• Cloudbursts: Sudden, high-intensity rainfall (usually >100mm/hour over a small area) leads to flash floods.
• Glacial Retreat & Lakes: Climate change has accelerated glacial melting, leading to the formation of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).
• Monsoon Variability: Warming of the Indian Ocean increases erratic rainfall patterns, intensifying extreme weather events.

• On August 5, 2019, the Government of India abrogated Article 370, which provided special status to J&K.
• Subsequently, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, split the erstwhile state into two UTs: Jammu & Kashmir (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).
• The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court upheld this abrogation in December 2023, but directed that elections must be held by September 2024 and statehood restored “at the earliest.”
• Although elections were held, statehood has not been restored, prompting this legal challenge.

• In December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370 but avoided ruling on whether Parliament can dissolve statehood under Article 3, due to a government assurance that statehood would be restored.
• In May 2024, review petitions were dismissed, affirming the Court’s position.

• The Centre has not provided a clear timeline for restoring statehood.
• The Supreme Court has so far avoided addressing the core Article 3 issue, leading to legal ambiguity.
• Continued central control risks eroding trust in democratic institutions and constitutional promises.

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the Bihar domicile policy for teacher appointments:

1. The Bihar Cabinet has mandated that only candidates who have passed matriculation and intermediate from Bihar will get priority in teacher appointments.
2. Article 16(2) of the Indian Constitution explicitly allows states to reserve jobs for domiciles to promote regional balance.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: A. 1 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct. The Bihar Cabinet approved amendments under the Bihar State School Teacher (Appointment) Rules 2025, which provide priority to candidates who have completed matriculation and intermediate (10th and 12th) from Bihar. While this does not completely bar non-domiciled candidates, it ensures preference for students educated within Bihar, effectively promoting state domicile.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. Article 16(2) of the Constitution prohibits discrimination in government employment on grounds of place of birth, residence, caste, sex, religion, etc. It does not permit domicile-based reservations. Instead, Article 16(4) enables the State to make special provisions for backward classes that are under-represented in state services, which can be interpreted as a limited gateway for local preference—but not unrestricted domicile-based exclusion.

Therefore, while local preference may be allowed under certain interpretations of Article 16(4), blanket domicile-based reservation is constitutionally constrained and subject to judicial review.

• The SYL Canal was proposed to share Ravi-Beas river waters between Punjab and Haryana following the 1976 reallocation post-Haryana’s creation in 1966.
• Punjab halted construction, citing a lack of surplus water and riparian rights.
• Haryana, claiming its rightful share, moved the Supreme Court.
• In 2004, Punjab terminated all water-sharing agreements via the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, which was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (2016).

• Article 51: Right to self-defence, allowing nations to procure defensive and deterrent weapons.
• India’s arms procurement does not violate the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) as it is focused on legitimate national defence and not on external aggression.