Latest news with #IntensiveRevision
Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Election Commission holding regular dialogue with parties: CEC on criticism from opposition
With opposition parties accusing the Election Commission of ignoring their concerns, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday asserted that the poll panel maintains a regular dialogue with political parties and 5,000 such meetings have been held in the past four months, beginning from the assembly level. Replying to queries from reporters in Firozabad, where he came to attend a private programme, Kumar said that after voters, political parties are the next important stakeholders for the EC. He was asked about the recent criticism from opposition parties, including their allegations that their concerns related to poll-bound Bihar are being overlooked by the EC. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brain tumor has left my son feeling miserable; please help! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo "The Election Commission keeps having a regular dialogue with various political parties. In the last four months, all-party meetings were organised in every assembly constituency, in every district and also with every state chief electoral officer. "In all, 5000 such meetings were held in which 28,000 people, including leaders of political parties, participated." Live Events The CEC said that not only this, the Election Commission itself has been meeting all national and state parties. "Five national parties and four state parties have met. If there is any issue, then all-party delegations also come, and the EC meets them," he said. The Chief Election Commissioner also said that in the electoral process, the voters are the most important, but after them, "our political parties are the most important stakeholders. Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, where assembly elections are due later this year, CEC Gyanesh Kumar said that whoever is in the voter list of 01.01.2003 in Bihar will be considered eligible from the primary point of view under Article 326 of the Constitution. In other words, people whose names are in that list will not be required to submit any supporting documents, and when voter IDs are to be made for their children, they too will not be required to give documents for their parents. The Election Commission has said it will soon upload the 2003 Bihar electoral roll on its website to facilitate the nearly 4.96 crore voters whose names figure on it to extract the relevant portion to be attached with the enumeration form for the special intensive revision of the voters' list. According to the instructions issued by the poll authority to its Bihar poll machinery, the 4.96 crore voters -- 60 per cent of the total electors --- who were listed in the 2003 special intensive revision need not submit any supporting document to establish their date or place or birth except the relevant portion of the electoral roll brought out after the revision. The other three crore -- nearly 40 per cent -- will have to provide one of the 11 listed documents to establish their place or date of birth. "The basic exercise is to identify each and every individual of the remaining three crore voters before their names are included in the list," a functionary explained. Special intensive revision will ensure that no eligible elector is left out of the electoral rolls and no ineligible one is part of it, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had earlier told PTI. Bihar, as of now, has more than 7.89 crore voters spread across 243 assembly seats. Polls in the state are due later this year.
Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
On the ground in Bihar, EC electoral roll revision revives old ghosts, and some new
AHEAD of Friday prayers, Mohd Farukh and his nephew Mohd Dil Nawaz, 20, decide to make a quick dash to a nearby government school in a village on the outskirts of Darbhanga town. They have heard that Bihar's electoral rolls are being revised, and want to find out from 'Madam' what is to be done. However, they return disappointed; the school is locked and there are no teachers around. Back home, a greying Farukh says none of his family members has received the new enrolment forms, nor do they know what to do next. 'This is the latest way to hassle people… Is this not NRC?' The reference is to the BJP-led Central government's plans for a National Register of Citizens. Once linked to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act by the government, leading to protests in 2019, the NRC has since been put on the backburner. However, amid the EC's new — and sudden — requirement that all voters, new and existing, provide documents that are akin to giving citizenship proof, a section of minorities ask if this is 'NRC by the backdoor.' Mohd Akbar, 55, a resident of Misri Ganj in Darbhanga town, says that he and his wife don't figure in the electoral rolls since 2020. To get back, they must produce one of the 11 documents suggested by the EC as part of the Special Intensive Revision exercise. He has none. His one hope is getting his 'vanshavali' or family register made. Mohd Ansar, who works as a driver, has a driving licence and Aadhaar card. But those won't suffice. 