Current Affairs 23 February 2026
Palamu Tiger Reserve Launches ‘Vanjeevi Didi’ Initiative
- Palamu Tiger Reserve is located in Jharkhand and forms part of Project Tiger.
- Community participation is a key strategy in wildlife conservation.
- Project Tiger was launched in 1973 to protect Bengal tigers.
- Eco-development programmes aim to reduce dependency on forest resources.
Soundala Declares Itself Maharashtra’s First Caste-Free Village
- The Preamble of the Indian Constitution emphasises justice, liberty, equality and fraternity.
- Gram Sabha is the general assembly of all registered voters in a village.
- Caste-based discrimination is prohibited under Article 15 of the Constitution.
- Social reform movements in India have historically targeted caste hierarchy and untouchability.
Ranvir Sachdeva Becomes Youngest Speaker at AI Summit
- Artificial Intelligence involves machine systems capable of performing tasks requiring human intelligence.
- The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is a UN specialised agency for information and communication technologies.
- NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory focuses on robotic space exploration missions.
- Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi is a major venue for international summits.
Kuno National Park Cheetah Population Rises to 38
- The cheetah became extinct in India in 1952 and was declared so officially in 1952.
- Project Cheetah is the world’s first inter-continental translocation of a large carnivore.
- Kuno National Park is located in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district.
- Cheetahs are the fastest land animals, capable of speeds up to 100–120 km/h in short bursts.
NHAI Launches India’s First Bee Corridors Initiative
- Pollinators contribute to the reproduction of over 75% of global flowering plants.
- Neem and Palash are native species known for nectar-rich blossoms.
- Honeybees typically forage within a range of up to 1 kilometre from their hive.
- Ecological corridors connect fragmented habitats and support biodiversity.
India’s First Private Helicopter Assembly Line Launched
- The H125 belongs to Airbus’s Écureuil family of light helicopters.
- UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) aims to enhance regional air connectivity in India.
- “Make in India” promotes domestic manufacturing in defence and aerospace sectors.
- Karnataka is a major aerospace and defence manufacturing hub in India.
Jaisalmer to Host First Jain Chadar Mahotsav
- Khartar Gachchh is a prominent sect within the Shvetambara tradition of Jainism.
- Vikram Samvat calendar is approximately 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar.
- Gyan Bhandars are traditional Jain manuscript libraries preserving rare texts and relics.
- Jaisalmer is known for its medieval Jain temples built in yellow sandstone.
What is the Death Penalty?
- Definition: Death Penalty or Capital punishment is the execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law.
- It is distinct from extrajudicial executions, which lack due process.
- Philosophical Basis: It is rooted in the principle of retributive justice – the idea that severe crimes, especially murder, warrant a proportional punishment.
- Indian History: The Manusmriti prescribed execution (e.g., by elephants) for offences including theft.
- The Indian Penal Code (1860) prescribed death as a punishment, which was retained after independence.
- Legal Position in India:
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023: It retains the death penalty and has expanded it to include offences like mob lynching (if it results in death) and rape of a minor.
- Around 14 categories of crime attract the death penalty, including murder, terrorism, and abetting mutiny.
- Exemptions: Juveniles, pregnant women, and mentally ill persons cannot be executed.
- Appellate Process: A death sentence by a Sessions Court must be confirmed by the High Court. The accused can appeal to the Supreme Court.
- Legal Recourse for Death Row Convicts:
- Mercy Petition: It is a formal request made by someone who has been sentenced to death or imprisonment seeking mercy from the President or the Governor, as the case may be.
- Pardoning Power: The pardoning power is subject to judicial review.
- President (Article 72): Can grant pardons, reprieves, or commutations.
- Governor (Article 161): Has similar powers but typically defers major capital cases to the President.
- Curative Petition: Evolved in Rupa Ashok Hurra v. Ashok Hurra (2002), this allows the SC to reconsider its final judgment to cure a “gross miscarriage of justice.”