Daily Current Affairs- 25th August 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 25th August 2025

40% of Chief Ministers Face Criminal Cases: ADR Report

In the News: The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch released a report revealing that 40 percent of India’s current chief ministers—that is, 12 out of 30—have declared criminal cases against themselves in their pre-election affidavits.

Key Points:

• Extent of Criminal Cases: 12 out of India’s 30 chief ministers, or 40 percent, have declared criminal cases against themselves.
• Most Cases Declared:
  • Telangana CM Revanth Reddy leads with 89 criminal cases. This includes serious IPC charges such as criminal intimidation, undue influence on elections, and outrage of modesty.
  • Following him, Tamil Nadu CM M. K. Stalin has 47 cases, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has 19, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has 13, and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren has 5.
• Other Chief Ministers with Declared Cases:
  • Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra) – 4 cases
  • Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh) – 4 cases
  • Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala) – 2 cases
  • Bhagwant Mann (Punjab) – 1 case
  • Additionally included by some sources: P. S. Tamang (Sikkim) – 1 case; Mohan Charan Manjhi (Odisha) – 1 case; Bhajan Lal Sharma (Rajasthan) – 1 case.
• Serious Criminal Allegations: Out of the 30 chief ministers, 10 (33 percent) are facing serious criminal cases, including allegations such as attempt to murder, kidnapping, bribery, and criminal intimidation.
• Methodology: ADR and National Election Watch analyzed self-sworn affidavits filed by all 30 sitting chief ministers from state assemblies and Union Territories, filed prior to their last elections.
• Political Context: The report's release coincided with the introduction of constitutional amendment bills (the 130th Amendment Bill, 2025) in Parliament, aiming to automatically remove the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and other ministers if they are detained for 30 days or more on charges punishable with at least five years’ imprisonment. These legislative proposals have stirred significant debate: the government brands them as efforts to curb the criminalisation of politics, while the opposition has criticized them as potentially draconian and politically motivated

NTCA Limits Tiger Corridors to 32 Least Cost Pathways

In the News: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) issued a clarification significantly narrowing the definition of officially recognized tiger corridors to just 32 “least cost pathways” identified in its 2014 report, along with corridors recorded in Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs). This marks a policy reversal from earlier positions that included multiple scientific sources like Wildlife Institute of India (WII) studies and All‑India Tiger Estimation (AITE) data.

Key Points:

• Policy Narrowing: The NTCA now recognizes only the 32 least cost pathways from its 2014 analysis and those designated in state-specific TCPs, excluding other scientific studies and data sources such as the WII reports (2016, 2021) and AITE refinements.
• Judicial Context: This shift follows scrutiny by the Bombay High Court, which is reviewing a PIL against the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife (SBWL)’s practice of granting project clearances only for areas within those least-cost corridors. The NTCA’s clarification came during related hearings .
• Impact on Development Projects: As a result, certain industrial and mining projects—such as the Durgapur open-cast mines by Western Coalfields Limited and the Surajgarh iron ore mines by Lloyds Metals & Energy in Maharashtra—now fall outside the newly defined corridors and face fewer regulatory hurdles.
• Scientific and Conservation Concerns: Conservationists and researchers are alarmed that valid corridors identified via telemetry, landscape modelling, and recent AITE-based studies are being excluded. A July 2025 study by Nagpur’s LRC Foundation, using Circuitscape modelling, identified 192 potential tiger corridors across central India—far more extensive than the limited 32-pathway approach.
• Note from 2014 Report: Even the original 2014 NTCA report had cautioned that the listed corridors represented a “minimal requirement” and that “alternative connectivities do exist and need to be conserved”—a caveat now overlooked in the current policy narrowing.

Bonded Labour

In the News:  The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) took suo motu cognizance of a harrowing case involving a 15‑year‑old boy from Kishanganj, Bihar, who was lured into bonded labour at a buffalo dairy in Haryana’s Jind district, where he suffered grievous abuse and a catastrophic injury—resulting in the amputation of his arm. The Commission condemned this as a violation of human dignity, prompting a series of urgent directives to authorities.

Key Points:

•  Incident Details: The minor was separated from his companions at Bahadurgarh Railway Station and was enticed with a ₹10,000/month job at a buffalo dairy in Jind. Instead, he endured two months of forced labour, physical abuse, and deprivation. While cutting fodder, he suffered a severe arm injury that led to amputation. The employer then abandoned him in an isolated area instead of providing aid. 
• Survival and Rescue: Despite his grave injuries, the boy walked approximately 150 km to Nuh, where two teachers discovered him, brought him to a health centre, and alerted the police. Legal and Human Rights Violations: HHRC described the incident as a serious violation of child rights and dignity. It flagged infringement of international obligations under Article 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, along with violations of India's domestic laws, including the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, and constitutional protections under Articles 21 and 23 (right to life with dignity, against forced labour and trafficking).
• Commission’s Directives: The HHRC has instructed the district-level authorities in Jind and Nuh to:
  • Identify and arrest the accused employers,
  • Verify bonded labour practices at the dairy,
  • Submit a detailed medical report,
  • Develop a rehabilitation plan (including psychological care),
  • Conduct comprehensive inquiries into labour law violations,
  • Ensure compensation and welfare assistance for the victim.
• Next Hearing: The matter has been scheduled for further hearing by the HHRC on November 4, 2025.
• Ongoing Recovery: The boy is currently recovering at PGIMS (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences), Rohtak. He has regained consciousness and has begun recounting the events. A second surgery has been planned, conditioned on his recovery stabilizing. Investigations are underway, including attempts to trace his captor, known only as "Anil," though the exact location remains unidentified.              