'Jhamela hai (It's a problem),' he says, asking how many electors can even run around to put together caste, domicile or family register papers in time. The EC, which started the exercise only on June 28, plans to wrap it up by July 25, and print the draft electoral rolls by August 1. The final one is scheduled for September 30, days ahead of the Assembly polls. Akbar and Ansar, as well as their neighbour Mohd Hafiz, heard about the EC exercise only through their local school teachers, and say they are yet to receive their forms. In a statement on Friday, the EC said its Booth Level Officers (BLOs) had visited nearly 1.5 crore houses and distributed 87% of the enumeration forms, and that 5% of those had been returned filled. 'The remaining houses could be locked, or (belong to) dead electors, or migrants or those who may be travelling,' the EC said, adding that they would expand coverage as the BLOs would visit each house three times. On the ground in Darbhanga, many are yet to be approached by BLOs. Such as Rizwana Khatun. Her other worry is that her husband works in Saudi Arabia. 'What about the forms of those who work abroad?' she asks. Down the road, in Chatra village, Ashok Kumar Yadav is among the lucky ones. Clutching his form, the owner of a ration shop says: 'I just got this. I have to see what all they want.' Yadav fully backs the EC move. 'The government has a right to ask for documents. It is their job to keep us safe. It can't be the case that there are no illegal immigrants in Bihar.' In Simri village as well, the EC's drive finds some support, coupled with caution. A government school teacher, Mohd Irshad, says: 'Change is the law of nature. In the beginning, people will face some trouble, but the process will settle down.' However, he adds, the EC should have given the voters more time to provide the required documents. He has all the papers, Irshad adds, as 'I started looking for my family's pre-1965 documents when the NRC was being proposed.' Yet, he admits: 'Dar to sabhi ko lagta hai (Who is not scared)?' While the EC conducts annual special summary revisions, it has said that it is after 2003 that it is holding a Special Intensive Revision, keeping in mind factors such as migration, urbanisation and potential entry of foreigners into the electoral rolls. As per the EC directive, issued on June 24, the over 7.8 crore existing voters of Bihar hence must submit new enumeration forms. While those who were in the 2003 electoral rolls only have to submit an extract from it as proof, others must provide documents among a list of 11 to prove the date and/or place of birth, which establishes citizenship. The list does not include Aadhaar and ration cards, the most commonly held documents, especially by the poor and marginalised. In a small settlement of the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) Mandal community in Simri, Santosh Kumar Mandal also counts himself as among the fortunate ones; he has his BA degree. Nearly 30 years after he earned it, it may be useful to Mandal, who earns a living as an auto driver. 'So far, no one has come to give us the forms, but we have seen the news,' he says. In another settlement nearby of EBC families, Rajni Devi, 35, says she applied for a caste certificate just a day earlier. 'It usually takes 11-15 days, but the cyber cafe where I applied online said it will be done in two to three days.' The authorities have been instructed to expedite the issue of caste and other certificates needed for the EC exercise. The BLO superviser of the area, Ranjeet Kumar Ram, who has been distributing forms and filling them out for those who need help, says: 'We are trying to find solutions to help the voters. In some cases, if they don't have any documents, we are asking them to get a certificate from their sarpanch.' Once he has collected the forms and documents, Ram must walk some distance to get a cell signal to upload the same. In Ram Chela tola of Simri, Mohan Sahani, who works as a daily wager, says it is by chance that he is home these days. 'I go to Delhi to find work sometimes. Both my sons are there now. Who will feed the family if they come back too? What can we do if their names get cut?' he sighs.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
UPSC Key: Special Intensive Revision, Olive Ridley turtles, and INS Tamal
