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Current Edge Daily Brief 6th October 2025
Quote of the Day
“War is an invention of the human mind. The human mind an invent peace” – NORMAN COUSINS
What the Others Say
“It is alarming that even after US President Donald Trump’s appeal for a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling have continued, wreaking havoc on residential areas and killing at least 20 individuals, including children.” – THE DAILY STAR, BANGLADESH
Table of Contents
THE BIG PICTURE
- TH Text & Context: Why is ADR crucial for India’s courts? (C.B.P. Srivastava)
- IE Explained: Several dead in PoK unrest: The protesters’ demands, how Pakistan govt responded
- IE Explained: On declining inflation, improving consumer confidence (Udit Misra)
- TH Science: Philippines pioneers coral larvae cryobank to protect threatened reefs (Neelanjana Rai)
- IE Explained: A red sunset? Why Maoist movement is on the decline (Sreenivas Janyala)
NEWS IN SHORT
- Darjeeling Landslides
The Big Picture
TH Text & Context: Why is ADR crucial for India’s courts?
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Polity & Governance
Why in News?
Law Minister reaffirmed govt’s push for legal reforms & global cooperation to strengthen ADR amid record 4.57 cr case pendency (NJDG 2025).
What is ADR & Its Constitutional Basis?
- Meaning → Alt. Dispute Resolution (ADR) = Non-judicial dispute settlement → Arbitration, Conciliation, Mediation, Lok Adalat.
- Const. backing → Art. 39A → Equal justice & free legal aid mandate.
- Statutory base → Sec. 89 CPC 1908 + Arbitration & Conciliation Act 1996 (amnd. 2021).
- Legal framework → Indian Arbitration Council (2021) → institutionalised process.
- Time limit → ≤ 180 days for resolution → ↓ delay & cost.
- Exit option → Party may withdraw after 2 mediation sessions if unsatisfied.
- Scope → Civil + compoundable criminal offences (e.g. trespass, adultery).
Lok Adalats → Grass-root Justice
- Legal base → Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 (Art. 39A inspired).
- Types → Permanent Lok Adalat (Sec 22-B), National Lok Adalat, e-Lok Adalat.
- Origin → 1st held in Gujarat (1999).
- Nature → Pre-litigation resolution → award = final & non-appealable.
- Safeguard → Dissatisfied party → may file fresh suit in court.
- Impact → ↓ pendency, ↑ access to justice, ↑ speed & cost efficiency.
Why ADR Crucial for India?
- Massive pendency → 4.57 cr cases (total); HCs 62.9 lakh; SC 81.7 k (NJDG 2025).
- Vacancy burden → HC 33% & district 21% vacant posts.
- Workload ↑ → Judges in UP, HP, Kerala → > 4,000 cases each.
- Delay impact → Justice delayed = denied; erodes trust in rule of law.
- Mediation as social tool (Justice Chandrachud) → aligns social norms with constitutional values.
- Pre-litigation mediation → ↓ case inflow, ↑ social harmony.
- ADR = inclusive → local language, community-based, participatory justice.
Inter-State Case Backlog
- High pendency States → Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar (India Justice Report 2025).
- Old cases (>10 yrs) → ↑ in HCs & subordinate courts.
- Need → Rapid disposal + ADR mainstreaming → improve per capita justice delivery.
- Data tool → NJDG → real-time tracking of pendency & disposal.
Way Forward
- ↑ ADR awareness & training → law schools, bar councils.
- Institutional strengthening → Arbitration Council, Lok Adalat digital infra.
- Legislative support → mandatory pre-litigation mediation in civil & commercial disputes.
Test Your Knowledge 01
Q. Consider the following pairs regarding ADR mechanisms and their key features in India:
- Mediation: Binding and enforceable award
- Arbitration: Based on mutual consent, adjudicated by arbitrator(s)
- Lok Adalat: No appeal provision, pre-litigation settlement
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Hint:
- Mediation → non-binding & voluntary;
- Arbitration → binding award by arbitrator;
- Lok Adalat → final, no appeal → pre-litigation focus.
