Date: 25th March
Election Commission ‘Sealed’, Media ‘Gagged’?: Why Was Peek TV’s Kerala-EC Post Deleted?
The Fact: The Election Commission of India found itself in murky waters after one of its letters in poll-bound Kerala was found carrying the seal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While the ECI claimed it to be a "clerical error," the BJP's follow-up on the incident poses many questions.
The Context: Soon after the letter went viral on the internet, many independent journalists as well as digital news platforms reported on the incident. However, many such posts and videos reporting the issue were removed from platforms like X and Instagram, citing government orders. Even one of Peek TV's posts was restricted in India for several hours under the IT Act.
The Peek Insight: Even if one goes by the Election Commission’s ‘clerical error’ justification, the central government’s takedown of factual reporting on the issue raises serious questions. While many serious doubts have already been raised about the relationship between the ECI and the BJP government, this incident is more than just bad optics for the poll body in peak election season. Amid allegations of vote-chori and mass ‘disenfranchisement’ through the SIR, a BJP seal on an election commission document does little to reinstate voters’ faith in the institution.
Indians Can No Longer Self-Identify As Trans, Third Gender Now State-Sanctioned
The Fact: The proposed amendments to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act were passed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and are now set to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha. The bill aims to replace a person's right of self-identification of gender with a narrow, biology-based definition. It also involves the state to certify a trans person's gender identity.
The Context: The government argues that the 2019 law is “vague” and can make it difficult for those who are "genuinely oppressed" to avail themselves of its benefits. However, these amendments contradict the landmark NALSA v. Union of India judgment, where the Supreme Court upheld the right of an individual to self-identify their gender without any medical or state interventions. Activists warn that increasing the state's role in a person's identity could create barriers for transgender individuals seeking legal recognition and acceptance in a society already hostile to gender and sexual minorities.
The Peek Insight: The government has conflated transgender with intersex identities in its new definition. Gender is about identity, not biology, and the government kills this idea, according to experts. Moving away from self-identification will give control of one's identity to the State. And when the State becomes the gatekeeper of something as fundamental as gender, it's the freedom to identity of a person that is curtailed. When the very people for whom the government claims to be bringing this bill for are out on the streets protesting against it, it’s worth asking, will this actually benefit anyone?
Harish’s Death Marks The Birth Of A New Age Of Dignified Endings
The Fact: Harish Rana, who was India’s first individual to receive the legal approval for passive euthanasia, passed away on March 24 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The 31-year-old had been in a vegetative state since 2013 after he fell during his time as a student at Panjab University. He was dependent on life support for over a decade.
The Context: On March 11, 2026, the Supreme Court of India finally allowed passive euthanasia to Rana after consistent requests from his parents. After this verdict, Rana was shifted to AIIMS, where a medical team oversaw the gradual withdrawal of his life support under strict protocols to ensure dignity in death.
The Peek Insight: This case has reopened one of the most complex ethical debates in medicine and law: the right to die with dignity. Supporters of euthanasia argue that just as individuals have a right to live, they should also have the right to choose death when life no longer meets a basic threshold of dignity or quality. While such decisions can strengthen patient autonomy, they also raise difficult questions around safeguards, consent, and the role of families and the state. At the same time, a deeper question emerges: should passive euthanasia be limited only to those suffering from severe physical conditions, or should it extend to mental health cases as well, as seen in countries like Belgium?
Food Delivery Gets Costlier: Swiggy Joins Zomato in Hiking Platform Fee
The Fact: Swiggy has increased its platform fee to ₹17.58 per order (inclusive of GST), up from ₹14.99, marking an almost 17% hike. As per the company, the revised fee is aimed at supporting operational and platform maintenance costs.
The Context: Swiggy's move comes weeks after rival Zomato also raised its platform fee amid broader cost pressures, due to the global disruptions. Zomato had hiked its platform fee from ₹12.50 to ₹14.90. Considering that these apps reportedly fulfil over 2 million orders every day, even a small increase in the fee can significantly boost their revenue.
The Peek Insight: The US-Iran war is hurting common people in India, with everyday essentials getting more expensive. The price rise that started with LPG, flight tickets, and industrial diesel has now trickled down to online food deliveries. With hostilities continuing and the Indian currency falling to record lows almost every day since the start of the war, the inflation pressure on Indian households is expected to increase from here.
India’s Air Improves Slightly, But Her Cities Still Rank Among the World’s Most Polluted
The Fact: India has been ranked the 6th most polluted country in the world in the 2025 World Air Quality Report by IQAir, improving marginally from last year. However, UP’s Loni has emerged as the world’s most polluted city, with PM2.5 levels at 112.5 µg/m³. Five Indian cities, including Delhi and Ghaziabad, feature in the global top 10.
The Context: While India moved down one rank globally, indicating a slight improvement amid citizens’s protest, overall pollution levels remain critically high. Countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh continue to rank worse, but India’s urban pollution crisis persists. Cities like Loni have seen worsening air quality, with pollution levels rising significantly compared to last year. Public pressure, especially during peak winter smog periods, has intensified calls for action.
The Peek Insight: This is a case of marginal improvement, and not real progress. The report shows that the government is spending a major chunk of its air pollution budgets on measures that hardly target pollutants at their source. This shows how government action may be misdirected in its fight against what has been described as one of India’s most pressing economic and health challenges. India’s ranking may have improved on paper, but the continued dominance of its cities in global pollution charts shows the crisis is far from under control.
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