Article 311 of the Indian Constitution provides certain protections to government employees or civil servants. It ensures that they cannot be dismissed, removed, or reduced in rank by an authority subordinate to the one that appointed them. This article primarily safeguards civil servants from arbitrary or politically motivated actions that could adversely affect their employment.

Article 311 outlines the following key provisions:

1. No dismissal, removal, or reduction in rank: A civil servant cannot be dismissed, removed, or reduced in rank by an authority lower in rank than the one that appointed them.

2. Opportunity for a hearing: Before any such action is taken against a civil servant, they must be given a reasonable opportunity to defend themselves. This includes being informed of the charges against them and being provided with a chance to respond.

3. Right to representation: The civil servant has the right to be represented by a legal practitioner or any other person of their choice during the inquiry or disciplinary proceedings.

While Article 311 provides important protections for civil servants, it's also subject to certain exceptions and conditions. For example, if a civil servant is appointed to a temporary position, holds a probationary position, or has been convicted of a criminal offense, the protections of Article 311 may not apply in the same manner.

Overall, Article 311 is designed to ensure that civil servants are treated fairly and in accordance with established procedures when facing disciplinary actions, thereby upholding the principles of natural justice and due process in public employment.

4. Article 310 vs Article 311

Here's a comparison table between Article 310 and Article 311 of the Indian Constitution:

5.What is Strategic Forces Command (SFC) unit?

The Strategic Forces Command (SFC) is a specialized unit of the Indian Armed Forces responsible for the management and employment of the country's strategic nuclear forces. The primary mission of the SFC is to safeguard and control India's land-based and sea-based nuclear ballistic missiles. It plays a crucial role in India's nuclear deterrence strategy.

Key functions and responsibilities of the Strategic Forces Command include:

1. Nuclear Deterrence: The SFC is tasked with maintaining a credible and effective nuclear deterrence posture. It ensures that India's nuclear weapons remain secure and ready for use in the event of a nuclear threat.

2. Custodianship: The SFC is responsible for the safe custody and control of India's nuclear weapons, as well as the associated delivery systems, such as ballistic missiles.

3. Command and Control: The SFC manages the command and control infrastructure required to coordinate and execute nuclear operations. This involves communication, early warning systems, and secure command centers.

4. Operational Planning: The SFC is involved in the development of operational plans for the use of nuclear weapons in various scenarios.

5. Training and Drills: It conducts training and drills to ensure that personnel are prepared to execute their duties in a nuclear warfare scenario.

The SFC is an important component of India's nuclear strategy, which is based on a no-first-use (NFU) policy, meaning that India commits to not using nuclear weapons first in any conflict but reserves the right to respond with nuclear force if subjected to a nuclear attack.

The SFC operates under the authority of the Nuclear Command Authority (NCA), which is the apex body responsible for the command and control of India's nuclear assets. The NCA is chaired by the Prime Minister of India, who is the ultimate authority in making decisions regarding the use of nuclear weapons.

6. What is the Doctrine of Pleasure?

• The "doctrine of pleasure" is a legal principle that grants a government or a higher authority the discretionary power to hire, fire, or take actions related to civil servants or public officials at its own discretion.
• In essence, it means that civil servants or government employees serve at the pleasure of the authority that appointed them, and that authority can remove or dismiss them from their positions at any time without the need to provide a specific reason or cause for their action.
• This doctrine is often associated with the employment of civil servants in some countries, where government officials, such as heads of state, have the authority to hire and fire public servants as they see fit. The doctrine of pleasure is rooted in historical and legal traditions and is prevalent in various administrative and constitutional systems.

7. Way forward

“There shall be a President of India”, says Article 52 of the Constitution, and explains, in the next Article, his role and position: “The executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with this Constitution.”

Source: Indianexpress

HOUTHIS

Two Indians and a Pakistani were killed and six other people including two Indians were injured in an attack by suspected drones on three petroleum tankers at an oil facility in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday.