IE Explained: Several dead in PoK unrest: The protesters’ demands, how Pakistan govt responded
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – International Relations
Why in News?
Violent protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) over economic & political grievances killed ≥9 (incl. 3 policemen); talks held with protesters amid continuing unrest.
Background of Protests
- Origin (2023–24) → Began over ↑ electricity bills, ↓ wheat subsidies, economic distress.
- Key grievance → PoK generates hydropower (Mangla project) yet pays high tariffs.
- Socioeconomic discontent → Govt officials’ privileges (vehicles, fuel, security) amid public hardship.
- May 2024 “Long March” → 5 deaths → PM Shehbaz announced subsidies + judicial commission → promises unfulfilled → anger reignited.
Current Round (Sept–Oct 2025)
- Trigger (Sep 29) → JAAC called shutdown; police crackdown → clashes → ≥9 dead.
- Security response → Paramilitary deployment, schools closed, communication curbs.
- Death toll dispute → Govt: 6 policemen; JAAC: 12 protesters → mutual blame.
- Govt stance → Caution vs “enemy exploitation” (India); seeks calm, talks initiated.
Protesters’ Demands (38-Point Charter)
- Political → Abolish 12 reserved assembly seats for J&K migrants → locals allege Pak interference.
- Judicial → Drop cases vs earlier protesters.
- Economic → Fair hydropower royalties; ↓ electricity & wheat prices.
- Developmental → ↑ investment in health, education, infra.
- Governance → End official perks; ensure accountability.
Govt Response & Constraints
- Partial acceptance → Subsidy & review commission accepted “in principle”.
- Constitutional limits → Seat abolition needs federal amendment → sensitive issue (Partition migrants).
- Talks (Oct 2025) → Led by Ahsan Iqbal; appeal for restraint; no concrete outcomes yet.
Broader Shifts & Implications
- Nature of movement → From local economic → structural political reform.
- Information blockade → Internet curbs → ↓ global visibility.
- Public trust ↓ → Promises unmet → escalates alienation.
- Regional impact → India condemns HR violations; Pak fears external exploitation narrative.
- Future risk → Continued unrest if tangible reforms not implemented soon.
Conclusion → PoK unrest now transcends bread-and-butter issues, reflecting deep-rooted resentment over political control, governance inequity, and economic neglect under Pakistan’s administration.
Test Your Knowledge 02
Q. The Mangla Dam, often mentioned in the context of PoK protests, is significant because:
(a) It supplies irrigation to Sindh and Balochistan only.
(b) It is jointly owned by Pakistan and China under the CPEC framework.
(c) It generates hydropower for Pakistan while causing local resource grievances in PoK.
(d) It is located on the Indus River near Skardu.
Hint: Mangla (on Jhelum River, Mirpur district, PoK) → large hydropower generation → locals demand royalty & lower tariffs → major protest issue.
IE Explained: On declining inflation, improving consumer confidence
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Economy
Why in News?
Official data & RBI surveys show retail inflation at ~2% (Aug 2025) → consumer confidence rising, esp. rural; RBI signals room for easing.
Consumer confidence is on the rise.
Inflation trend & monetary policy
- Retail CPI (Aug 2025) = 07% YoY (↑ from 1.61% in Jul).
- Food inflation (Aug 2025) = -0.69% → disinflationary impulse on headline.
- RBI has front-loaded ~100 bps cuts in H1 2025 but paused recently; MPC left scope for future cuts.
- Low headline → ↑ real purchasing power → technical room for policy easing. (inference from above data)
Consumer confidence (RBI surveys) — overall pattern
- RBI’s UCCS & RCCS (Sep 2025 rounds) → marginal improvement in both urban & rural sentiment.
- Index construction: net responses on economy, income, spending, employment, prices → 100 = neutral. (RBI survey design)
Rural vs Urban — divergence
- Rural index >100 since Mar 2025 → now at survey-highs (rural highest since RCCS began ~2023).
- Urban index still <100 → sentiment lagging despite lower inflation; last urban >100 was Mar 2019 (pre-election).
