Daily Current Affairs- 16th September 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 16th September 2025

SC on amended Waqf Act: What has been stayed, what remains

In the News:  The Supreme Court of India passed an interim order in petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The Court declined to stay the entire Act, but stayed (put on hold) certain specific provisions until the petitions are conclusively decided.

Key Points:

• What the Court refused / Act as a whole remains in force: The Court found no case prima facie to stay all provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Thus, most parts of the amended law continue to operate.
• Provisions stayed / on hold: The Supreme Court has temporarily suspended the implementation of three key clauses, including:

1. The clause requiring that a person must have “practising Islam for at least five years” before dedicating property as a waqf.

2. The cap/limits on number of non-Muslims who can be appointed to Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards. 

3. Possibly other clauses alleged to affect property rights or ownership via district collectors / Government property definitions etc., which have been held in abeyance.

• What remains / not stayed:  All other sections of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 not specifically stayed by the SC’s interim order continue to be operational.   The provisions for transparency, registration, auditing of waqf properties etc., that are not under specific challenge stay in effect.
• Duration / nature of stay:  The stay on the specified provisions will remain in place until petitions are finally decided.  The Court’s approach is interim / temporary, not a final verdict on constitutionality yet.
•  Key legal / constitutional concerns raised:  The “5-year practice of Islam” requirement is challenged as vague and possibly violating Article 25 (freedom of religion) or equal protection.  Concerns about representation (non-Muslims, women) in Waqf Boards and whether caps violate minority rights / religious endowment rights.  Issues over definitions of “Government property”, “designated officer” powers in Sections like 3C, 3D (government being able to declare waqf property as government property) which could result in arbitrary loss of waqf status.

Issues in SC hearings on timeline for the President and Governors to assent to Bills

In the News: The Supreme Court of India is hearing a Presidential Reference made by President Droupadi Murmu under Article 143, concerning whether the President and Governors must follow fixed timelines when giving assent to Bills passed by state legislatures. This follows an earlier April 8, 2025 decision in State of Tamil Nadu v. Governor of Tamil Nadu, where a two-judge Bench had set some timelines and ruled that Governors cannot indefinitely delay assent. The Constitution Bench has reserved its verdict (11 September 2025) after hearing arguments from the Centre and several states.

Key Points:

• Background Case – Tamil Nadu Governor Case (8 April 2025): The Supreme Court held that the Governor cannot indefinitely delay assent to Bills passed by the State Legislature. In particular, for Bills re-passed by the legislature after being returned, the Governor cannot reserve them for the President; some timelines were also directed in that judgment.
• Presidential Reference (Article 143): President Murmu raised 14 questions about the powers and discretion of Governors and the President under Articles 200 & 201 of the Constitution concerning assent to Bills. The Constitution Bench (5 judges, led by CJI B.R. Gavai) is hearing the matter.
• Issues / Arguments Raised: States like Tamil Nadu & Kerala argued that the legal questions raised by the Reference are already settled by prior judgments (including the April 8 decision) and therefore the Reference may not be maintainable. The Centre and others counter that advisory jurisdiction under Article 143 can still be invoked even for clarifying already decided law, especially when executiveactions are under dispute.
• Scope of Judicial Powers & Federal Balance: Whether the Court can lay down rigid timelines for Governor/President to grant or withhold assent (or return/reserve) without infringing on constitutional discretion or upsetting federal equilibrium.  Whether timelines amount to rewriting the Constitution (i.e. altering Articles 200 & 201) instead of interpreting them.
• Blanket Timelines” vs. Individual Cases:
  • The government argued that just because there are examples of delay does not justify imposing a universal, uniform timeline across the board for all Governors/Presidents.
  • On the other hand, proponents say delays harm legislative functioning and that democracy demands accountability; thus timelines help prevent misuse of discretion.
• Interim / Related Orders:
  • In the Tamil Nadu case, SC used Article 142 (its inherent powers) to deem certain bills as assented, since the Governor had delayed beyond what was considered permissible.
  • The Reference is to clarify whether similar legal precedents/directives can be generalized.
• Current Status  :
  • The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the Presidential Reference case (as of September 11, 2025) after hearing both sides.
  •  The bench will only address the questions posed in the Presidential Reference; it will not revisit the correctness of the April 8 two-judge Bench ruling beyond what is asked.

PM Modi Inaugurates Bioethanol, Polypropylene Projects in Assam

In the News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Assam Bioethanol Plant at Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), Golaghat, using bamboo as feedstock, and laid the foundation stone for a new polypropylene plant also at NRL. These are part of development projects worth approximately ₹18,000-₹18,530 crore for Assam.

