Daily Current Affairs- 20th July 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 20th July 2025

Mumbai 2006 Train Blasts Case

In the News: On 21 July 2025, a special Bombay High Court bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and S. C. Chandak acquitted all 12 men previously convicted in the tragic 11 July 2006 Mumbai train blasts. The bench also refused to confirm the death sentences awarded in 2015 by a special MCOCA court, stating that the prosecution had “utterly failed to prove the case.”

Key Points:

• Event Summary (11 Jul 2006): Seven pressure-cooker bombs exploded on Mumbai’s Western Line suburban trains during evening rush hour, killing 189–209 people and injuring 700+.
• 2015 Conviction: A special MCOCA court found 12 accused guilty—five received death sentences and seven were given life imprisonment.
• 2025 High Court Verdict: On 21 July 2025, the High Court quashed all convictions and death sentences, allowing immediate release if there’s no other case pending.

Reason for Acquittal:

• Prosecution “utterly failed”: The HC observed that the prosecution didn’t meet the “beyond reasonable doubt” standard, with evidence too weak to support convictions.
• “Very abnormal” investigative practices: The bench criticized serious procedural flaws—identification parades conducted by unauthorized officers, poor handling of recovered materials, and questionable confessional statements suggesting possible torture.
• Unreliable evidence: Witness testimonies (e.g., taxi drivers, commuters) were deemed inconsistent and non-credible over time. Forensic evidence wasn’t conclusively linked to the accused, and key details such as the bomb model remained unestablished.

Implications:

• Lives lost to wrongful detention: Most acquitted individuals spent over 18 years in prison; one died in 2021 during incarceration.
• Strong judicial message: Landmark ruling reinforces that even under MCOCA, convictions in terror cases must be built on reliable, corroborated evidence and proper procedures.
• Challenge to investigative norms: The ATS and prosecution methods now face heightened scrutiny. Maharashtra government will likely evaluate whether to appeal to the Supreme Court. 

Parliament Moves to Impeach Justice Yashwant Varma

In the News: On 21 July 2025, during the first day of the Monsoon Session, 145 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs — spanning both ruling and opposition parties — submitted a notice to initiate impeachment proceedings against former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma. The submission follows findings by a Supreme Court–appointed panel that a significant amount of currency was discovered at his official residence during a fire incident.

Key Points:

• Cross‑party mobilisation: The motion includes signatories from BJP, Congress, TDP, JD(U), JD(S), Janasena, AGP, Shiv Sena, CPI(M) and others, with notable MPs like Rahul Gandhi, Anurag Thakur, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Supriya Sule, and K.C. Venugopal participating.
• Meeting constitutional thresholds: Under the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968, removal requires the backing of at least 100 Lok Sabha MPs or 50 Rajya Sabha MPs. With 145 MPs in LS and 63 MPs in RS, the threshold has been crossed in both Houses.
• Triggering mechanism: Once received, the respective presiding officers (Speaker Om Birla in Lok Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar in Rajya Sabha) can admit or reject the motion. If admitted, a three-member committee (two judges + one jurist) will be formed to investigate.
• Backdrop of allegations: The controversy stems from the discovery of charred currency bundles during a fire at his official Delhi residence on 15 March 2025. A Supreme Court–constituted inquiry recommended a probe into alleged misconduct.
• Party coordination: Congress MPs began gathering signatures in mid-July, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirming over 100 signatures from LS MPs. The inclusion of RS MPs signals broader, bipartisan support. 

India’s First Digital Nomad Village

In the News: In mid‑July 2025 (around July 15–18), Yakten village in the Pakyong district of Sikkim was officially launched as India’s first Digital Nomad Village under the Nomad Sikkim initiative. The project, a collaboration between the Pakyong district administration and the NGO Sarvahitey, aims to promote sustainable tourism, offer remote-work infrastructure, and generate year-round income for local homestay operators.

