Legal Current Affairs for 21 March 2026

• Vision: Provides a comprehensive, flexible, and digitally driven framework for export promotion.
• Financial Outlay: Rs. 25,060 crores.
• Timeline: Six years (FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31).
• Two sub-schemes:
o Niryat Protsahan (Financial Support): Improving access to affordable trade finance for diversification into new markets.
o Niryat Disha (Non-Financial Support): Enhancing the market readiness and competitiveness of exporters.
• Implementing Agency: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Violence escalated in Jonglei state of South Sudan.
• Landlocked Country in East Africa.
• Bordering Countries: Sudan (North); Ethiopia (East); Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo (South), Central African Republic (West).
• Areas in Conflict: Abyei region, Equatoria, Upper Nile region, Warrap State, Lakes State etc.

Trade between India and China will commence from June 1 through the Shipki La Pass in Himachal Pradesh.
• Trade through the pass was disrupted following the Doklam standoff and the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In 2025, India and China agreed to re-open border trade through the three designated trading points, namely Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand), Shipki-La Pass and Nathu-La Pass (Sikkim).
o Lipulekh Pass is located close to the tri-junction of India, China (Tibet) and Nepal.
About Shipki La Pass
• It connects India and Tibet (China).
• It was earlier known as Pema La, or Shared Pass.
• The Sutlej River enters India at Shipki La.

In the recent Iran conflict, several strategically important energy infrastructure sites—such as oil reserves and export facilities—have been attacked.
Key Places
• The South Pars gas field, located off Iran’s southern coast.
o It is part of a massive gas reserve shared with Qatar’s North Dome gas field, together forming the largest natural gas reservoir in the world.
• Ras Laffan Industrial City (Qatar)- home to the world’s largest LNG export plant.
• Shah gas field (Abu Dhabi)-home to the world’s largest ultra-sour gas operation.
o Sour gas is natural gas containing significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S)

• Actually a saltwater lake, the Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water on Earth.
• Located in central Eurasia, it is bordered by five countries: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran.
• It is renowned for its substantial petroleum and natural gas reserves.
• Key rivers draining into Caspian Sea: Volga, Emba, Ural
• Biodiversity: world’s largest spawning grounds of sturgeon, home to the only marine mammal that lives in the Sea, the endemic Caspian Seal.

• Date & Place: Started on 20 March 1927 at Chavdar Tale (Tank), Mahad (Maharashtra).
• It was a non-violent protest led by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, aimed to secure the right of untouchables to access public drinking water, which was denied due to caste discrimination.
• Symbolic acts like drinking water from the public tanks and burning of the Manusmriti were performed, rejecting the caste system.
• Key leaders: Anandrao Chitre, Bapu Sahastrabuddhe, Sambhaji Gaikwad, Ramchandra More.
• After a decade of litigation, in 1937 the Bombay High Court upheld the right of untouchables to use the public tank.

• Allows voters to cast their votes on an electronically received postal ballot, avoiding the need to visit polling stations physically.
o The voter must print it, mark their choice manually, and return it by physical post.
• Legal Framework: Governed by Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 and Representation of People Act, 1951.
• Eligibility: Service voters, special voters, absentee voters (seniors above 85, persons with disabilities, etc.) those under preventive detention, and election duty personnel.
o Service Voters include Members of the Armed Forces, central armed police forces, government servants posted abroad etc.
o Special voters include the President, Vice President, Governors, Cabinet Ministers, etc. and their spouses.

• Published by: The Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, in partnership with Gallup, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
• Top 3 ranked countries: Finland, Iceland, Denmark.
• Bottom 3 ranked countries: Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Malawi
• India ranked 116th of 147 countries, a slight improvement from 118th in 2025 and 126th in 2024.