Current Affairs for 25 June 2026

Mahadev Koli Tribe: Traditional Environmental Protector Community of the Western Ghats

Why in the News?

• Climate change and environmental protection are major global concerns today. However, the Mahadev Koli tribe, living in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, has been setting an excellent example of environmental protection and climate adaptation for centuries, living a life in harmony with nature.
• The tribe's traditional knowledge system holds special significance in understanding climate change, the use of medicinal plants, and the sustainable management of natural resources.

About the Mahadev Koli Tribe

• The Mahadev Koli or Mahadev Koli is a major sub-tribe of the Koli community, primarily residing in Maharashtra and Goa. The community is named after their deity, Lord Mahadev (Shiva). They are primarily located in the Mahadev mountainous region of Maharashtra and in the districts of Pune, Ahmednagar, and Nashik.
• The Mahadev Koli community has been granted Scheduled Tribe status by the Government of India. The community speaks Marathi and uses the Devanagari script.

 Social Structure

• The Mahadev Koli community comprises 24 exogamous clans, or gotras. Members of each clan adopt their clan name as their surname. Socially and culturally, their lifestyle bears strong resemblance to the Kunbi and Maratha communities of Maharashtra. Most families live in a nuclear family system.

Traditional Livelihood

• Historically, the Mahadev Koli community was known as hunter-gatherers and warriors. Currently, their primary livelihood is agriculture and animal husbandry.
• The community primarily cultivates the following crops :
  • Rice
  • Ragi or Finger Millet
  • Sanwa or Barnyard Millet
  • Wheat
• Additionally, they are engaged in animal husbandry and dairy production, which form an important part of their rural economy.
  

Traditional Knowledge and Environmental Conservation

• The Mahadev Koli tribe possesses deep knowledge of local flora and medicinal plants.
• This knowledge, passed down from generation to generation, enables them to sustainably utilize natural resources.
• Their traditional understanding of weather cycles, rainfall patterns, and biodiversity conservation is considered relevant even today.

Religious Beliefs

• The Mahadev Koli community primarily follows Folk Hinduism. Each clan or tribe has its own clan deity, whose worship is an important part of the community's religious and cultural life.

Contribution to History

• The history of the Mahadev Koli community is steeped in a glorious tradition of valor and struggle.
• Tanaji Malusare, the famous general of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, belonged to this community.
• His unparalleled courage and sacrifice in the Battle of Sinhagad, fought in 1670, are immortalized in Indian history.

Conclusion

The Mahadev Koli tribe is not just a tribal community, but a living example of living in harmony with nature. Their traditional knowledge systems, environmental conservation practices, and cultural heritage offer important lessons for sustainable development and climate adaptation in today's times.

Investment in the care economy could create 300 million new jobs: UN Women

Why in the News?

• UN Women has stated that investing in care systems is not only a social necessity but also crucial for economic development and gender equality.
• According to the organization, investing in the care sector can create millions of new jobs, strengthen economies, and reduce the unequal burden of unpaid care work on women and girls.

Care Work: The Invisible Foundation of the Economy

• According to UN Women, care work-whether paid or unpaid—is the "invisible foundation" of society and the economy. Yet, this work is often undervalued, and its burden falls disproportionately on women and girls.
• The organization estimates that approximately 350 million children worldwide require childcare services. The number of people in need of care is expected to increase from 210 million in 2015 to 230 million by 2030. The need for investment in this sector is constantly increasing due to the growing ageing population and increasing demand for care.

Women bear the heaviest burden

• According to the report, women and girls spend approximately two and a half times more time per day on unpaid care work than men. Globally, 708 million working-age women (approximately 45 percent) are excluded from the labor market due to caregiving responsibilities alone. In contrast, this figure for men is only 5 percent.
• If unpaid care work is economically valued, it can contribute up to 40 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in some countries. This demonstrates the critical role this work plays in the economy, even though it is not formally recognized.

The Care Sector Has Huge Employment Potential

• UN Women states that investments in the care sector can generate two to three times more jobs than those in the construction sector. It estimates that if governments and the private sector invest adequately in this area, approximately 300 million new decent jobs could be created by 2035.
• The organization also states that investments in the care sector are more environmentally friendly. They can be approximately 30 percent less polluting than investments in the construction sector.

Women also dominate paid care work

• Nearly two-thirds of workers in care sectors such as healthcare, childcare, and domestic work are women. Globally, 80 percent of paid domestic workers are women. Despite this, most women face low wages, unsafe working conditions, and a lack of social protection.
• According to the report, approximately 90 percent of domestic workers worldwide lack basic services such as social security and social insurance.

Increasing Pressure from Climate Change and Conflict

• UN Women warns that climate change, natural disasters, and conflict are putting additional strain on care systems. These crises have the greatest impact on women and girls, who spend nearly four times more time than men engaged in unpaid care work in such circumstances.

Transform Care Initiative

• UN Women's "Transform Care Initiative" is striving to strengthen health and care systems in more than 50 countries. The initiative aims to reach approximately 2.9 million women and girls, create 260 million decent jobs for women, and save 10 trillion hours of women's and girls' time by 2035.