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for July 4, 2025. If you missed the July 3, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation What's the ongoing story: As per the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls ordered by the Election Commission ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls, residents of the state such as Manjhi whose names did not figure in the 2003 electoral rolls must provide one of 11 documents notified by the EC to prove their 'citizenship'. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the Special Intensive Revision? • What is the purpose of conducting the Special Intensive Revision? • How is it different from the National Register of Citizens (NRC)? • What is the function of the Booth Level Officers (BLOs)? • How is SIR being carried out in Bihar? • What is the constitutional backing for conducting SIR? • Who conducts elections at the state level? What is the role of the state election commission? • What are the concerns related to SIR? • Has the Election Commission conducted Intensive revisions of the electoral roll before? • Understand the role of the Election Commission, the process of conducting elections at the national and state levels Key Takeaways: • Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Gunjiyal told The Indian Express: 'We have sent the new electoral forms to 82% of the BLOs. They have distributed about 72% of the forms (reaching about 5.61 crore of the over 7.8 crore voters). About 3% of the forms have been uploaded on the EC site.' Given that the deadline is less than a month away, that frames the immensity — and what many call impossibility — of the task ahead. • As per the instructions issued by the EC on June 24, just four days before it rolled out the process on the ground, those who were on the electoral rolls in 2003 (when the last such Special Intensive Revision was done) can use the relevant extract from it as proof, while children of those on the 2003 rolls can use their parents' electoral roll extract. That means that all voters 40 and younger (who would not have been 18 in 2003) will have to provide additional documents. • Only those who complete the formalities will be included in the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1, with just over a month to go for the Assembly polls. • The nearly 1 lakh booth level officers (BLOs) and BLO supervisors carrying out the Election Commission's (EC's) 'special intensive revision' of Bihar's electoral rolls will get Rs 6,000 each as an honorarium, according to an EC instruction issued on Thursday. Do You Know: • This 'special intensive revision' of rolls will eventually cover all states and Union Territories, the ECI has said. The process in Bihar, where Assembly elections are due before November, began on Wednesday (June 25), and will end with the publication of the final electoral roll on September 30. • Article 324(1) of the Constitution gives the ECI the power of 'superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of the electoral rolls for, and the conduct of' elections to Parliament and state legislatures. • Under Section 21(3) of The Representation of the People Act, 1950, the ECI 'may at any time… direct a special revision of the electoral roll for any constituency or part of a constituency in such manner as it may think fit'. • The Registration of Electors' Rules, 1960, says the revision of rolls can be carried out 'either intensively or summarily or partly intensively and partly summarily, as the [ECI] may direct'. In an intensive revision, the electoral roll is prepared afresh; in a summary revision, the roll is amended. • Special summary revisions take place every year, and the electoral roll is updated before each Lok Sabha and state Assembly election. Intensive revisions have been carried out in 1952-56, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1983-84, 1987-89, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2003 and 2004. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Yogendra Yadav writes on Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls: An attack on the right to vote 📍With months left for Bihar elections, why Election Commission has asked for electoral rolls to be revised Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (1) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2021) 1. In India, there is no law restricting the candidates from contesting in one Lok Sabha election from three constituencies. 2. In 1991 Lok Sabha Election, Shri Devi Lai contested from three Lok Sabha constituencies. 3. As per the existing rules, if a candidate contests in one Lok Sabha election from many constituencies, his/her party should bear the cost of bye-elections to the constituencies vacated by him/her in the event of him/her winning in all the constituencies. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 2 and 3 only Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: To enhance the quality of democracy in India the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make democracy successful? (UPSC CSE 2017) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment What's the ongoing story: Citing 'critical operational and infrastructural challenges', the Delhi government has asked the Centre's Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to put the fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles 'on hold with immediate effect'. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the role and function of CAQM? • What are the reasons for banning vehicles older than 10 years in Delhi NCR? • What is the contribution of vehicular emissions to air pollution? • What are the causes of air pollution in Delhi? • What are the steps taken by the government to curb air pollution? • Know about the Court rulings related to air pollution Key Takeaways: • The order to stop fuel supply to such vehicles — 10 years or older for diesel vehicles and 15 years or older for petrol vehicles – in the Capital came into effect on July 1. • While 80 vehicles were seized and 98 issued notices on the first day, seven were seized and 78 issued notices on the second day. However, no vehicles were impounded on Thursday —the third day. • The 'end-of-life vehicles' are flagged by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras installed at fuel stations, which scan number plates and match the data against the government's Vahan portal to check for those without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) or those deregistered as 'end-of-life'. • In 2018, the Supreme Court had banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. Do You Know: • An emission inventory, usually prepared for a particular year, quantifies emissions from different sources for a city or region for that year. • The 2021 draft report was prepared by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). It was released in November 2024. The Delhi government had tasked TERI with the task as part of a project to identify sources of pollution in real-time. • Of the six air pollutants that the draft report lists, vehicles are the largest contributors to three. Vehicles are the largest emitters of PM2.5 in Delhi, making up around 47% or 9.6 kt/year (kilotonnes per year) of the total estimated PM2.5 emission of 20.32 kt/year. This was followed by road dust (20%, 4.09 kt/year of PM2.5). • Vehicles are also the largest emitters of nitrogen oxides (Nox), contributing 78% or 119.6 kt/year to the estimated Nox load of 153.53 kt/year, and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), contributing around 49% (88.02 kt/year) of the total load of 180.52 kt/year. • Among vehicles, two-wheelers are the largest source of PM2.5, PM10, sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide. Three-wheelers are the largest source of VOCs, while buses have been identified as the largest source of Nox. • In 2021, the Commission for Air Quality for the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act (CAQM Act) was enacted, which exclusively deals with the management of pollution in the National Capital Region and its adjoining areas in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The Act established CAQM as a statutory body with the power to take measures and issue directions to improve and protect air quality in the region. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Why air pollution should be an urgent national priority 📍What are the worst polluters in Delhi NCR? Here's what a TERI report says UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (2) In the context of WHO Air Quality Guidelines, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2022) 1. The 24-hour mean of should not exceed and annual mean of should not exceed 2. In a year, the highest levels of ozone pollution occur during the periods of inclement weather. 3. PM10 can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the bloodstream 4. Excessive ozone in the air can trigger asthma. Which of the statements given above are correct? (a) 1, 3 and 4 only (b) 1 and 4 only (c) 2, 3 and 4 only (d) 1 and 2 only Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment What's the ongoing story: The Environment Ministry's Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has deferred its clearance for the proposed international airport in Odisha's Puri, citing its regional office's concerns about potential harm to Olive Ridley turtles, Irrawaddy dolphins and migratory birds, and the impact of the loss of 13,000 trees that protect the coastline from cyclones. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the conservation status of Olive Ridley turtles? • What is the role and purpose of the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC)? • Know about the Chilika Lake, Balukhand wildlife sanctuary, and the Irrawaddy dolphins • What is the Central Asian Flyway? • What are the flyways used by the migratory birds? • What is the significance of migratory birds for the ecosystem? • What is the process of clearing an environment-sensitive project? • What is the role and function of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)? Key Takeaways: • The FAC, which scrutinises proposals seeking forest land for large projects, asked the Odisha government to take a precautionary approach and refer the matter to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). • The Shree Jagannath International Airport airport, cleared by the Union Aviation Ministry on May 5, is proposed to come up on around 471 hectares of land in Puri district's Sipasarubali. The state government has sought approval for the use of 27.88 hectares of forest land for the project, which will cost an estimated `5,631 crore. • The regional office raised concerns that cutting the 13,000 trees — mostly casuarina, cashew, acacia and noni — would remove a natural shield against cyclones in Puri. The FAC directed the Odisha government to justify the felling and submit a mitigation plan for 'climate eventualities'. Odisha is a particularly cyclone-prone state. • In a detailed site inspection