Key Points:

• Location & Launch Date: Yakten, a Himalayan hamlet in Pakyong district, Sikkim, was declared a digital nomad village around 15 July 2025.
• Nomad Sikkim Initiative: A joint programme by the Pakyong district administration and Sarvahitey NGO designed to attract digital professionals and entrepreneurs to the village for remote work.
• Infrastructure Upgrades: Installed dual internet lines, village-wide high-speed Wi‑Fi, and power-backup systems to ensure uninterrupted remote work capabilities. Access improved via roadways and proximity to Pakyong Airport.
• Sustainable Tourism & Lifestyle: Homestays offer cultural immersion—home-cooked Sikkimese meals, folk music, local traditions, and nature-based activities like trekking to the 7‑km Jhandi Dara View Point.
• Rural Economic Boost: Targets reduction of seasonal income fluctuation for homestay owners, providing income opportunities during traditional off-season months (April to October). Marks a model for digitally inclusive, rural development beyond Sikkim.
• Alignment with State Policies: Complements Sikkim CM’s “One Family, One Entrepreneur” strategy and leverages progress under schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission to improve village water infrastructure. 

GENIUS Act Signed by President Trump

In the News: On 18 July 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act (Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act) into law—a landmark federal framework regulating stablecoins and marking the first major U.S. crypto legislation. Trump touted it as a means to secure U.S. leadership in digital currency and innovation, calling it a “hell of an act.”

Key Points:

• What It Does: Defines payment stablecoins, setting rules for issuance and regulatory oversight. Requires stablecoins to be 100 % backed by U.S. dollars or Treasuries, with monthly public disclosures.  Mandates issuers to adhere to anti-money laundering, consumer protection, and insolvency rules prioritizing holders.
• Legislative Journey:
  • Senate approval: 17 June 2025 (68–30).
  • House approval: 17 July 2025 (308–122).
  • Signed into law the next day, 18 July 2025 by President Trump.
• Market and Industry Reaction: Crypto-linked stocks and stablecoin projects surged following the signing; Ethereum and Bitcoin posted gains. Industry leaders from Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, and Circle attended the signing and praised the move.
• Regulatory Oversight: Shifts authority to federal bodies—Treasury, SEC, CFTC—for stablecoin management. Empowered to freeze or seize funds under legal order.
• Strategic Objectives: Reinforces S. dollar’s global reserve currency status by boosting demand for Treasuries. Encourages crypto innovation within clear regulatory boundaries, positioning the U.S. as the “crypto capital of the planet.” 

Uttarakhand Launches Endangered Plant Conservation Program

In the News: In July 2025, the Uttarakhand Forest Department’s Research Wing launched a pioneering initiative to reintroduce 14 endangered and critically endangered plant species into their natural habitats, coinciding with the onset of the monsoon season. This is India’s first large-scale flora rehabilitation programme, emphasizing both ecological balance and conservation of medicinal heritage.

Key Points:

• Targeted Species: The program focuses on 14 plant species listed as endangered, critically endangered, or vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and the Uttarakhand State Biodiversity Board. Examples include Himalayan Gentian (Gentiana kurroo), White Himalayan Lily (Lilium polyphyllum), Indian Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi), Aconitum heterophyllum, Podophyllum hexandrum, and Kumaon Fan Palm.
• Innovative Propagation Techniques: Over the past four years, researchers developed species-specific methods — using seeds, bulbs, rhizomes, stem cuttings — at high-altitude labs and nurseries in regions like Auli, Munsyari, Devvan, Mandal, Gaja, and Munsyari.
• Habitat Mapping & Preparation: Using historical records and field surveys, habitats across various altitudes—from alpine meadows to Tarai forests—were mapped and prepared with measures like fencing, patrols, and mitigation against grazing or deforestation.
• Phase-Wise Reintroduction: The first phase began with the monsoon in early July; seven species have already been reintroduced and the rest are expected to be planted by the end of the month. Ongoing monitoring of survival rates and ecological impact is underway.
• Medicinal & Cultural Significance: Many of these plants have deep roots in traditional medicine and local culture—Himalayan Gentian treats liver ailments and fever; White Himalayan Lily is an ingredient in Chyavanprash; Spikenard yields aromatic medicinal oils; others are valued for cultural uses like rope-making.
• National-Level Precedent: This initiative marks the first major government-led flora rewilding project in India, serving as a model for other states to integrate plant conservation into biodiversity policy