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The Election Commission’s proposal to use specially-designed Remote Voting Machines (RVMs) to enable migrants to cast their votes from outside their home constituencies has been shelved for now as nearly all political parties are opposed to it.
A top EC functionary said most parties had expressed concern over the plan that the poll panel first announced in December, though they agreed that the problem of nearly 30 crore registered electors opting not to vote should be addressed. As a result, the proposal was unlikely to be implemented anytime soon, said sources.
When asked by The Indian Express about the status of the proposal, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said at a press conference on March 29 that the EC had received responses “from a limited number of parties” out of the nearly 60 national and state recognised parties it had written to.
While the need for doing the outreach for the missing voters is established all across, the processes, administrative part, legal part and technological part are works in progress.
Everybody has suggested to firm it up first. This is a long-drawn process. This will take time. But in any case, till that time, the outreach for bringing everybody to the polling booth continues.
Govt & Politics
Focus on Gaganyaan, ISRO making leaps to meet 2025 target for manned mission (Page no. 9)
(GS Paper 3, Science and Tech)
From human rating LVM3 launch vehicle to upgrading the mission control complex, building an ‘umbilical tower’ on the second launch pad for maintenance of the rocket while on the launch platform, agreement with Australia for setting up a mobile unit for direct-to-ground communication at Cocos Island, the Indian Space Research Organisation has been busy working towards sending humans to space, says the recently released annual report of the organisation.
The Gaganyaan Mission will be undertaken from the second launch pad at the country’s only spaceport in Sriharikota. The selected astronauts have completed the first semester of the mission-specific training in India, after completing a generic training for spacefaring in Russia.
During the training, the astronauts attended 218 lectures and 75 physical training sessions. There were two flying practices, two medical evaluations and two course-related evaluations in this period.
Indus treaty with Pak World’s holiest we are honouring it despite 3 wars (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat recently returned from the United Nations Water Conference, where he showcased India’s initiatives in water and sanitation sector and had bilateral meetings with other countries. He spoke to Harikishan Sharma. Excerpts:
Organised after 46 years, it was basically a brainstorming conference. Knowing that water is a finite resource and the way population is growing, climate change impacts are being observed, and simultaneously, the economy is growing, lifestyle is changing, the demand for water all around the world is increasing.
In countries, especially where water is being harvested through underground resources, the challenge is even bigger. Glacial melt is again creating another point of botheration.
In the UN, almost 24 organisations are dealing with different aspects of water. Korösi accepted my suggestion and mentioned it during his concluding speech.
On the lines of India-WRIS platform, Korösi said they too are thinking of making a global platform where all water-related information will be available in public domain …
Express Network
NGT orders forming panel to review green clearance for Greater Nicobar island project (Page no. 11)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
The eastern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered constitution of a high-powered committee under the Environment Secretary for a “relook” at environmental clearances given to the Rs 72,000-crore Greater Nicobar project.
Activities of the project will remain on hold until the committee submits its report to NGT, which the Tribunal said should be done within two months. The Tribunal has, however, allowed for work which “may not be of irreversible nature” to continue.
While hearing the petition filed against clearances given to the project, the NGT noted in its April 3 order that it is compliant and the EC does not call for interference.
The project will include, among others, an International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), a greenfield international airport, a township, and a 450 MVA gas- and solar-based power plant over 16,610 hectares in the Great Nicobar Islands,
The NGT has approved the forest clearance provided and also said that the project is required for “national security” and economic development of the region.
The clearances for the project have been challenged on the grounds that they are not compliant with the 2006 notification; that the environment impact assessment (EIA) has not been properly prepared according to terms of reference; that ICRZ regulations have been violated and the impact on tribal populations have not been taken into account.
World
Chinese planes cross Taiwan strait median line start drills (Page no. 14)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Seventy-one Chinese military aircraft crossed the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait as China began drills around Taiwan in anger at President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The three-day drills, announced the day after Tsai returned from the United States, had been widely expected after Beijing condemned her Wednesday meeting with Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan's government strongly objects to China's claims.
Beijing's announcement also came just hours after China hosted a visit by senior European leaders. The People's Liberation Army said it had started the combat readiness patrols and "Joint Sword" exercises around Taiwan, having said earlier it would be holding them in the Taiwan Strait and to the north, south and east of Taiwan "as planned".
This is a serious warning to the Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces' collusion and provocation, and it is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Chinese army's Eastern Theatre Command said in a statement.
Chinese aircraft, including fighter jets and bombers, crossing the median line that normally serves as an unofficial barrier between the two sides, as well as nine Chinese ships.