The attack was claimed by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen. Indians were not the target of the attack. Brig Gen Yahya Sare’e, the Houthi military spokesman, tweeted that the “UAE is an unsafe state as long as its aggressive escalation against Yemen continues”.

 

2. Who are Houthis?

• "The Houthis, a prominent clan affiliated with the Zaidi Shia sect, have their origins in Yemen's northwestern Saada province. The Zaidis constitute approximately 35 percent of Yemen's population.
• For over a thousand years, the Zaidis held dominion over Yemen until their overthrow in 1962, leading to a protracted civil war that extended until 1970.
• During the 1980s, the Houthi clan began a resurgence of the Zaidi tradition in response to the rising influence of the Salafists, who received support from the state.
• In 2004, the Houthis initiated an insurgent movement against the Yemeni government, adopting the name of Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, a prominent political, military, and religious leader who was assassinated by Yemeni security forces in September of that year. Subsequent years witnessed ongoing conflict between the Houthis and Yemen's Sunni-majority government.
• In 2012, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had served as Yemen's president since 1990 and earlier as the president of pre-unified North Yemen from 1978, was compelled to resign in the wake of the Arab Spring protests. He was succeeded by his vice-president, Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
• In 2015, Saleh allied himself with the Houthis against Hadi, resulting in the insurgency capturing Sana'a. President Hadi fled to Aden and later sought refuge in Saudi Arabia, where he continues to reside for the most part.
• However, in 2017, Saleh severed his ties with the Houthis and joined forces with their adversaries, including the Saudis, the UAE, and President Hadi. In December of that year, Saleh was assassinated."

3. How did the UAE and Saudi Arabia get involved in the war?

• "In March of 2015, shortly after Hadi's removal from power, a coalition consisting of nine nations and led by Saudi Arabia, with logistical and intelligence support provided by the United States, initiated an aerial campaign against the Houthi forces.
• These airstrikes aimed to bolster Hadi's troops, who were attempting to retake control of Sana'a from the Houthi faction. Nonetheless, at the core of this intervention was the underlying power struggle in the region, pitting Saudi Arabia against Iran.
• Both Riyadh and Western nations believed that the Houthi group received military and financial backing from the Iranian regime.
• Saudi Arabia, due to its extensive 1,300-kilometer border with Yemen, initially asserted that the conflict would conclude within a few months.
• However, progress by the coalition has been limited, resulting in a prolonged stalemate, with the Houthi faction retaining control over Sana'a and a dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in Yemen.
• Since 2015, the nature of the conflict has constantly evolved, with various factions switching allegiances among the Saudi-supported Popular Resistance Committees, Iran-backed groups, and an array of Islamist militants, including those associated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State."

4.Way forward

More than the UAE, it is Saudi Arabia that has been in the crosshairs of the Houthis. Since 2015, they have repeatedly fired missiles and mortar at Saudi military and civilian facilities including airports and oil facilities, and killed many Saudi soldiers. Over the last year, the two sides have been engaged in a tense battle to capture the Marib province, which is the government’s only remaining stronghold in northern Yemen, and houses vast oil and gas infrastructure.

 

Source: Indianexpress

US-ISRAEL

 

1. Context

Within days of the October 7 attack by Hamas inside Israel, killing at least 1,400 people, President Joe Biden travelled to Israel to declare solidarity with the Jewish state. Mr. Biden described Hamas as “unadulterated evil” and stated that America “stands with Israel”.