Key Points:

• Projects & Locations:
  • Assam Bioethanol Plant (using bamboo feedstock) inaugurated at Numaligarh, Golaghat.
  • A Polypropylene Plant’s foundation stone laid at Numaligarh Refinery Limited, Golaghat.
• Investment & Scale:
  • Total projects in Assam announced amount to ~ ₹18,000-₹18,530 crore.
  • Bioethanol plant cost: ~ ₹5,000 crore.
  • Polypropylene plant cost: ~ ₹7,230 crore.
• Feedstock & Supply Chain:
  • The bioethanol plant is bamboo-based (second-generation ethanol), which is renewable and locally available.
  •  To support this, the government will facilitate cultivation of bamboo by farmers, establish small bamboo chipping units in the region, and procure bamboo locally.Approximately ₹200 crore annually to be spent in this sector (bamboo supply chain etc.). 
• Strategic & Economic Significance:
  • These plants aim to reduce India’s dependence on fossil fuels and imported crude oil and boost green energy.
  • The polypropylene plant supports manufacturing across multiple sectors (textiles, plastics, automotive, agricultural, medical equipment) under schemes like “Make in Assam” & “Make in India”.
  • These projects are expected to generate employment for farmers, youth, and tribal communities in Assam and help in socio-economic development of the region.
• Political & Social Context:
  • PM Modi highlighted past restrictions on bamboo cutting in the Northeast, and noted that the current government has lifted such bans, which helps local communities.
  •  Part of broader push for energy security, industrial growth, and regional development

RBI Launches Microsite on Indian Banknotes

In the News: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched a new microsite for Indian banknotes — indiancurrency.rbi.org.in. The microsite was introduced via a press release (PR 2025-2026/1075). The aim is to enhance public awareness about the design, security, and usage of Indian currency banknotes.

Key Points:

• Purpose & Access:  The microsite is meant to serve as a one-stop destination for information on Indian banknotes—covering design, security features, exchange rules, etc.
•  Features of the Microsite:360-degree view of banknotes:  Users can examine each banknote from all angles to understand design elements and security features more clearly.
• Security features description:  Details of what makes a genuine note (watermark, security thread, colour changing ink, latent image, etc.).
• Multimedia / interactive content:
  • Videos, audio guides, animations, and interactive games.
  • These help different categories of users (students, general public) learn in a more engaging way.
• Banknote Exchange & Related Info:
  • The microsite includes a dedicated section explaining how to exchange old, damaged or withdrawn notes.
  •  It clarifies eligibility, procedures, and channels for exchange at banks/RBI counters.
• Audience & Impact :
  • Designed for wide public awareness — students, general public, educators.
  • The interactive and multimedia tools help in financial literacy and awareness of counterfeit prevention. 
  • Aims to build trust in the monetary system by making security features transparent and accessible.
•  Complementing Existing Efforts:
  • The microsite complements RBI’s earlier portals / resources about banknotes by bundling many elements (design, security, exchange, etc.) into one interactive platform.

5th Coast Guard Global Summit 2027

In the News: India will host the 5th Coast Guard Global Summit (CGGS) in Chennai in 2027. The event coincides with the Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary) of the Indian Coast Guard. This was unanimously decided at the 4th CGGS held in Rome, Italy.

Key Points:

• Host & Timing:
  • The summit will be held in Chennai in 2027. Scheduled during the Golden Jubilee year of the Indian Coast Guard (since its establishment in 1977) to mark 50 years of service. 
• Duration & Main Events:
  • Three-day event. Will feature an International Coast Guard Fleet Review, where coast guard vessels from multiple nations will participate.
  • Also includes a World Coast Guard Seminar, providing a platform for discussion on maritime challenges and cooperation.
• Decision & Participants:
  • The decision to host was made unanimously at the 4th CGGS in Rome (11-12 September 2025).
  • The Rome summit had participation from 115 countries and various international organisations.
• Themes & Objectives:
  • Strengthen international maritime cooperation and foster interoperability among coast guards worldwide.
  • Promote trust, information exchange, capacity building, training, technical assistance.
  • Focus areas likely include maritime search and rescue (M-SAR), marine pollution response, environmental protection, countering transnational maritime crimes, and improving maritime domain awareness.
• Strategic Significance:

• Hosting CGGS in 2027 offers a chance for India to showcase its maritime leadership and role in global maritime security.
• It builds on India’s presidency of CGGS (after taking over from Italy) following the 4th summit.Enhances defence dip

Sex Sorted Semen Facility under Rashtriya Gokul Mission

In the News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a ₹10-crore sex sorted semen facility at the Purnea Semen Station in Bihar. The facility, under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, uses the indigenously developed Gausort technology and is aimed at helping farmers in Eastern & North-Eastern India.