report, the regional office also raised potential risks to not only turtle nesting sites in Brahmagiri forest division, adjoining the project site, but also lakhs of migratory birds that visit the Chilika estuarine lake. It flagged the potential of bird hits on airplanes. • 'The Chilika (satpada) lake boundary is at a distance of approximately 10-11 km from the proposed area. The Olive Ridley nesting site at Balukhand wildlife sanctuary is at a distance of 2.3 km from the proposed airport site, and it is also contiguous to the sea and beach adjacent to the site', the inspection report stated. • In response to concerns raised by the ministry on turtles, the state said that a site-specific wildlife conservation plan could be formulated, which would include detailed mitigation measures. On concerns over dolphins, the state said that the Zoological Survey of India's regional office in Gopalpur was conducting a study. • On concerns about the project's impact on the flyway, or routes of migratory birds, the Odisha government said flights from eastern to southern cities already operate in the same airspace. • The Central Asian Flyway is one among the world's nine major flyways or migration routes. It is used by lakhs of birds, especially waterbirds. The flyway links the northernmost breeding grounds in Siberia, Russia to South Asia and West Asia. India is a critical stopover site for these birds. Do You Know: • Olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles in the world. They get their name from the olive green colour of their heart-shaped shell, and inhabit warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. • Olive ridleys can grow about two feet in length, and 50 kg in weight. Scientists do not know exactly how long they live, but like other sea turtles, Olive ridleys are likely long-lived — they reach maturity around 14 years of age. • These marine reptiles are best known for their unique mass nesting — also called arribada, Spanish for 'arrival' — during which thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs. • While solitary nesting by Olive ridleys is known to take place in approximately 40 countries worldwide, arribada nesting occurs on only a few beaches. The coast of Odisha (where Rushikulya and Gahirmatha rookeries are situated) is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive ridley, followed by the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica. • The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) is a statutory body under the provisions of section-3 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The role of the FAC is recommendatory in nature so far as diversion of forest land for the purpose of non-forestry use, including mining, is concerned. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Why record number of Olive Ridleys came to nest in Odisha this year 📍422 Indian wetlands and grasslands on list of Central Asian Flyway sites, 19 from Gujarat Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (3) Consider the following statements about Olive Ridleys: 1. They are carnivorous 2. It is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List 3. They practise mass nesting called Arribada How many of the above statements are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism What's the ongoing story: With the commissioning of INS Tamal at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, on Tuesday (July 1), the Indian Navy has likely inducted its last foreign-built warship. Key Points to Ponder: • Know about the Talwar-class frigate • How many foreign-built warship is currently commissioned in India? • Know about the features of INS Tamal, BrahMos Missile, Akash medium range surface to air missile, S-400 Triumf, Armoured recovery vehicles (ARV), and electronic warfare (EW) system • What is anti-submarine warfare (ASW)? • What are the steps taken by India for the indigenous development of warships? • What is the role of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)? Key Takeaways: • This is a major milestone for the Navy, which has, over the years, progressively indigenised shipbuilding, increasing bit by bit the indigenous content in warships, as well as designing them in India. • INS Tamal is the eighth Talwar-class frigate — these are improved versions of the Krivak III-class frigates — built by Russia for the Indian Navy as a part of Project 1135.6. • It is also the second of four additional follow-on ships of the class that were ordered in 2018. The first, INS Tushil, was commissioned in Kaliningrad in December last year. The final two, Triput and Tavasya, are being built in India by the Goa Shipyard Limited with transfer of technology and design assistance from Russia. Triput, which was launched into sea last July and is expected to be commissioned in 2026, will be India's first indigenously built Talwar-class frigate. • INS Tamal is a multirole frigate with a displacement of 4,035 long tonnes (1 long tonne = 1,016 kg) at full load, a length of 124.8 m, and a beam (width at its widest point) of 15.2 m. It has a maximum speed of 30 knots (56 km/h), and a range of upto 4,850 nautical miles (8,980 km). The ship will be manned