Daily Current Affairs — 4 February 2026
4 articles • UPSC Prelims & Mains
Death Penalty in India
Context According to an annual report on capital punishment published by Square Circle Clinic at NALSAR University of Law, the Supreme Court of India has not confirmed a single death sentence in the past three years, reflecting a highly restrictive approach toward capital punishment. Key Findings of the Report Lower Courts Continue to Impose Death Sentences: Sessions Courts imposed 1,310 death sentences between 2016 and 2025, including 128 sentences in 2025 alone, despite growing skepticism at h
Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026
In News The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, superseding the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026 The rules have been notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and will come into full effect from April 1, 2026. The rules provide for the levy of environmental compensation based on the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle for non-compliance, including cases of operating witho
Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS)
In Context A recent controversy erupted over alleged misuse of MPLADS funds and critics demanding the scheme should be discontinued. Critical Arguments for Scrapping the Scheme Critics, including the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), have argued for its discontinuation based on: Breach of Separation of Powers: The scheme allows legislators (MPs) to perform executive functions (deciding on specific local projects). This blurs the line between the legislature and the executive.
Supreme Court Slams Meta, WhatsApp Over Privacy Policy
In Context The Supreme Court of India strongly cautioned WhatsApp and its parent company Meta for surveillance capitalism model and breaching the right to privacy of Indian users through data sharing and commercial exploitation. Background In 2021, WhatsApp updated its terms of service, mandating that users share metadata with its parent company, Meta (then Facebook). Unlike the European Union, where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) prevented such a move, Indian users were given a t