What’s in Today’s Article?

• India’s Prison Conditions Latest News
• Background
• The UK Court Verdict and Its Implications
• Troubling Precedents from Indian Jails
• India Justice Report 2025: Key Findings
• Challenges to India’s Extradition Strategy
• Conclusion
• India’s Prison Conditions FAQs

India’s Prison Conditions Latest News

• Former Supreme Court Justice Madan B. Lokur warned that extraditions will be difficult until conditions are improved in Indian prisons.

Background

• India’s ambition to bring back economic fugitives like Mehul Choksi is facing growing scrutiny due to the deteriorating conditions in Indian prisons. 
• At the release of the India Justice Report 2025, former Supreme Court Judge and current Chair of the UN Internal Justice Council, Justice Madan B. Lokur, expressed grave concern over the impact of poor prison infrastructure on India’s global legal reputation. 
• Highlighting a recent UK court decision that denied an extradition to India, he underscored the urgent need for systemic reforms in the country’s criminal justice framework.

The UK Court Verdict and Its Implications

• Justice Lokur referenced the UK appellate court’s denial to extradite Sanjay Bhandari, a defence consultant wanted in India for tax evasion and money laundering. 
• The rejection was based on India's inability to assure humane conditions in its jails, especially Tihar Jail in Delhi. 
• The court also highlighted a lack of concrete assurances from the Indian government despite multiple requests. 
• This ruling, according to Justice Lokur, will have lasting consequences on over 100 pending extradition requests from Indian authorities worldwide.

Troubling Precedents from Indian Jails

• The UK judgement cited several incidents that question the safety and oversight of Indian prisons:
  • Christian Michel, accused in the AgustaWestland scam, declined bail preferring imprisonment over restrictive bail conditions, shedding light on how even accused individuals perceive the harsh prison environment.
  • Tillu Tajpuria, an inmate at Tihar, was publicly beaten to death in full view of CCTV and passive prison guards.
  • Jagtar Johal and Ankit Gujjar also met tragic ends in custody, adding to the list of custodial deaths that challenge India’s human rights commitments.

India Justice Report 2025: Key Findings

• Released alongside Justice Lokur’s remarks, the India Justice Report 2025 offers data-driven insights into the systemic issues plaguing India’s judiciary, police, prisons, and legal aid sectors.
• Police Force
  • There is just one civil police officer for every 831 citizens.
  • 17% of police stations lack CCTV surveillance.
  • 30% of police stations do not have a women's help desk.
  • Reserved quotas for women in police are unmet in all States/UTs.
• Prisons
  • Uttar Pradesh houses the most overcrowded prisons.
  • Delhi’s jails comprise 91% under-trials, highlighting delayed justice.
  • Gujarat reported the highest vacancies in High Court judges and staff.
• Judiciary and Legal Aid
  • Bihar’s lower courts have 71% of cases pending for over three years.
  • The per capita spending: ₹182 on judiciary, ₹57 on prisons, and a mere ₹6 on legal aid.
  • No State in India allocates more than 1% of its total budget to the judiciary.

Challenges to India’s Extradition Strategy

• India’s ability to bring back fugitives like Mehul Choksi is increasingly being challenged not just on legal grounds but on humanitarian concerns. 
• The European and North American courts, adhering to strict human rights standards, are unlikely to entertain Indian requests unless substantial improvements are made in:
  • Infrastructure (including access to healthcare and hygiene),
  • Monitoring systems (CCTV reliability and oversight),
  • Accountability of prison staff.

Conclusion

• India’s global image as a democratic and rights-abiding nation hinges not only on the strength of its judiciary but also on the conditions in which its justice is delivered. 
• As Justice Lokur notes, unless prisons are reformed and humane conditions are guaranteed, India’s extradition goals and its standing in international law forums will continue to suffer.

India’s Prison Conditions FAQs

Q1. Why did the UK deny the extradition of Sanjay Bhandari to India?

Ans. Due to concerns over unsafe prison conditions and risk of torture in Indian jails, particularly Tihar.

Q2. What are some incidents cited against Indian jail safety?

Ans. Custodial deaths of Tillu Tajpuria and Ankit Gujjar, and harsh conditions leading Christian Michel to reject bail.

Q3. What does the India Justice Report 2025 reveal about Indian prisons?

Ans. Overcrowding, high under-trial populations, lack of CCTV, and staff apathy are widespread.

Q4. What impact will this have on future extraditions?

Ans. India risks rejection of over 100 pending extradition requests if it doesn’t improve prison conditions.

Q5. What is the current spending on legal aid and prison infrastructure in India?

Ans. Only ₹6 per capita for legal aid and ₹57 for prisons, showing poor prioritization of justice infrastructure.