by a crew of 250 sailors and 26 officers. • INS Tamal carries two kinds of anti-aircraft missiles — 24 vertically-launched Shtil surface-to-air missiles with a range of upto 70 km, and eight short-range Igla missiles. At close range, incoming aircraft and missiles can also be fended off by the ship's two AK-630s: fully-automated 30 mm rotary cannons that can fire more than 5,000 rounds per minute. • INS Tamal's anti-ship/ land attack capabilities are centred around the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. The ship carries a complement of eight such missiles which boast an operational range in the hundreds of kilometres, and can fly at speeds of upto Mach 3 (3,700 km/h). • INS Ajay, a small patrol vessel commissioned in 1960, was the first indigenously-built ship in India. • Today, the majority of the Navy's warships are built indigenously, using more than 75% indigenous components. Several Indian shipyards, both public-sector and privately held, build ships for the Navy. Do You Know: • The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) Thursday cleared a series of big-ticket procurements worth Rs 1.05 lakh crore for the Armed Forces — which includes armoured recovery vehicles (ARV), electronic warfare (EW) system, integrated common inventory management system for the tri-services and surface to air missiles. • The DAC is the top body for clearing major capital acquisitions for defence. The Ministry in a statement Thursday said these procurements will provide higher mobility, effective air defence, better supply chain management and augment the operational preparedness of the Armed Forces. • The clearance to procure more surface to air missiles is likely based on India's stellar performance during military hostilities with Pakistan following Operation Sindoor of surface to air missile systems such as the indigenously-made Akash medium range surface to air missile and S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system. • Similarly, a Common Inventory Management System for the tri-services would improve cost efficiency of commonly used systems by the three services and provide pan-service visibility in terms of availability of weapon systems, allowing balancing of resources based on the theatre that is active. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Surface to air missiles, armoured recovery vehicles: MoD clears Rs 1 lakh crore purchases 📍Govt to boost production of Made-in-India merchant vessels, cut reliance on foreign ships Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (4) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2023) 1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket powered only in the initial phase of flight. 2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement Mains Examination: General Studies-I: History of the world will include events from the 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonisation, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society. What's the ongoing story: The United States is celebrating its 249th Independence Day on Friday, July 4. This was the day in which the country's founding fathers formally signed the Declaration of Independence, officially ending British rule over the colonies. Here's a brief history. Key Points to Ponder: • What was the American War of Independence? • Understand the establishment of British colonies in America • Learn about the American Civil War • What was the role of the Seven Years' War in America's independence? • Know about the following legislations: Sugar Act (1764), the Tea Act (1773) and the Intolerable Acts (1774) • How did these legislation lead to the American War of Independence? • What was the Boston Tea Party? • What was the role of France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic in America's independence? Key Takeaways: • More than 150 years after the first permanent British colonies emerged in North America, the colonists had grown increasingly frustrated with the Crown. • With the 13 original colonies having no representation in the British Parliament in London, the 1760s and early 1770s saw the passage of a series of laws which imposed high taxes and curtailed colonists' activities. • Legislations such as the Sugar Act (1764), the Tea Act (1773) and the Intolerable Acts (1774) were seen by Americans as excessive British interference in their lives. With the Enlightenment giving a rise to ideas of freedom and equality, the situation was ripe for an uprising. • The so-called Boston Tea Party began a resistance movement across the colonies against the oppressive tea tax — and the British Empire as a whole. The colonists claimed that Britain had no right to tax the colonies without giving them representation in the British Parliament. • To decide further course of action, the 13 colonies came together to form the Continental Congress. The Congress initially tried to enforce a boycott of British goods, and meet King George III to negotiate better terms. But their attempts were in vain. • This war went on till 1783 when Britain formally recognised American independence after its military defeat. The American victory, in no small part, was made possible due to the support of Britain's European rivals — namely France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic. • Years before 1783, while fighting still raged on, the Continental Congress declared American independence from British rule. • On July 2, 1776, 12 of the 13 member-states of the Congress 'unanimously' observed that the colonies 'are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states.' • As John Adams, who later became the second President of the US, noted: 'The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.' • He was off by two days. The formal document solemnising the colonies' independence — the Declaration of Independence — was signed on July 4, the day that is still observed in the US as Independence Day. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍US Independence Day Live Updates: Ahead of 4th of July, Trump kicks off 'big, big celebration' for America's 250th birthday UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: The American Revolution was an economic revolt against mercantilism. Substantiate. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc. Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment. What's the ongoing story: NITI Aayog, the government's apex public policy think tank, has proposed a series of measures to nearly double India's $44 billion in annual chemical exports by 2030, noting that limited domestic demand remains a key barrier to faster growth in the sector. Key Points to Ponder: • What is a trade deficit? • What are the Petroleum, Chemicals, and Petrochemicals Investment Regions (PCPIRs) in India? • What is the role of resilient port infrastructure in India's exports? • What are the steps taken by the government to build port infrastructure? • What do you understand by the high-demand specialty chemicals? • What are the measures taken by the government to enhance the efficiency of the logistics sector? Key Takeaways: • The measures outlined in a report released on Thursday include developing new and existing production clusters to enable scale, improving port infrastructure for better logistics and storage, and introducing a sales-linked incentive scheme to localise production and boost exports of critical chemicals. • In 2023, India ran a trade deficit of $31 billion in chemicals, and accounted for a share of 3.5 per cent in global value chains (GVCs) – against China's 23 per cent – according to the report. The domestic market was valued at $220 billion in 2023, and the government and industry hope to increase that to $1 trillion by 2040. • The report said India could double its share in GVCs to 5-6 per cent by 2030, largely by shifting from bulk chemicals to high-demand specialty chemicals. Adequate policy interventions can also raise exports by 35-40 billion in 2030 from $44 billion in 2023, it said. • Towards that end, the report has proposed a sales-linked incentive scheme packaged as an operational expenditure (opex) subsidy to expand capacities. The subsidy will be aimed at reducing heavy reliance on specific countries for critical chemical imports and at boosting exports. • The report also called for revamping existing cluster-based Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Regions (PCPIRs) – namely Dahej, Paradeep, and Vizag. The Paradeep and Vizag PCPIRs are currently far from completion. • It also recommended setting up a Chemical Committee to identify and address infrastructure gaps in port-based chemical trade, alongside developing eight high-potential clusters spanning 14 major and 12 minor ports across India. Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: The Gati-Shakti Yojana needs meticulous coordination between the government and the private sector to achieve the goal of connectivity. Discuss. (UPSC CSE 2022) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Careful curation: on Bihar's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
Bihar's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by the Election Commission of India (ECI) has drawn criticism from political parties, and rightly so. The enormity of the task, the short duration, and the strict criteria for verification could result in the wrongful exclusion of lakhs of voters. The ECI's statement that only ordinary residents would qualify for inclusion in the electoral roll has raised concerns, particularly among Opposition parties. Critics argue that it would be difficult for migrant voters — an estimated 20% of Bihar's voting population — to be present for verification during the window that ends on July 31, and creates a high probability that they could be struck off the rolls. The Representation of the People Act, 1950 states that 'A person absenting himself temporarily from his place of ordinary residence shall not by reason thereof cease to be ordinarily resident therein', and manuals on electoral rolls add that such people will be treated as ordinary residents as long as they possess the ability and intention to return. This means that there must be caution in removing the names of migrants, especially those who are away from their place of residence for a short period. The issue becomes more