Conclusion

UN Women believes that investing in equitable and inclusive care systems is one of the most effective ways to advance gender equality, economic prosperity, and social resilience. Amid growing care needs, governments and the private sector must increase investment in this sector to promote women's economic empowerment and sustainable development.

Doctrine of Constructive Res Judicata – A Principle Ensuring Finality of Judicial Decisions

Why in News ?

Recently, the Supreme Court reiterated that the doctrine of Constructive Res Judicata aims to prevent parties from engaging in repetitive or piecemeal litigation on issues arising from the same dispute and to ensure finality in judicial proceedings.

What is Res Judicata ?

• Res Judicata is a Latin term that means “a matter that has already been adjudicated.” 
• The principle evolved from the English Common Law system. 
• According to this doctrine, once a competent court has delivered a final judgment on a dispute, the same parties cannot re-litigate the same issue. 
• In India, the principle is embodied in Section 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC), 1908. 
• Its objective is to conserve judicial resources and prevent repetitive litigation over the same matter. 

What is Constructive Res Judicata ?

• It is an extension of the principle of Res Judicata. 
• It applies to issues that could have been raised or ought to have been raised in an earlier suit but were not. 
• In such cases, the law deems that the issue was also part of the earlier proceedings and has already been decided. 
• Therefore, a fresh suit on that issue cannot be instituted subsequently. 

Legal Basis

• The doctrine is incorporated under Explanation IV to Section 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. 
• It is also associated with Order II Rule 2 of the CPC. 

Explanation IV states:

"Any matter which might and ought to have been made a ground of defence or attack in the former suit shall be deemed to have been a matter directly and substantially in issue in such suit."

Essential Conditions

For the doctrine of Constructive Res Judicata to apply :

1. The parties in both proceedings must be the same. 
2. The cause of action or the subject matter of both proceedings must be identical. 
3. The issue raised in the subsequent proceeding could have been raised in the earlier proceeding. 
4. The earlier proceeding must have been finally decided by a competent court. 
5. The earlier decision must have been rendered on merits. 

Illustration

• Suppose a person files a suit claiming ownership of a piece of land but does not raise a claim regarding possession of the same property. 
• Later, if that person files another suit seeking possession of the land, even though such a claim could have been raised in the earlier suit, the court may dismiss the subsequent suit on the ground of Constructive Res Judicata. 

Important Judicial Decisions

1. Kameswar Pershad v. Rajkumari Ruttun Koer (1892)

• This case first clearly established the principle that issues which could have been raised in an earlier proceeding cannot be raised subsequently. 

2. Daryao v. State of Uttar Pradesh

• The Supreme Court held that finality of judicial decisions is an essential component of the Constitution and the rule of law. 

3. State of Uttar Pradesh v. Nawab Hussain

• The Court observed that if a party fails to raise an important ground in the earlier proceeding, it cannot subsequently raise the same issue in a fresh proceeding. 

4. Forward Construction Co. v. Prabhat Mandal

• The Supreme Court clarified that the doctrine may also apply to writ petitions. 

Significance

• Reduces the burden on courts. 
• Prevents repeated litigation over the same dispute. 
• Ensures certainty and finality of judicial decisions. 
• Prevents abuse of the judicial process. 
• Makes the administration of justice more efficient and effective. 

Conclusion

• The Doctrine of Constructive Res Judicata is an important principle of the legal system that ensures that parties do not abuse judicial proceedings by deliberately presenting their claims or arguments in different stages. 
• It strengthens judicial efficiency, fairness, and finality of decisions, while reinforcing the Rule of Law.

Sahariya Tribe: History, Culture, PVTG Status and Key Facts

Why in News ?

• Recently, the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, interacted with members of the Sahariya tribe at Kuno National Park. 

Tribal Identity

• The Sahariya are recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) by the Government of India due to their socio-economic vulnerability. 
• They are primarily concentrated in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. 
• They are also known by names such as Seher, Sair, Savar, Saonar, and Sahra in different regions. 
• The term "Sahariya" is believed to be derived from the Persian word 'Sehra', meaning forest or wilderness, reflecting their traditional forest-based lifestyle. 

Social and Cultural Features

• Their traditional settlements are known as Seharana. 
• Their famous folk dance, Saharia Swang, is performed during the Holi festival and depicts themes from mythology and everyday life. 
• Traditional musical instruments used in the dance include the dhol, nagari, and matki. 
• They mainly practise Hinduism, blended with animistic beliefs, including the worship of nature, ancestors, and local deities. 
• The community is divided into several sub-groups, including Jati, Arsi, Muli, Kindal, and Kumbi. 

Economic Activities

• The Sahariya primarily depend on forest produce, wage labour, and small-scale agriculture for their livelihood. 
• They cultivate small landholdings, mainly growing rain-fed crops such as millets, pulses, and maize. 
• They are traditionally skilled in producing catechu (katha) from Khair trees, a product widely used in betel leaf preparation and traditional medicine. 
• Collection and sale of minor forest produce such as mahua flowers, tendu leaves, honey, gum, and medicinal plants also form an important source of income.