- Drivers: rural → agri incomes, govt rural spending, easing food prices; urban → weak jobs/wages, cautious spending. (synthesis from surveys & macro data)
Key implications
- ↓ Inflation + rural optimism → potential lift to consumption (rural demand channel).
- Urban pessimism → uneven recovery; growth gains may be partial.
- Policy path → RBI keeping operating framework tight (WACR focus) but room for measured rate cuts if disinflation persists.
Test Your Knowledge 03
Q. If the RBI cuts the policy repo rate following a sustained fall in inflation, the most immediate macroeconomic effect would likely be
(a) Appreciation of rupee due to higher interest differentials
(b) Fall in credit growth and consumption
(c) Rise in bond yields and borrowing costs
(d) Reduction in real interest rates stimulating demand.
Hint: ↓ repo → ↓ lending rates → ↑ consumption/investment → demand stimulus.
TH Science: Philippines pioneers coral larvae cryobank to protect threatened reefs
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Environment
Why in News?
Philippines set up SE Asia’s 1st coral larvae cryobank to preserve coral genetic diversity & revive damaged reefs under the Coral Triangle initiative.
Coral Triangle: Global Marine Biodiversity Hotspot
- 5.7 mn sq.km. area → Indonesia, Malaysia, PNG, Philippines, Solomon Is., Timor-Leste
- Houses 75% world coral spp., 33% reef fish spp., 6/7 marine turtle spp.
- Supports 120+ mn people → food, livelihood, tourism
Mounting Threats to Reefs
- 14% global coral loss (2009–18) → Status of Coral Reefs 2020
- Projected 70–90% loss by 2050 if warming >1.5°C → UNEP warning
- Causes → ↑CO₂, ocean warming, destructive fishing, pollution, bleaching
- Consequence → biodiversity & livelihood collapse risk
Coral Cryobank Initiative
- Lead: Univ. of Philippines Marine Science Institute
- Aim → Freeze coral larvae (genetic “seeds”) at –196°C using vitrification
- Part of Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform
- Regional Network → Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand
- Supported by Marine Environment & Resources Foundation Inc.
Cryopreservation Process (Scientific Core)
- Technique: Vitrification → protective solution + liquid nitrogen plunge → glass-like state (no ice crystals)
- Revival → laser thawing in milliseconds → prevents recrystallisation
- Post-revival check → rehydration + swimming/settling signs → tank growth
- Output → long-term coral genetic repository
Broader Goals & Significance
- “Genetic insurance policy” → safeguard diversity for restoration
- Supports future reef regeneration projects → “living seed bank” model
- Initial focus: model spp. (Pocillopora, Acropora, Galaxsia) → later applied to endangered spp.
- Emphasis → “All coral spp. endangered” (Dr. Lin)
Regional & Community Dimensions
- Linked cryobanks across Coral Triangle → regional resilience network
- Collaboration: scientists + universities + governments + local communities
- Community role vital → tourism, waste, fishing pressure aggravate decline
- Education & engagement essential for sustainable reef protection
Outlook
- Cryobank = proactive adaptation & conservation tool
- Potential dual future →
✦ Hope: restoration & genetic continuity
✦ Risk: “museum for extinct species” if climate crisis unchecked.
Test Your Knowledge 04
Q. In the context of coral conservation, vitrification refers to:
(a) A natural process of coral skeleton mineralization
(b) A genetic modification method for coral larvae
(c) Rapid freezing into a glass-like state without ice crystal formation
(d) Use of lasers to identify coral DNA structures.
Hint: Vitrification prevents ice crystal damage in cryopreserved biological cells.
IE Explained: A red sunset? Why Maoist movement is on the decline
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Security
Why in News?
Govt claims Maoist insurgency nearing its end — 270 killed, 680 arrested, 1,225 surrendered in 2025; internal split widens as top leader calls for end to armed struggle.
Present Crisis in Maoist Movement
- Heavy losses (2025) → Top leaders killed (Basvaraj, Gajarla Ravi, Chalpathi, etc.); 270 killed, 680 arrested, 1,225 surrendered.