Smart City Index 2025 Rankings: Zurich Tops, Where Do Indian Cities Stand?

In the News: The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) released its Smart City Index 2025, revealing that Zurich once again secured the top rank globally. Meanwhile, Indian cities remain outside the top 100, with Delhi leading the domestic ranking at 104, followed by Bengaluru (110) and Hyderabad (109)—highlighting persistent challenges in urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability.

Key Points:

• Global Top Performers: Zurich retained its number one position for the sixth consecutive year in the IMD Smart City Index 2025, followed by Oslo (2nd) and Geneva (3rd). Other top ten cities include Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London, Copenhagen, Canberra, Singapore, and Lausanne.
• Index Criteria: The IMD Smart City Index assesses cities on a balance of technological-economic factors (e.g., infrastructure, digital integration) and “humane dimensions” such as quality of life, environment, and inclusiveness.
• India’s Standing:
  • Delhi is the highest-ranked Indian city at 104.
  • Hyderabad follows at 109, despite its reputation as an IT hub.
  • Bengaluru is positioned at 110. These rankings reflect substantial gaps in urban governance, infrastructure development, and sustainable mobility compared to global peers.

Famine Crisis in Gaza

In the News: The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)—a leading global authority on hunger crises—officially declared famine in Gaza Governorate, marking the first famine confirmation in the Middle East. The designation reflects catastrophic food insecurity and a mounting humanitarian disaster in the conflict-ravaged region .

Key Points:

• First Famine Declaration : The IPC confirmed famine (IPC Phase 5) in Gaza Governorate, including Gaza City. This rare classification highlights extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition, and starvation-related deaths.
• Scale of Human Suffering : Over 500,000 Palestinians are currently experiencing catastrophic conditions, with projections indicating that number could rise to over 640,000 by late September. Meanwhile, around 1.07 million more individuals remain at emergency-level food insecurity (IPC Phase 4).
• Widespread Food Insecurity : As of mid-August, 100% of Gaza’s population faces acute food insecurity: approximately 20% are in famine (Phase 5), 58% in emergency (Phase 4), and 20% in crisis (Phase 3).
• Rising Malnutrition and Deaths : UNICEF reports alarming rates of child malnutrition and malnutrition-related deaths. Doctors describe harrowing signs of hunger, such as protruding ribs among patients entering treatment centers. At least 281 deaths from hunger have been recorded, including many children, with new fatalities continuing to emerge.
• Declared as “Man-Made” : UN Secretary-General António Guterres labeled the famine a “man-made disaster” and a “failure of humanity.” The IPC’s declaration has heightened global scrutiny over the Israeli blockade, restrictions on aid, and the destruction of food infrastructure that have precipitated this crisis.
• Political and Humanitarian Fallout : UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell decried debates over the famine as “obscene,” emphasizing the urgency of action over data disputes. Meanwhile, EU leaders, including Ireland’s Tánaiste Simon Harris, are calling for concrete measures—including lifting blockades and imposing sanctions—to alleviate the crisis.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees

In the News:  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced the temporary suspension of voluntary repatriation for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India. This decision was prompted by the arrests of returnees in Sri Lanka on allegations of immigration law violations.

Key Points:

• What Was Suspended?
  UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency established in 1950 and operating globally, temporarily halted its voluntary repatriation program for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees residing in India.
• Why the Suspension?
  The policy shift followed credible reports that certain refugees who returned to Sri Lanka were arrested by authorities due to alleged immigration law violations.
• UNHCR’s Mandate: Under the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, UNHCR facilitates durable solutions for refugees, including voluntary repatriation, local integration, and resettlement. Any repatriation process is intended to be voluntary, informed, and safe.
• Historical Context: Although a Tamil refugee family returning from India had been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy as early as June 2025, these incidents have now escalated concerns, prompting UNHCR to take a cautious stance.
• Implications for Refugees: This suspension affects Tamil refugees in India who had been eager to return but have now been compelled to remain, pending clarity on reception conditions in Sri Lanka.

NorthEast United Retain Durand Cup 2025 with 6-1 Win

In the News: Defending champions NorthEast United FC retained the 134th Durand Cup, achieving a commanding 6‑1 victory over debutants Diamond Harbour FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. The Highlanders became the first team in 34 years to successfully defend the title. It was a landmark performance underscoring their dominance in Indian football.

Key Points:

• Historic Defense: NorthEast United FC became the first team since East Bengal in 1991 to defend the Durand Cup, a remarkable three-decade feat.
• Match Performance: The final ended in a stunning 6‑1 win, with six different players scoring. Moroccan talisman Alaaeddine Ajaraie was instrumental—delivering three assists and converting a late penalty—securing the Man of the Match honors.
• Tournament Overview: The Durand Cup, Asia’s oldest football tournament, ran from July 23 to August 23, 2025, across cities like Imphal, Kokrajhar, Kolkata, Shillong, and Jamshedpur. NorthEast United emerged as champions, with Diamond Harbour FC as runners-up. Alaaeddine Ajaraie finished as the tournament’s top scorer, contributing 7 goals.