Key Points:

• Facility & Location:
  • Located at the Semen Station, Purnea, Bihar. Created with Central assistance of ₹10 crore. Annual capacity: ~ 5 lakh doses of sex-sorted semen.
• Technology Used:
  • Uses Gausort, an indigenous sex-sorting technology launched on 5 October 2024.
  •  Aims to make sex sorted semen available at reasonable rates to farmers especially in the Eastern and North-Eastern regions.
• Purpose and Benefits:
  • Sex-sorted semen increases the likelihood of female calves by about 90% accuracy, helping reduce economic burden on dairy farmers.
  • Helps in producing more replacement heifers, boosting dairy productivity and improving farmer incomes.
  • Particularly beneficial to small, marginal farmers and landless labourers in the region.
• Connection with Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM)
  • The facility is part of RGM, which is focused on development & conservation of indigenous bovine breeds, enhancing milk production, and making dairying remunerative for rural farmers.
  • Under RGM, there are existing sex sorted semen production facilities in government semen stations in various states (e.g. Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh).
  • Also, there are subsidies: farmers get up to 50% cost subsidy for sex sorted semen under RGM
• Scale & Infrastructure:
  • Purnea semen station itself is one of the largest government semen stations in India, established under RGM with central assistance of ~ ₹84.27 crores. 
  • The station (before the sex sorted facility) has capacity to produce ~ 50 lakh doses per annum of conventional semen.
• Cost Implications & Accessibility:
  • With the introduction of Gausort, the cost of each dose of sex sorted semen is expected to fall (though the exact new rate for this facility isn’t specified in that announcement).
  • Under RGM, cost of sex sorted semen has been reduced from ~ ₹800 per dose to ~ ₹250 per dose for eligible farmers.

US, South Korea, Japan Launch Freedom Edge Military Exercise

In the News: The United States, South Korea, and Japan commenced a five-day joint air, naval and multi-domain exercise called Freedom Edge, off and around Jeju Island, South Korea. The drills run through September 19, 2025.

Key Points:

• Purpose & Context:
  • Freedom Edge is aimed at enhancing cooperation among the three nations in air, maritime, and cyber domains. 
  • It's being held as a response and deterrence to North Korea’s growing missile and nuclear threats.
• Duration & Location:
  • Five-day exercise from September 15 to September 19, 2025.
  • Conducted in international waters east and south of Jeju Island, South Korea.
• Scope & Activities:
  • Trains ballistic missile defence & air-defence capabilities.
  • Features maritime interdiction operations. 
  • Includes medical evacuation training.
• Trilateral Cooperation:
  • Described by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as the “most advanced demonstration of trilateral defence cooperation to date.”
  • Builds interoperability among US, South Korea, and Japan.
• Reactions & Opposition

• North Korea strongly condemned the exercises, calling them a “reckless show of strength” and warned of negative consequences.
• Protests noticed in Seoul by civilians opposing the drills.

INS Nistar Joins Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 in Singapore

In the News: The Indian Navy’s new Diving Support Vessel INS Nistar made its maiden port call at Changi Naval Base, Singapore, to participate in the biennial multinational submarine rescue exercise Pacific Reach 2025 (XPR-25), which commenced on 15 September.

Key Points:

• Vessel & Commissioning:
  •  INS Nistar is India’s first indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel (DSV).
  • It was officially commissioned on 18 July 2025.
•  Indigenisation:
  • Over 80% indigenisation has been achieved in INS Nistar’s design and construction.
• Role & Capabilities:
  • The ship is to function as the mothership (MoShip) for Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle(s) (DSRV).
  • It is equipped with side scan sonar, work-class and observation-class Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), deep-sea diving systems, etc.
• Submarine Rescue Unit (East):
  • The SRU(E) will operate from INS Nistar during the exercise. It is part of India’s capability to conduct submarine rescue operations. 
• Exercise Pacific Reach 2025:
  • Biennial multinational submarine rescue exercise hosted by Singapore.
  •  More than 40 nations are participating either as active participants or observers.
  •  It has two main phases: Harbour phase and Sea phase. Harbour phase includes technical discussions (on submarine rescue systems), Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs), medical symposium, cross-deck visits.
  • Sea phase will see INS Nistar & SRU(E) engage in multiple intervention and rescue operations with participating navies/assets in the South China Sea.