 

2.Origins of US-Israel relationships

The relationship between the United States and Israel has deep historical roots, and several factors have contributed to its development

 

Key Aspects about Origin of US-Israel relationships:

• The United States and Israel share common values, such as democracy and a commitment to religious freedom. Many Americans have long supported the establishment of a Jewish homeland in the historical land of Israel, in part due to biblical ties and historical sympathies
• The horrors of the Holocaust during World War II had a profound impact on public opinion in the United States and around the world. The idea of a Jewish homeland gained significant support in the aftermath of the war, leading to the recognition of the State of Israel in 1948
• On May 14, 1948, President Harry S. Truman officially recognized the State of Israel just moments after its declaration of independence. Truman's decision was influenced by both personal convictions and domestic political considerations
• The United States saw strategic interests in supporting a stable and democratic Israel in the Middle East. This included countering Soviet influence in the region and maintaining a reliable ally in a volatile part of the world
• The United States has provided substantial military and economic aid to Israel over the years, further cementing the relationship. This support has continued to the present day, making Israel one of the largest recipients of U.S. foreign aid.
• The two countries established full diplomatic relations in 1949, and the United States has consistently supported Israel in international forums, including the United Nations.
• The U.S. relationship with Israel has been influenced by various domestic factors, including the role of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in lobbying for pro-Israel policies, and the strong support for Israel among certain segments of the American population
• The United States has also played a significant role in mediating peace efforts in the Middle East, including the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt and the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization

3. Current Status of US-Israel ties

• The United States and Israel share strong historical and economic connections, with the U.S. consistently backing Israel since the 1960s in economic terms.
• In terms of economic ties, the U.S. stands as Israel's primary trade partner, engaging in annual bilateral trade valued at nearly $50 billion, covering a wide range of goods and services.
• This trade relationship encompasses important sectors like pharmaceuticals, technology, and raw minerals. Various treaties and agreements, such as the 1985 U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA), serve to cement and enhance these economic ties.
• Moreover, the United States has established cooperation agreements with Israel across areas like energy, space, and transportation, further strengthening their economic collaboration.
• In terms of foreign aid, Israel stands as the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid, having received substantial assistance.
• Up until February 2022, the U.S. had provided Israel with a non-inflation-adjusted total of $150 billion in bilateral assistance. As part of this support, the U.S. is also sending two U.S. Iron Dome systems to Israel to reinforce air defense capabilities, safeguarding citizens from rocket attacks.
• Beyond these economic and security ties, the U.S. has shown support for the establishment of a Jewish state since World War II. Israelis have looked to the United States for various forms of support, including political inspiration, financial assistance, military aid, and diplomatic backing.

4.Were there any tensions between US and ISrael at any point of time?

Tensions have arisen at various points in the relationship between the United States and Israel, primarily due to differences in policy, strategic interests, and regional dynamics. It's important to note that the relationship between the two countries is generally strong and characterized by extensive cooperation in areas such as security, intelligence sharing, and economic ties. Israel is considered one of the United States' closest allies in the Middle East

 

The following are considerable Instances:

• One of the most enduring sources of tension has been the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
• The U.S. government, at times, has criticized Israel for its settlement construction, which it sees as an obstacle to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Differences in approach and rhetoric regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have occasionally strained the relationship.
• Disagreements over the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), have also created tensions.
• The Obama administration negotiated the JCPOA in 2015, and it aimed to curb Iran's nuclear program.
• Israel was strongly opposed to the deal, and this created friction with the U.S. government at the time. Subsequent administrations, including the Trump administration, took different approaches to the JCPOA, which continued to affect the U.S.-Israel relationship.
• While the United States provides substantial military and financial aid to Israel, there have been occasional disputes over specific arms sales or security assistance packages. These disputes often revolve around concerns about the potential impact on regional stability or U.S. strategic interests
• The U.S. and Israel do not always see eye to eye on various regional and international issues. These differences in policy and priorities can lead to tensions. For example, differences in approach to the Syrian civil war or the Israeli government's stance on the peace process with the Palestinians have caused tensions at times.

5. Way forward

The overall relationship between the United States and Israel remains strong, with extensive cooperation in many areas, including military, intelligence, and economic matters. The two countries share common democratic values and have a long history of working together. The level of support for Israel in the United States, both within the government and among the American public, remains high.

 

Source: The Hindu