Source: TH

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Birth and Death Registration in India Latest News
• Gaps in Registration
• Responsibility for Registration Under the Civil Registration System (CRS)
• Centralised Portal for Birth and Death Registration
• Concerns Raised by the RGI
• Vital Statistics Report Not Published Since 2020
• Birth and Death Registration in India FAQs

Birth and Death Registration in India Latest News

• Recently, the Registrar General of India (RGI), under the Union Home Ministry, issued a circular directing private and government hospitals to report births and deaths within 21 days. 
• The move came after it was found that many medical institutions were violating this legal requirement, prompting action by the Vital Statistics division.

Gaps in Registration

• The Registrar General of India (RGI) issued a circular on March 17 noting that around 10% of births and deaths in India are still not registered. 
• While 90% registration has been achieved, the goal of 100% universal registration remains unmet.

Progress Since 2011

• According to the RGI, the registration level in 2011 was 82.4% for births and 66.4% for deaths, indicating significant progress over the years.

Legal Provisions and Penalties

• The Registration of Birth and Death (RBD) Act, 1969—amended in 2023—makes it mandatory to register all births and deaths. 
• Under Section 23(2), registrars who are negligent in performing their duties may face fines, which have been increased from ₹50 to up to ₹1,000.

Responsibility for Registration Under the Civil Registration System (CRS)

• Under the Civil Registration System (CRS), governed by the Registrar General of India (RGI), government hospitals act as registrars for births and deaths. 
• Private hospitals are required to report such events to the designated registrar so that certificates can be issued to the families.

Role of State Authorities and Departments

• The RBD Act empowers the RGI to coordinate with Chief Registrars appointed by State governments. 
• Registration duties vary across States:
  • Health Departments manage registration in States/UTs like Assam, Chandigarh, Haryana, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
  • Panchayat Departments handle it in Kerala.
  • Directorate of Economics and Statistics manages it in Bihar.

Centralised Digital Registration System

• Following the 2023 amendment to the RBD Act (effective from October 1, 2023), all births and deaths in India must be digitally registered through the Centre’s Civil Registration System portal. 
• Chief Registrars and Registrars are mandated to share this data with the Central database maintained by the RGI.

Centralised Portal for Birth and Death Registration

• From October 1, 2023, all births and deaths in India must be registered digitally through a central portal. 
• This ensures uniformity, transparency, and seamless integration across government services.

Digital Birth Certificate as a Key Document

• The digital birth certificate is now the sole official document to prove date of birth for various purposes, including:
  • School admissions
  • Government job applications
  • Marriage registration
  • Obtaining passports and Aadhaar

Integration with National Databases

• The data from the central portal will be used to update key records such as:
  • National and State Population Registers (NPR)
  • Ration cards
  • Property registrations
  • Electoral rolls

Foundation for NPR and NRC

• The centralized registration system feeds into the National Population Register (NPR), which has a database of 119 crore residents. 
• The NPR, updated in 2015, is seen as a precursor to the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
• Each resident’s information is linked through a unique registration number, connecting documents like Aadhaar and birth certificates — starting from birth, thereby creating a unified digital identity trail.

Concerns Raised by the RGI

• Delayed Registration by Hospitals
  • The RGI observed that some hospitals delay the registration process, waiting for family members to approach them instead of registering birth or death events proactively.
• Non-Compliance by Private Hospitals
  • Several private hospitals have been found to completely avoid reporting such events to the designated registrar. 
  • Instead, they direct families to handle the registration themselves, violating legal obligations.
• Lack of Citizen-Friendly Services
  • The RGI also flagged that some registrars fail to make the registration process user-friendly. 
  • It emphasized the need for timely issuance of birth and death certificates, ideally within seven days of the event.

Vital Statistics Report Not Published Since 2020

• The Vital Statistics of India report, which provides key national-level data on infant mortality, stillbirths, and deaths, has not been published since 2020. 
• This delay hampers the government’s ability to conduct effective socio-economic planning and evaluate social sector programs.

Importance of the Report

• Compiled from State-level data, the report is crucial for public health planning and assessing the impact of various welfare schemes. 
• It acts as a foundational document for health-related policy-making in India.

Status of State-Level Reporting

• While several States and UTs like Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi, Chandigarh, Mizoram, Goa, and Arunachal Pradesh have released their reports till 2022, Kerala’s last available report is from 2021. 
• Mizoram is the only State to have released its report for 2023.

Trends in Registered Births (2020 Report)

• According to the last published report (2020):
  • Registered births dropped from 2.48 crore in 2019 to 2.42 crore in 2020, a decline of about 2.4%.
  • Most States saw a dip in registered births, except Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.
  • Interestingly, the level of Death registration increased from 76.4 lakh in 2019 to 81.2 lakh in 2020.

Birth and Death Registration in India FAQs

Q1. What is the Civil Registration System (CRS) in India?

Ans. The CRS records all births and deaths, with designated hospitals and registrars responsible under the Registrar General of India (RGI).

Q2. Why was a centralized portal launched for registration?

Ans. The centralized portal ensures digital, uniform registration of births and deaths and integrates with databases like NPR, Aadhaar, and electoral rolls.

