On May 17 2025, India and the world witnessed significant developments across various sectors. A proposal to make NOTA (None of the Above) compulsory in all elections sparked fresh debate on electoral reforms. Meanwhile, a Presidential Reference to the Supreme Court brought focus to the constitutional mechanism used to seek legal clarity on complex matters. Internationally, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was in the spotlight for its role in promoting safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy across the world.

Awareness regarding daily UPSC current affairs is crucial for cracking the UPSC Prelims, excelling in UPSC Mains. It helps perform well in the UPSC personality test, thus becoming an informed and effective UPSC civil servant.

Below are the current affairs and headlines of the day taken from The Hindu, Indian Express, Press Information Bureau & All India Radio as required for UPSC preparation:

NOTA be included in all elections compulsorily?

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS Paper II (Governance)

In News:

• The Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy recently filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court, seeking to make NOTA a compulsory option in all elections, including those with only one candidate.

• The move aims to protect the right of voters to reject candidates and uphold democratic expression, even in uncontested elections.

• The Election Commission (EC) has opposed this PIL, citing data and constitutional limitations.

Is NOTA relevant in Indian Elections?

• While NOTA votes rarely exceed 1% of the total, they represent a symbolic form of protest against all candidates.
• In large constituencies with 25+ lakh voters, even 1% translates to thousands of disapproving votes.
• NOTA is particularly important in uncontested elections, where voters are otherwise deprived of a chance to express dissent.

Examples of NOTA Usage

• 2015 Bihar Assembly elections: 2.48% voters chose NOTA.
• 2017 Gujarat Assembly elections: 1.8% chose NOTA.
• General elections (2014, 2019, 2024): About 1% voters used NOTA.

Presidential Reference to the Supreme Court

Source: The Indian Express

Syllabus: GS Paper II (Polity)

In News:

• President Droupadi Murmu invoked Article 143(1) of the Constitution to refer 14 constitutional questions to the Supreme Court.

• This move follows the Supreme Court’s April 8 ruling, which imposed a three-month deadline on the President and Governors to decide on State Bills.

• The President seeks clarity on whether the Court overstepped its jurisdiction, especially regarding the powers of the executive under Articles 200 and 201.

What is the Issue?

Governor R.N. Ravi had withheld assent to 10 Bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.

The SC (April 8, 2025) judgment:

• Directed that Governors must act on Bills within a “reasonable time”.
• Interpreted this “reasonable time” as three months.
• Extended the same timeline to the President for Bills reserved by Governors.

The President’s reference now challenges whether:

• The Court can impose timelines on constitutional authorities.
• The President and Governor's discretion is justiciable.
• The SC’s interpretation was consistent with the original constitutional design.

14 Questions Asked by President Murmu

Exercising powers under Article 143(1), the President raised 14 questions, including:

1. What are a Governor's options under Article 200 when presented with a Bill?
2. Is the Governor bound by the Council of Ministers’ advice under Article 200?
3. Is the Governor’s discretion justiciable?
4. Does Article 361 bar judicial review of Governor’s decisions?
5. Can judicially-imposed timelines govern Article 200 powers?
6. Is the President’s discretion under Article 201 justiciable?
7. Can courts impose timelines on the President under Article 201?
8. Must the President seek SC advice when a Bill is reserved?
9. Are actions under Articles 200/201 justiciable before the law comes into force?
10. Can SC substitute executive discretion via Article 142?
11. Is assent mandatory for a State law to be in force?
12. Must all constitutional interpretation be by a Constitution Bench (5+Judges) under Article 145(3)?
13. Does Article 142 allow substantive departures from existing law?
14. Does Article 131 provide the only mechanism for Centre-State disputes in the SC?

International Atomic Energy Agency

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS Paper II (International Relations)

In News:

• During a visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed concerns about the security of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.

• Defence Minister called on the global community to bring Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).