported by several MSMEs, the frigates advance the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision in defence manufacturing.
Employment generation: The project reflects the scale of India’s defence industrial ecosystem, involving over 200 MSMEs and generating nearly 14,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The ships will be deployed with the Eastern Fleet, significantly boosting the Navy’s combat readiness and reinforcing India’s ability to protect its strategic and economic interests in the Indian Ocean Region.

AI in Judiciary: Promise and Challenges

Context: In July 2025, the Kerala High Court issued India’s first policy on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the district judiciary, highlighting both its potential to tackle the backlog of over 5 crore cases and the risks of errors, bias, and accountability gaps.

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Use of AI in Judiciary: Promises and Challenges.

AI in Judiciary

The judiciary faces longstanding challenges such as case backlogs, language barriers, and the need for digital modernisation.

AI in Judiciary including Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and Predictive Analytics are being leveraged to automate administrative tasks, improve case tracking, and enhance crime prevention.
Initiatives like e-Courts Project Phase III, AI-assisted legal translation, predictive policing, and AI-driven legal chatbots are reshaping the legal landscape, making processes faster, smarter, and more transparent.
The Kerala High Court’s July 2025 guidelines on AI use in district judiciary marked the first official policy in India addressing AI adoption in courts.

Promise of AI in Judiciary:

Speed and Efficiency:
- Translation of documents into regional languages can help judges and litigants overcome language barriers.
- Automated transcription of oral arguments and witness depositions saves manual effort.
- Defect identification in filings ensures faster case listing and reduces delays.
Enhanced Legal Research: AI enables quick scanning of vast legal databases, saving time and supporting more focused, substantive legal analysis.
Improved Accessibility: AI-based tools can simplify judgments into easy-to-read summaries for litigants. Translation features enhance access to justice in regional languages.
Administrative Support: AI can assist registries in case classification, docket management, and scheduling, helps reduce the burden on court staff and ensures smoother case flow.
Potential Cost Reduction: By saving time and resources in transcription, research, and filing checks, AI can lower litigation costs, making justice more affordable.

Problems with AI in Judiciary

While AI promises efficiency and accessibility, its deployment in the judiciary raises serious legal, ethical, and technical concerns.

Translation and Transcription Errors: E.g., “Leave granted” translated as “holiday approved” in Hindi. In Noel Anthony Clarke vs Guardian News & Media Ltd. (2025), the claimant’s name “Noel” was repeatedly transcribed as “no.” Such errors, though small, can distort meaning and impact case outcomes.
AI Hallucinations: A study published in theJournal of Empirical Legal Studies found that legal Large Language Models (LLM) can make up case laws and cite incorrect sources to substantiate claims. E.g., OpenAI’s Whisper has been reported to “hallucinate” entire phrases or sentences, especially when speakers pause during speech.
Search Engine Bias: AI-powered legal research may reflect user behaviour patterns, not objective comprehensiveness. Risk of “invisibilising” important precedents, skewing legal arguments and judgments.
Loss of Human Nuance: Judicial decision-making requires context, empathy, and balancing of equities. Over-reliance on AI risks reducing adjudication to mechanical rule-based inferences.
Data Privacy and Security: Use of sensitive, non-public, or personal data in AI systems lacks a clear framework. Risk of data leaks, misuse, or surveillance by private vendors supplying AI tools.
Infrastructure Deficits: Many courts in India still rely heavily on paper-based processes. Weak internet connectivity, lack of digitisation, and poor hardware are major obstacles to AI deployment.

Courts are not just service providers; they are custodians of justice. Over-reliance on AI risks undermining fairness, transparency, and human judgment. Hence, AI must be adopted with caution, transparency and safeguards.