Indian Express Editorial Summary Topic-1 :  The Vote is Safe: Supreme Court Verdict on EVMs

GS-2 Main Exam

Revision Notes

Question : Analyze the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the demands for 100% verification of votes through the return to paper ballots and the counting of every VVPAT slip. What implications does this decision have for the integrity of the electoral process in India?

Petitioner’s Demands:

• 100% verification of votes through:
  • Return to paper ballots
  • Printed paper ballots for each voter
  • Counting of every VVPAT slip

Supreme Court’s Decision:

• Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta rejected all three pleas.
• Court emphasized the importance of a balanced perspective and avoiding “unwarranted scepticism.”
• Introduced two new interventions:
  • Symbol Uploading Units (SULs) kept in a secure room for 45 days after results.
  • Candidates (2nd or 3rd position) can request EVM checks in 5% of machines per segment.

Returning to Paper Ballots:

• Justice Datta: Returning to paper ballots is not an option.
• Current system has no major flaws and is praised globally.

Election Commission Clarification:

• Media reports of EVM malfunction in Kerala mock polls termed “false” and “inaccurate.”
• EVMs undergo rigorous testing before deployment.
• Only one instance of VVPAT mismatch reported, due to unremoved mock run data.

Conclusion:

• Trust in the election system is vital for democracy.
• Supreme Court’s verdict strengthens public trust.

 

Indian Express Editorial Summary Topic-2 : Lessons from the US Campus Protests: A Sign of Triple Crisis

GS-2 Main Exam

Revision Notes

Question : Critically analyze the challenges faced by universities in the United States, particularly regarding the delegitimization by political parties and the loss of institutional neutrality. How does this crisis affect the role of universities in fostering intellectual discourse and academic freedom?

Introduction

• Widespread protests against the Gaza war on US campuses and crackdowns reflect a  triple crisis:
  • Liberal democracy
  • Universities
  • Anti-war protests

Crisis of Liberal Democracy

• Protests show the failing of democratic systems:
  • Allowing atrocities without public response.
  • Stifling free speech despite strong First Amendment protections.
  • Deepening political polarization.

Crisis of the University

• Universities are under political attack, not for educational improvement:
  • Delegitimization by Republican party using issues like critical race theory.
  • Loss of institutional neutrality due to powerful group influences.
  • Selective enforcement of protest rules damaging trust in university administration.

Crisis of Protests

• Protests risk losing their moral purpose:
  • Construed as conflicts between groups, not principled stances.
  • Targeting university administrations with limited power over wars.
  • Shifting focus away from the war in Gaza to limitations on free speech.

Conclusion

• Student protests highlight a crisis in democratic values.
• Deep US political polarization stifles civil society protests.
• These protests will have a long-term impact on global democratic traditions.