Q3. What are RGI’s concerns about registration delays?

Ans. Hospitals delay registrations or avoid reporting; registrars often fail to offer user-friendly, timely services for citizens.

Q4. What legal changes were made under the RBD Act 2023?

Ans. The amended Act mandates digital registration and increases penalties for non-compliance by registrars and medical institutions.

Q5. Why is the Vital Statistics Report important?

Ans. It provides national data on births and deaths, essential for policy, planning, and evaluating social sector programs and health outcomes.

Source: TH | CRS

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Rare Earth Elements (REEs) Latest News
• Rare Earth Elements (REEs)
• Global Supply Crunch Looms
• Limited Impact on India
• US Pushes for Deep-Sea Mining to Cut China Dependence
• Rare Earth Elements (REEs) FAQs

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) Latest News

• China has effectively halted global exports of key rare earth elements (REEs) and magnets, including yttrium and dysprosium, following its April 4 announcement in retaliation to U.S. tariffs. 
• While the move targets the U.S., the absence of a licensing regime has disrupted shipments to all countries, impacting industries reliant on REEs like defense, aviation, and electronics.

Rare Earth Elements (REEs)

• Rare Earth Elements are a group of 17 chemically similar elements, including 15 lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium. 
• Despite their name, they are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust but are rarely found in concentrated, economically exploitable forms.

Significance of REEs

• Critical for Modern Technology
  • REEs are essential in the manufacturing of high-tech devices like smartphones, electric vehicles, wind turbines, LED lights, and flat-screen TVs.
• Defense and Aerospace Use
  • They are used in precision-guided missiles, jet engines, radar systems, and other military equipment.
• Green Energy Transition
  • Vital for clean energy technologies such as solar panels, batteries, and permanent magnets in wind turbines and electric vehicles.
• Strategic Importance
  • Due to their wide applications and limited global suppliers (especially China’s dominance), REEs are considered strategically important for national security and economic stability.

Challenges

• Mining and refining are environmentally damaging.
• Global supply is heavily concentrated, with China refining over 85% of REEs, creating vulnerability for other nations.

Global Supply Crunch Looms

• With China producing the majority of the world’s rare earth elements (REEs), the current export halt is expected to spark a global supply crunch, particularly impacting the U.S., Japan, Vietnam, and Germany. 
• While some Japanese firms are better prepared with over a year’s inventory, the disruption echoes China's 2010 export ban during a territorial dispute.

China’s History of Weaponizing REEs

• Experts note that China has repeatedly used REE exports as a geopolitical tool — first in 2010 against Japan, and more recently from 2023 to 2025, restricting exports of key strategic materials like gallium, germanium, graphite, and tungsten to the U.S.

Self-Reliance Still a Distant Goal

• Countries are working to reduce reliance on China by developing domestic REE capabilities.
• However, experts caution that breaking free will be difficult due to China’s dominance in refining technologies critical for processing rare earths.

Limited Impact on India

• India is expected to face minimal disruption from China’s REE export curbs due to its relatively low domestic consumption, despite a gradual rise in demand.

Import Trends and Sources

• India imported 2,270 tonnes of rare earths in 2023–24, marking a 23% increase from 2019–20. 
• About 65% of these imports came from China and 10% from Hong Kong.

Domestic Capacity Still Modest

• India’s domestic REE production is limited, led by state-run IREL Ltd, which operates a facility with an annual capacity of over 10,000 tonnes—significantly lower than China’s 2 lakh tonnes refined in 2023.

US Pushes for Deep-Sea Mining to Cut China Dependence

• The Trump administration is drafting an executive order to stockpile rare earth metals from the Pacific seabed, aiming to reduce U.S. reliance on China for critical minerals, including battery materials.

China Opposes Seabed Mining Plans

• China’s foreign ministry has objected to U.S. deep-sea mining initiatives, urging adherence to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and oversight by the International Seabed Authority.

India Explores Andaman Seabed for Rare Earths

• In a parallel move, India launched an auction in November for seven seabed blocks in the Andaman Sea. 
• These blocks are rich in polymetallic nodules and crusts, which may contain valuable heavy rare earth elements.

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) FAQs

Q1. What are rare earth elements (REEs)?

Ans. Rare earth elements are 17 metals essential for electronics, defense, green energy, and modern technology manufacturing.

Q2. Why has China restricted rare earth exports?

Ans. China imposed curbs in retaliation to US tariffs, disrupting global supply due to the lack of a licensing regime.

Q3. How does the REE export ban affect global industries?

Ans. It impacts electronics, defense, and aviation sectors in countries like the US, Japan, Vietnam, and Germany.

Q4. Will India be affected by the rare earth crisis?

Ans. India faces limited impact due to low REE consumption and modest domestic production through IREL Ltd.

Q5. What are the US and India doing in response?

Ans. Both nations are exploring seabed mining to reduce rare earth dependence on China and boost mineral self-reliance.

Source: IE | PAGI