What to Read in Indian Express Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorail 1 : A Victory for all Citizens, States

Context: Supreme Court judgment on State of Tamil Nadu vs The Governor of Tamil Nadu.  

 

Key Aspects of the Judgment

• Duration of Pending Bills
  1. 10 Bills Blocked: 10 bills were held by the Tamil Nadu Governor for 2–4 years, including bills related to university governance.
  2. Impact: Critical delays in post-pandemic recovery for institutions like Tamil Nadu Fisheries University.
• Role of the Chief Minister
  1. MK Stalin’s Strategy
     • Repassed all 10 bills verbatim, irrespective of their origin (AIADMK/DMK).
     • Prioritized federalism over politics, ensuring judicial clarity.
  2. Legal Outcome: Strengthened Tamil Nadu’s case by adhering to the Supreme Court’s distinction between identical vs. amended bills.
• Use of Article 142
  1. Unprecedented Intervention: The Supreme Court deemed bills as assented retroactively from the date of re-passing.
  2. Reason: Governor’s procedural obstructions, including returning bills as photocopies to invalidate legislative action and sending re-passed bills to the President post-Punjab ruling.
• Establishment of Time Frames
  1. Clarity on Articles 200 & 201
     • Governors/Presidents cannot indefinitely delay assent.
     • Judicial review now applies to Governors’/President’s actions.
  2. Impact: It prevents misuse of pocket veto and aligns India with global democratic norms (e.g. UK monarchy’s limited powers).
• Condemnation of Governor’s Conduct
  1. Paragraph 432 explicitly notes the Governor’s actions were lacking in bonafides.
  2. The court highlighted procedural malpractices (e.g. delaying tactics during litigation).

 

Implications of the Judgement for Federalism

• Checks on Central Overreach: The judgement limits Union’s ability to misuse Governors as political tools in non-NDA states.
• Judicial Precedent
  1. The case ranks alongside landmark cases like Kesavananda Bharati (basic structure doctrine) and S.R. Bommai (anti-defection safeguards).
  2. It is more impactful than the Electoral Bonds case, as it directly resolves systemic abuse.
• Restoration of Legislative Sovereignty: The judgement affirms elected representatives’ primacy over unelected appointees.

 

Broader Political Context

• Multiple states (Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu) have challenged Governors’ obstructionism. This reflects Union government’s post-2014 centralization efforts.
• Global Relevance
  1. The judgment positions India as a federal democracy at a time of rising parochialism globally.
  2. Collegial Union-State collaboration is seen as vital for India’s growth.

 

Conclusion: The judgement ensures states’ legislative autonomy and operationalizes constitutional intent. It emphasizes the need for union & states to work cooperatively for national progress, and reinforces democracy’s core tenet i.e. no individual or office is above the law.

 

Editorial 2 : Ambedkar, the Economist

Context: Dr. Ambedkar views on economics and finance.

 

Introduction: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is widely recognized as the architect of India’s Constitution and a champion of social justice. However, his role as a pioneering economic thinker and institution-builder remains underappreciated. His academic rigor and policy advocacy laid the groundwork for India’s monetary, financial, and developmental frameworks.

 

Academic Contributions

• Scholarly Work
  1. 1915 MA Thesis: Ancient Indian Commerce – Analysed historical trade practices.
  2. 1916 PhD Thesis: The National Dividend of India – Focused on India’s economic output and colonial exploitation.
  3. 1921 M.Sc. Thesis: Provincial Decentralisation of Imperial Finance – Critiqued colonial fiscal policies.
  4. 1923 Groundbreaking Work: The Problem of the Rupee – Exposed flaws in India’s colonial currency system.
• Key Insights
  1. Dr. Ambedkar highlighted how colonial monetary policies like artificial rupee-pound linkage weakened India’s economy.
  2. He advocated for gold exchange standards to stabilize currency and reduce British manipulation.

Monetary & Financial Reforms

• Critique of Colonial Policies
  1. He argued that colonial currency systems imposed a crushing financial burden on India.
  2. Linked weak monetary systems to broader economic instability and exploitation.
• Visionary Solutions
  1. Proposed gold exchange standards for rupee stability.
  2. Advocated for an Indian central bank (later realized as the RBI in 1934).
  3. Influenced the RBI Act (1934) and Finance Commission of India through his doctoral thesis.
• Policy Advocacy
  1. Presented before the Hilton Young Commission (1925) to reform India’s monetary framework.
  2. Emphasized transparency, fairness, and predictability in financial governance.

 

Social Justice & Economic Planning

• Economic Equity as a Core Principle
  1. Philosophy: Dr. Ambedkar linked economic stability to social justice, dignity, and labour rights.
  2. Key Argument: Without sound economic planning, social justice remains incomplete.
• State-Led Development
  1. Advocated for state-led industrial growth and welfare-centric policies.
  2. Focused on reducing poverty through equitable resource distribution.

 

Labour & Infrastructure Reforms

• Pro-Worker Policies: As Labour Member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, Dr. Ambedkar:
  1. Introduced regulated working hours and maternity benefits.
  2. Established dispute resolution boards and employment exchanges.
• Infrastructure Development: He pioneered institutions like Central Water Commission, Central Technical Power Board, Damodar Valley Project, Hirakud Dam, and focused on water resource management and energy infrastructure.

 

Relevance in Modern India

• Inflation and Financial Discipline
  1. Inflation Targeting: RBI’s focus on controlling inflation aligns with Ambedkar’s warnings about its disproportionate impact on the poor.
  2. Resistance to Reckless Monetary Expansion: Reflects his emphasis on fiscal prudence.
• Digital Economy and Financial Inclusion
  1. Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) and financial inclusion mirror his vision of equitable access to resources.
  2. Digital Currencies: His emphasis on transparency and fairness guides debates on AI-driven finance.
• Viksit Bharat and Current Policies
  1. PM Modi’s goal of making India the third-largest economy resonates with Ambedkar’s emphasis on self-reliance.
  2. Modern initiatives like waterway projects and welfare schemes reflect his institutional legacy.

 

Conclusion: Dr. Ambedkar’s economic philosophy blended technical expertise with moral imperatives for justice and dignity. His ideas remain foundational to India’s monetary policies, labour rights, and infrastructure planning. As India progresses toward Viksit Bharat, revisiting his principles of fairness, transparency, and state-led welfare is critical.