Polity & Governance (July 2025)

1. Special Discussion on 'Operation Sindoor'

The latter half of July (July 28–30) saw a historic and heated debate in both Houses regarding Operation Sindoor, India's military response to the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam.

• The Debate: Lasted over 18 hours in Lok Sabha and 16 hours in Rajya Sabha.
• Government Stand: PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the operation would continue until terrorism is eradicated.
• Opposition Stand: Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi questioned the timing and strategy, urging the government not to "sacrifice national interest for PR."

2. National Sports Governance Bill, 2025

Introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha in July, this is a revolutionary shift in Indian sports administration.

• Key Feature: Aims to bring transparency and ethical practices into sports bodies, aligning them with the Olympic Charter.
• Welfare: Includes specific provisions for the welfare of sportspersons and the prevention of administrative high-handedness.

3. National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025

Passed alongside the Sports Bill, this strengthens the legal framework for NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency).

• Innovation: Introduces more stringent investigative powers and better coordination with international bodies like WADA to protect the integrity of Indian sports ahead of the 2036 Olympic bid.

4. Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 & JPC Reference

One of the most controversial bills of the session, it sought to overhaul the administration of Waqf properties.

• The Conflict: After intense protests, the bill was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for deeper scrutiny.
• Provisions: Proposed mandatory registration of properties and restricted the powers of Waqf Boards to declare land as "Waqf" without proper title verification.

5. Online Gaming Regulation Bill, 2025

Passed in July, this bill provides a clear regulatory framework for the $3 billion+ industry.

• Scope: Covers e-sports, social gaming, and educational games.
• Governance: Appoints a dedicated Authority for coordinated policy support and to curb illegal betting disguised as "skill gaming."

Judicial Landmark Decisions

1. Disqualification and the Speaker's Immunity

In a major ruling (Padi Kaushik Reddy v. State of Telangana), the Supreme Court clarified a critical constitutional point:

• The Verdict: The Speaker does not enjoy constitutional immunity from judicial scrutiny when acting as a "Tribunal" under the Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law).
• Impact: High Courts can now intervene if a Speaker indefinitely delays a decision on disqualification petitions.

2. Governor's Powers & Bill Timelines

A 5-judge Constitution Bench addressed the friction between Governors and State Governments (Articles 200 & 201).

• The Verdict: While Governors should not sit on bills indefinitely, the Court set aside judicially prescribed timelines, stating that fixing a "deadline" would violate the separation of powers.

3. SC Stay on Waqf "5-Year Practice" Rule

While the Bill was in Parliament, the SC stayed a specific provision of the existing Act that mandated a person must practice Islam for at least five years before creating a Waqf.

• Reasoning: The Court found no verification mechanism in place, calling the provision prima facie problematic.

Here is Batch 3 & 4 for Pillar 1: Polity & Governance (July 2025), focusing on cabinet-approved schemes and technological governance frameworks.

Employment and Innovation Milestones

On July 1, 2025, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved two "mega-corpus" schemes aimed at long-term economic structural shifts.

1. Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme

With a massive outlay of ₹99,446 crore, this scheme aims to generate over 3.5 crore jobs over the next two years.

• Focus on First-Timers: 1.92 crore beneficiaries are expected to be first-time entrants to the workforce.
• Direct Benefit: First-time employees (earning up to ₹1 lakh/month) will receive one month's wage (up to ₹15,000) in two installments via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
• Employer Incentives: The government will provide up to ₹3,000 per month for two years to employers for every additional job created. For the manufacturing sector, this benefit is extended to 4 years.
• Social Security: A primary goal is the formalization of the workforce by ensuring all new hires are registered under the EPFO.

2. Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme

The Cabinet approved this scheme with a ₹1 lakh crore corpus to revolutionize India's "Sunrise Sectors" (Space, Deep-tech, Semiconductors).

• Mechanism: Managed by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), it provides long-term, low-interest (or interest-free) financing for private sector R&D.
• Deep-Tech Fund: Includes the creation of a "Deep-Tech Fund of Funds" to support startups working on strategic technologies.
• Goal: To move India from a "Technology Importer" to a "Technology Creator" by 2047.

Tech-Governance & Digital Infrastructure

1. India AI Governance Framework (Drafting Committee)

In July 2025, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) constituted a high-level committee to finalize the India AI Governance Framework.

• The "Seven Sutras": The framework is built on seven principles: Trust, People-First, Innovation over Restraint, Fairness, Accountability, Understandable by Design, and Sustainability.
• Regulatory Approach: India opted for a "Techno-Legal" approach. Instead of a rigid, separate AI law (like the EU), India will use existing laws (DPDP Act, IT Act) but add sector-specific technical guardrails.
• Safety Institute: The committee recommended setting up the AI Safety Institute (AISI) to test foundational models for risks like bias and deepfakes.

2. Digital Passport Upgrade (PSP V2.0)

Following a phased rollout, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reached a major milestone in July with Passport Seva Programme 2.0.

• Chip-Enabled e-Passports: All fresh applications are now processed as e-Passports featuring an embedded RFID chip.
• mPassport Police App: Integrated nationwide in July, reducing the average police verification time to just 5–7 days in 25 states.
• Automated E-Gates: The government announced that by the end of 2025, major airports (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru) will feature automated e-gates for e-passport holders to ensure "seamless" international transit.