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Current Affairs 22 February 2026

Key Judgements Related to Hate Speech:

  • Shaheen Abdulla v. Union of India (2022): The Supreme Court noted the rising climate of hate speech and directed police to take suo motu action without waiting for formal complaints.
  • Tehseen S. Poonawalla v. Union of India (2018): The Court issued guidelines to curb hate speech-driven mob violence, including appointing district nodal officers to prevent lynching.
  • Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015): The Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, of 2000 for vagueness, affirming that vague restrictions violate free speech under Article 19(1)(a).
  • Pravasi Bhalai Sangathan v. Union of India (2014): The Court urged the Law Commission to define hate speech and explore measures empowering the Election Commission to regulate it.

What is India’s M.A.N.A.V. Vision for AI?

  • The M.A.N.A.V. vision shifts the focus of AI from being merely an autonomous force to becoming an extension of human aspirations.
  • It serves as an acronym for five foundational pillars:
  • M – Moral and Ethical Systems: AI development must be strictly built upon ethical guidelines.
  • A – Accountable Governance: Ensuring transparent rules and robust oversight mechanisms.
  • N – National Sovereignty: Reinforcing the principle that data belongs to those who generate it.
  • A – Accessible and Inclusive: AI must act as a multiplier for societal benefit, not a monopoly concentrated in a few hands.
  • V – Valid and Legitimate Systems: AI systems and their applications must be lawful, verifiable, and trustworthy.
  • India treats AI as a strategic asset while advocating it as a global common good,   distancing itself from alarmist narratives. India sees “fortune and the future” in AI, backed by its massive talent pool, digital infrastructure, and policy clarity.

Gaganyaan

  • About: It is India’s first human spaceflight program, aiming to send a crew of 3 astronauts to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at 400 km for 3 days and return them safely to Earth.
  • The mission includes key tests such as Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT), Pad Abort Test (PAT), and Test Vehicle (TV) flights to validate safety systems before the manned mission.
  • Mission Phases: Includes unmanned test missions followed by the first manned mission, expected to happen in early 2027.
  • Crew training for Gaganyaan: Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla are India’s Gaganyaan astronaut-designates who have completed training in Russia and are currently undergoing further mission-specific training in India.

World Day of Social Justice

  • About: It is observed annually on 20th February as the United Nations’ global platform to promote poverty eradication, decent work, gender equality, and social inclusion. 
  • The 2026 theme, “Renewed Commitment to Social Development and Social Justice,” underscores the urgency of advancing these goals.
  • Establishment: It is rooted in the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration and was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, with the first observance taking place in 2009.

Constitutional Provisions Regarding Supreme Court’s Seat and Judicial Appointments

  • Article 130: Declares that the seat of the Supreme Court shall be in Delhi, or at such other places as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) may decide with the prior approval of the President.
  • Article 124: SC judges appointed by the President in consultation with the CJI and other judges.
  • Article 217: High Court (HC) judges appointed by the President in consultation with CJI, Governor, and HC Chief Justice.
  • Ad hoc Judges (Article 127): If quorum of SC judges is not available, CJI (with President’s consent) can request a HC judge to sit in SC.
  • Acting CJI (Article 126): In case of vacancy/absence, senior most available SC judge appointed by the President.
  • Retired Judges (Article 128): With President’s consent, CJI may request a retired SC judge to sit and act as SC judge for a specified period.
  • Article 224A:  A retired High Court judge may be requested to sit and act as an ad hoc judge of a High Court, with the prior consent of the President, on a reference made by the Chief Justice of the High Court.

What is the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes?

  • About: NCST is a constitutional body established under Article 338-A of the Constitution through the 89th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003, which bifurcated the earlier combined National Commission for SCs and STs to provide focused attention on the distinct problems and developmental needs of tribal communities. 
  • Composition: Consists of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and 3 other members (including at least one woman Member) appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal; their conditions of service and tenure are determined by the President.
  • Tenure and Service Conditions: The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and other Members serve a 3-year term, with the Chairperson holding the rank of Union Cabinet Minister, the Vice-Chairperson the rank of a Minister of State, and other Members the rank of Secretary to the Government of India. 

Provisions Related to STs in India

  • About STs: The Constitution of India does not provide a specific definition for Scheduled Tribes (STs) but establishes a process for their identification through Article 342, while special administrative provisions are contained in the Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule along with protective legislations.
  • Constitutional Provisions: Article 366(25) defines Scheduled Tribes (STs) as tribes or tribal communities, or parts thereof, that are deemed under Article 342 to be STs for the purposes of the Constitution.
  • Article 342(1) empowers the President to specify tribes as STs in consultation with the Governor for states.
  • Scheduled Areas: The Fifth Schedule governs Scheduled Areas and STs in states other than Sixth Schedule states (Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram). 
  • The Sixth Schedule provides Autonomous District Councils for tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
  • Key Legislations: Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955; SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989; PESA Act, 1996 extending Panchayats to Scheduled Areas; Forest Rights Act, 2006 recognizing forest rights.

Mizoram

  • About: Mizoram became the 23rd state of the Indian Union on 20th February 1987, following the Mizoram Peace Accord (1986) signed between the Government of India and the Mizo National Front. 
  • The accord ended a period of insurgency and facilitated its transition from Union Territory status (1972) to full statehood.
  • Historical Evolution: Mizoram was originally known as the Lushai Hills district of Assam and was renamed Mizo Hills in 1954.
  • Constitutional Protection: Mizoram has been recognized as a “tribal area” under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India (Article 244(2)), thereby ensuring the protection of tribal rights and regional autonomy.

Arunachal Pradesh

  • About: Arunachal Pradesh attained statehood as the 24th state on 20th February 1987, having previously been known as the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) until 1972, when it was renamed and designated a Union Territory.
  • Colonial Origin: The modern history of Arunachal Pradesh began with British control under the Treaty of Yandaboo (1826) after the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826), and the 1914 Shimla Treaty demarcated the boundary between Tibet and NEFA (McMahon line).
  • Historical Evolution: Until 1962, Arunachal Pradesh remained under Assam’s constitutional jurisdiction, after which it was made a separately administered Union Territory due to its strategic importance.

International Criminal Court

  • About: ICC is the world’s first permanent international tribunal, established to prosecute individuals for the most serious crimes of international concern, operating on the principle of complementarity to national judicial systems.
  • The Principle of Complementarity establishes ICC as a court of last resort, which can only step in when national authorities are genuinely unwilling or unable to carry out proceedings. 
  • It does not serve as an appellate body to review or overturn decisions made by domestic courts.
  • Legal Basis & Establishment: Established by the Rome Statute, adopted on 17th July 1998 and entered into force on 1st July 2002. Headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands.
  • Jurisdiction & Core Crimes: Prosecutes individuals, not states, for four core crimes i.e., Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes, and the Crime of Aggression (jurisdiction for aggression activated in 2018). It has jurisdiction over crimes committed after 1st July 2002 (Rome Statute entered into force).

Lead Bank Scheme

  • About: LBS, introduced by RBI in December 1969, is a key institutional mechanism designed to promote coordinated banking development, priority sector lending, and financial inclusion at the district level through an “Area Approach.”
  • Origin: It originated from the recommendations of two 1969 committees: the Gadgil Study Group (which advocated an “Area Approach”) and the Nariman Committee (which endorsed it and recommended that banks adopt specific districts).
  • It was launched to operationalize the concept of “social banking,” integrating developmental roles with commercial objectives for public sector banks.
  • Core Objectives: Enhance the flow of bank credit to priority sectors (agriculture, MSMEs, weaker sections), coordinate efforts of banks and government agencies to address credit gaps, etc.