Parliament has increased the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India, by adding four judicial posts to address the Court’s growing workload.

Money Bill Controversy

The Bill was passed as a Money Bill, with the government linking the expenditure on additional judges and associated infrastructure to the Consolidated Fund of India. Critics argue that using the “incidental matters” provision under Article 110(1)(g) may bypass effective scrutiny by the Rajya Sabha.

Constitutional Issue

Under Article 110, a Money Bill primarily deals with taxation, government borrowing, appropriation of public funds and matters incidental to these subjects. Once certified by the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Rajya Sabha can only make recommendations and cannot reject or amend the Bill.

The Speaker’s power to certify a Bill as a Money Bill remains an important constitutional issue before a seven-judge Constitution Bench. The controversy also recalls Justice D.Y. Chandrachud’s criticism of the Money Bill route in the 2018 Aadhaar judgment.

Significance

The amendment seeks to improve judicial capacity and reduce workload, but its classification as a Money Bill raises concerns regarding bicameral scrutiny, parliamentary accountability and the scope of Article 110

About the Technology

Scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali have developed light-activated multifunctional nanobots aimed at providing more precise and targeted breast cancer treatment.

Working Mechanism

The nanobots are based on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and respond to near-infrared (NIR) light. Their phototaxis property enables directional movement towards the light source, allowing therapeutic action to be localized at the tumour site.

Targeted Cancer Therapy

The nanobots are functionalised with folic acid, enabling them to selectively recognise breast cancer cells that overexpress folate receptors. A 980-nanometre NIR laser produces localized heating, helping destroy cancer cells through photothermal therapy.

Photodynamic Therapy

The nanobots also carry a photosensitizer that produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) when activated by NIR irradiation. Combining photothermal therapy and photodynamic therapy produced greater tumour inhibition than either approach alone.

Smart and Controlled Action

Their therapeutic activity can be influenced by laser intensity, pH and glutathione concentration, allowing better control of treatment within biological environments.

Significance

Being fuel-free and externally controlled, these nanobots could enable localized and minimally invasive cancer treatment, potentially reducing damage to healthy tissues and systemic toxicity. Their efficacy has been demonstrated in cellular models and breast tumour-bearing mice, indicating potential for future targeted cancer therapy.

Why in News?

India has formally identified 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh on the official Survey of India map, strengthening its cartographic and administrative assertion over the State amid China's repeated attempts to assign alternative names to places in the region.

China's Cartographic Aggression

China has repeatedly attempted to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, issuing lists in 2017, 2021 and 2023. It refers to the State as “Zangnan” (South Tibet) to reinforce its territorial claims and project Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

India's official mapping of these locations serves as a cartographic assertion of sovereignty and counters China's attempts to create alternative geographical narratives.

Important Locations

The identified locations include Long Ju, associated with the 1959 India-China border confrontation, and Thag La, where fighting began during the 1962 India-China War.

Strategic passes such as Bisa, Dzo La, Riza La, Pukur La and Thag La have also been identified, highlighting the military importance of Arunachal Pradesh's high-altitude terrain and mountain passes.

Jairampur in Changlang district is important for logistics and connectivity towards eastern Arunachal Pradesh and the Myanmar border. The list also includes Jaswant Garh, Sher-e-Thapa Memorial and Sambho Sarovar, reflecting the region's military, historical and geographical significance.

Strategic Significance of Arunachal Pradesh

Geopolitical Importance

Arunachal Pradesh shares international borders with China to the north, Bhutan to the west and Myanmar to the east, while Assam and Nagaland lie to its south. Its location makes it strategically vital for India's Northeast security.

Brahmaputra and Water Security

The State forms the upper catchment region of major Brahmaputra tributaries, including the Subansiri, Kameng and Lohit. Its strategic importance therefore extends beyond military security to water, food and ecological security in Northeast India and Bangladesh.

Tawang and Tibetan Geopolitics

Tawang holds exceptional strategic and cultural importance as the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama. India's control over Tawang therefore has significance for Tibetan Buddhist geopolitics and the future succession of the Dalai Lama.

McMahon Line

India considers the McMahon Line, established through the 1914 Simla Convention, as the basis of its eastern boundary with China. China rejects the McMahon Line, describing it as a legacy of British imperialism.

Significance

India's mapping of the 27 locations strengthens its territorial assertion, border administration and cartographic sovereignty. It also highlights the importance of border infrastructure, strategic passes and historical sites in India's approach to managing the Arunachal Pradesh frontier.

Location and Key Facts

Mathikettan Shola National Park is located near Poopara village in Udumbanchola Taluk of Idukki district, Kerala. It was declared a National Park in 2003 and covers only 12.82 sq. km, making it one of Kerala’s smallest national parks. It forms part of the Cardamom Hill Reserve in the Western Ghats and lies between Eravikulam National Park and Pampadum Shola National Park, providing important ecological connectivity.

Geography and Ecosystem

The park represents the montane landscape of the southern Western Ghats, with elevations ranging from 1,200 to 1,984 metres. Its landscape consists of rolling hills, valleys and high-altitude plateaus, dominated by the distinctive shola–grassland ecosystem. The park also contains moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests. Important streams such as Uchilikuthi Puzha, Mathikettan Puzha and Njandar originate here and ultimately drain into the Panniyar River, making the park an important watershed.

Historical Background

The area was first declared a Reserve Forest in 1897 by the erstwhile Travancore Government. Parts of the forest were historically leased for cardamom cultivation, some remnants of which still exist. The name “Mathikettan” means “mind confuser”, referring to local beliefs that the dense and winding forests could cause people to lose their way.

Flora and Fauna

The park supports highly diverse and endemic Western Ghats vegetation, with dense shola evergreen forests in valleys and grasslands on hilltops. It contains numerous orchids, medicinal plants and endemic flowering species.

Its fauna includes Asian Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Nilgiri Langur, Indian Giant Squirrel, Leopard, Dhole, Nilgiri Tahr and Nilgiri Marten. The park also supports important endemic birds such as the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Black-and-Orange Flycatcher, White-bellied Blue Robin and Malabar Whistling Thrush.

Ecological Significance

The park is particularly important as a wildlife corridor for Asian Elephants, facilitating movement between forests of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Its location between Eravikulam and Pampadum Shola National Parks strengthens landscape-level connectivity. The shola–grassland ecosystem also acts as a major water regulator and carbon store, while providing habitat for numerous endemic and threatened species of the Western Ghats.

Major Conservation Challenges

The major threats include habitat fragmentation, human–wildlife conflict, private landholdings, roads and settlements, legacy cardamom plantations, and developmental pressure. Its small geographical size makes ecological connectivity with surrounding forests especially important. Climate change may further threaten the sensitive shola–grassland ecosystem.

Conservation Measures

The declaration as a National Park provides strong legal protection, while the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) helps regulate activities around the park. Conservation efforts also focus on elephant corridor protection, habitat restoration and wildlife monitoring.