The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 11th April 2025 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Drop the piecemeal ways to social security for workers

Why in News?

• India is taking steps to provide social security benefits to gig workers through a national scheme.
• This initiative emphasizes the need for a universal and inclusive social protection system that covers all informal workers.

New Steps Towards Social Security for Gig Workers

• India is progressing with a central scheme for online (app-based) gig workers, which is waiting for approval from the Cabinet.
• The scheme provides health coverage through Ayushman Bharat and allows workers to register on the eShram portal, enabling access to various social security benefits.
• A pension system based on transactions is being planned, using a universal account number to monitor earnings from different platforms and to ensure that companies contribute to the pensions.
• This pension plan acknowledges that gig workers often have multiple employers, and it promotes shared responsibility for the welfare of workers.
• As social security in India is typically linked to formal jobs, this initiative is important for including informal gig workers in the system.

Limitations in the Existing Social Protection System

•  Although India helped establish the International Labour Organisation, it has not approved the Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102). 
• Nearly 70 years later, India introduced the Code on Social Security to create a wider safety net for citizens. 
• This Code has faced criticism for having unclear definitions, inadequate protections, and difficulties in being put into practice. 
• The Code depends on welfare boards to deliver benefits, but these boards often do not achieve their objectives. 
• A finding from the Right To Information showed that states had not utilized ₹70,744.16 crore collected as welfare cess from employers. 
• A 2024 audit report indicated that 99 local bodies in Tamil Nadu delayed sending ₹221.8 crore to the Construction Workers Welfare Board. 
• Even in states known for strong welfare systems, such as Kerala, only 5 out of 16 boards were working effectively, and some reported having no beneficiaries. 

Problems With a Fragmented Approach

• Some people believe that welfare boards provide specific help, such as when workers in Karnataka who make beedis and cigarettes asked to bring back a fund that is no longer active. 
• However, concentrating on one group at a time overlooks the uncertain nature of informal work in general. 
• This approach can also lead to unfair divisions among different types of informal work, for instance, between gig workers and domestic workers. 
• Depending only on gig work to make informal labor formal is too optimistic, as new types of jobs will keep appearing. 

Building a Universal Social Protection Framework

• India requires a social protection system that is prepared for the future and can adapt to new types of work and different sectors. 
• The current Code is expected to remain in place, despite its challenges and issues. 
• Individual states have the ability to create their own programs and solutions within the framework of this Code. 
• A good approach would be to view the Code as a basic standard that can be improved upon to establish a stronger, more inclusive, and universal system. 
• The main aim should be to create a structure that includes every worker, without leaving anyone out, and is flexible enough to change over time.

Practice Question:  Discuss the challenges of providing social security to gig and informal workers in India. How can a universal social protection system address these issues? (250 Words /15 marks)

Are existing mechanisms effective in combating judicial corruption?

Why in News?

• Recently, a large amount of unaccounted cash was discovered at the home of a former High Court judge. 
• This incident has led to a wider discussion about the effectiveness of current systems in place to fight corruption within the judiciary. 

Effectiveness of Impeachment

• The process of impeachment is very challenging and not often successful, as it requires a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament.
• While impeachment helps to protect judicial independence by stopping its use for political reasons, it does not effectively prevent corruption.
• To maintain public trust, there needs to be a clear and open internal system within the judiciary to deal with serious misconduct.

Need for Reforms in In-House Procedures

•  The current internal system was designed to stop the executive branch from misusing legal actions against judges.
• It became well-known after an important court decision in 1991, which provided protections for judicial officials.
• However, this system might need some legal changes to improve accountability and efficiency.
• Past examples show that it is challenging to prosecute judicial corruption because of weak enforcement and the protections given to judges.

Importance of Making Inquiry Reports Public

•  Greater transparency in investigation processes is important in today's world where public scrutiny is constant. 
• Releasing reports to the public can help build trust in the judicial system and reduce speculation about its actions. 
•  However, it is important to balance transparency with protecting the rights of individuals who are accused. 
•  Maintaining the fairness of the inquiry is also essential. 
•  Clear communication is necessary to avoid spreading misinformation and to protect the institution's reputation. 

Revisiting the Role of the Executive in Appointments

•  The executive has an important but informal role in choosing judges through background checks and putting off approvals.
• The current system allows the executive to prevent appointments without officially rejecting them.
• It is more vital to have transparency and clarity in the selection process than to determine whether the government or the judiciary is responsible for making the appointments.

Why Past Bills May Not Help

• A past proposal for judicial accountability did not fix significant issues.
• Instead of creating more oversight organizations, it is better to establish clear standards of behavior and internal processes like peer reviews.
• It is essential to disclose the involvement of family members within the legal field.
• Changes in the structure are needed to prevent conflicts of interest.

Need to Liberalise Contempt Laws

• The fear of contempt should not prevent people from talking about judicial corruption honestly.
• There needs to be room for constructive criticism without the risk of facing legal consequences.
• Reforms are necessary to ensure that judges cannot misuse contempt laws to escape scrutiny.
• Changes within institutions are essential to create an environment for open and fair public discussions about judicial integrity.

Practice Question:  In light of recent controversies involving judicial misconduct, critically examine the effectiveness of existing mechanisms for judicial accountability in India. (250 Words /15 marks)