- Leadership divide → Ideologue Mallojula Venugopal Rao urges end to armed struggle → Opposed by cadres like Jagan (Telangana).
- Declining cadre strength → Recruitment ↓ esp. among tribals; youth prefer education, welfare benefits, digital life > jungle life.
- Operational squeeze → Security forces dominate Bastar–Dandakaranya belt; arms routes cut; ammo seizures ↑.
- Aging, ailing leadership → Many old, ill; govt surrender packages → attractive.
Government Strategy
- Integrated approach → “Security + Development + Community connect.”
- Security ops → Elite units & central forces conduct sustained offensives in core zones.
- Development thrust → Roads, schools, welfare schemes, mobile access → weaken ideological hold.
- Result metrics → LWE-affected districts ↓ from 180 (2009) → 38 (2024); “districts of concern” = 6.
- Policy stance → “Surrender welcomed, violence met with violence” (Amit Shah).
Internal Dilemmas & State Skepticism
- Letters for peace → Rao’s 2 letters seek cessation of armed struggle “to save the party.”
- Trust deficit → Centre cautious; recalls failed 2004 peace talks (YSR govt–Maoists).
- Security view → Ceasefire offers = tactical pause to regroup; possible survival strategy for ideology.
Historical Arc (1967–2025)
- Origins → Naxalbari uprising, WB (1967) led by Charu Mazumdar → CPI(ML) (1969).
- Ideology → Anti-bourgeois, pro-Maoist “protracted people’s war” model.
- Spread → Andhra (Srikakulam 1969) → Central India (Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar).
- Organisational evolution → CPI(ML) PWG (1980) → CPI(Maoist) (2004) after mergers.
- Peak phase → 2000–2010: PLGA formed (2000); 180 districts affected; 92,000 sq km “Red Corridor.”
- Decline phase → Post-2010 crackdown + welfare expansion → insurgency shrinks sharply.
Present Status & Outlook
- Strongholds left → Bastar, Dandakaranya, Chhattisgarh–Telangana border pockets.
- Manpower & arms ↓ → Seizures ↑; supply lines cut.
- Ideological erosion → Tribal empowerment + digital connectivity → ↓ revolutionary appeal.
- Future trajectory → Likely localized residual insurgency; ideological survival over armed struggle.
- Govt goal → “End Naxalism by March 2026.”
Conclusion: Maoist insurgency that once engulfed 180 districts now faces existential decline — due to coordinated state action, welfare penetration, loss of cadre base, and internal disunity — marking perhaps the final ebb of India’s six-decade-old “Red Revolution.”
Test Your Knowledge 05
Q. With reference to the contemporary decline of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in India, which of the following factors have most directly contributed to weakening the Maoist recruitment base?
- Expansion of welfare and tribal development programmes in core LWE areas
- Penetration of digital connectivity and mobile networks in remote districts
- Reduction in forest cover leading to displacement of tribal communities
- Better coordination between central and state intelligence agencies
Select the correct answer using the code below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Hint: 1 & 2 → erode ideological appeal; 4 → strengthens counterinsurgency. (3) displacement often fuels, not reduces, recruitment.
News in Short
Darjeeling Landslides
Why in News?
A series of massive landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts killed at least 25 people and displaced hundreds.
Cause:
Continuous torrential rain for over 48 hours led to slope failures and flash floods across hilly areas of North Bengal.
Government Response:
- PM Narendra Modi expressed condolences and assured “all possible assistance” from the Centre.
- NDRF and SDRF teams were deployed for rescue and relief operations.
- Indian Army and BRO assisted in clearing roads and restoring connectivity to remote areas.
State response:
- CM Mamata Banerjee visited affected sites on October 6 to oversee rescue operations.
- The West Bengal government announced ₹2 lakh ex-gratia for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
Infrastructure impact:
- Major highways like NH-10 were blocked; Darjeeling–Siliguri connectivity was disrupted.
- Rail services between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling were temporarily suspended.
Broader context:
Experts linked the severity to unregulated construction and deforestation in the ecologically fragile Himalayan zone, warning of future climate-related disasters.