complicated with long-term migrants. In Bihar's case, there is a significant section of the voting-age population, especially males, migrating for work. This becomes evident when parsing voting data from the 2024 general election in the State, revealing a unique electoral dynamic. Bihar is a State where more women turned out to vote than men in absolute numbers (for every 1,000 men there were 1,017.5 women ), even though there were more registered male electors on the rolls (for every 1,000 men, there were only 917.5 women). This electoral dynamic was observed in Jharkhand, and to a lesser extent in Himachal Pradesh, but nowhere was the difference starker than in Bihar. There is good reason to believe that many of the absentee male electors were registered in their home constituencies in Bihar but were unable to return on polling day, drastically lowering the overall turnout rate for men. These electors were likely part of a large migrant cohort that included many longer-term migrants. The SIR must carefully parse such electors and ensure that only longer-term migrants are removed from the rolls — not an easy task. For longer-term migrants, meaningful representation requires their vote to be registered where they currently reside and work. Migrant workers are integral to the economic engines of several States, and their political voice should be more impactful in holding representatives accountable for their everyday challenges there, rather than in their native places. The ECI's SIR must balance these principles. Ideally, such a process should take more time than the one month that the ECI has allocated for it.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Distrust of Indian voters, EC: NDA blasts Rahul Gandhi over Bihar voter roll revision row
Patna: After a delegation of opposition parties lodged a strong protest against the Election Commission's decision to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections, the NDA launched a scathing counterattack, accusing Congress MP Rahul Gandhi of undermining constitutional authorities and showing distrust towards Indian voters. The Opposition, represented by an 18-member INDIA bloc delegation comprising 11 parties, including Congress, RJD, CPI, CPI(M-L), and Samajwadi Party, met with ECI officials at Nirvachan Sadan on Wednesday. They alleged that the EC's move was both sudden and ill-timed, potentially impacting marginalised groups and compromising the fairness of the polls. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, intensifying the opposition's stance, also demanded the publication of consolidated, machine-readable digital electoral rolls and CCTV footage from polling booths in Maharashtra, citing transparency concerns. Reacting to this, Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin accused Rahul Gandhi of questioning the integrity of both Indian voters and the Election Commission. "Rahul Gandhi is trying to deceive the people of this country. He doesn't trust Indian voters; instead, he trusts those who come from Bangladesh and other places. If he truly had faith in the people of India, he wouldn't cast doubt on them," Nabin told IANS. Bihar Minister Santosh Kumar Singh also slammed Gandhi for "not trusting a constitutional body" and misrepresenting the voter list revision process. "The voter list revision work is underway. As per the Indian Constitution, a person can vote only in one constituency. If someone is dead or has a duplicate entry, their name is removed -- this is the EC's responsibility," Singh told IANS. "If Rahul Gandhi doesn't understand this, he should join PM Modi's class and learn. He keeps raising baseless concerns instead of trusting the EC and the Constitution," Singh added. BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain accused Gandhi of disrupting the EC's work. "The voter list is being revised. Why does Rahul Gandhi have a problem with it? Wherever Congress wins, the EC is fine. But if they lose, the EC becomes corrupt in their eyes," he told IANS. "Rahul Gandhi should stop blaming others for his party's failures. He wants the EC to hand him a certificate of being the most likeable leader, but such validation comes from the people, not institutions. His part-time politics won't be enough to challenge PM Modi or the BJP," Hussain added. JD(U) senior leader K.C. Tyagi also weighed in and, speaking to IANS, he said, "Rahul Gandhi has already accepted defeat. That's why he is making such accusations. The EC has always tried to ensure accuracy in the electoral process." The opposition leaders, however, have also questioned the timing of the announcement, pointing out that no mention of a Special Intensive Revision had been made in the EC's public communications over the past six months. The delegation alleged that for the first time, the EC was asking voters to furnish multiple documents, a move that could lead to the exclusion of poor, marginalised, and rural populations from the voter rolls. The leaders urged the Commission to defer the revision exercise and ensure that electoral reforms, if necessary, are conducted in a manner that does not affect voter rights or compromise democratic integrity.
